Greatest Hits Dispensary in Dudley MA

Greatest Hits, where music meets cannabis

Some dispensaries play background music. Greatest Hits Cannabis Co. builds the whole store around it. The Dudley shop at 35 Chase Avenue pairs cannabis with music memorabilia, a DJ booth and live performances, under a tagline that sums it up: “music meets cannabis.” Here is your guide to Greatest Hits Dispensary in Dudley MA.

Greatest Hits opened its Dudley flagship as the town’s first recreational cannabis store. If you live in the Webster and Dudley area, or you are coming up from northeastern Connecticut, here is what to know. The store serves Webster, Southbridge, Charlton, Oxford, Sturbridge and Douglas, and the company says it is just a short 2-mile drive from the Connecticut border, with Hartford about an hour away.

A flagship in a historic mill

Greatest Hits set up shop in a renovated mill on Chase Avenue that the Worcester Business Journal described as 158 years old when the store was getting ready to open. The company had bigger plans for the property too: its grand opening announcement described plans for a large cultivation and manufacturing facility in Dudley.

Open since 2022

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission lists 35 Chase Avenue as an active, licensed adult-use cannabis retailer, open since April 8, 2022. After a soft opening, Greatest Hits threw a grand opening block party on Saturday, June 25, 2022, with live music from DJs and bands, pop-ups from more than 15 Massachusetts cannabis brands, and food trucks serving pizza and more.

“The grand opening marks the first of many exciting events we have planned with the local community,” co-founder Joe Villatico said at the time.

Life’s greatest hits

The name says a lot. Greatest Hits describes itself as a music-inspired lifestyle brand for people who “march to the beat of their own drum,” named for the best moments in life. Its goal is for the store to be “a destination where cannabis enthusiasts and music lovers unite to celebrate life’s Greatest Hits.”

The brand has a bit of attitude, too. “We champion the rebel yell heard in us all,” it says. But it is welcoming at heart: “Music is a universal language enjoyed by all walks of life,” the company writes, and it sees cannabis the same way, as “a universal herb that can be enjoyed by all.” Whether you are a first-timer or a longtime fan, the promise is simple: “we welcome you with a smile!”

The Dudley store page calls the flagship a reflection of “our team’s commitment to selling great weed in a relaxed environment.” Reviews quoted there agree. One shopper called it the “coolest store I have ever visited for sure,” and another said it has “hands down the best vibes of any dispensary I’ve ever been to.”

The people behind the music

Greatest Hits was founded by Rhett Jordan and Joe Villatico. Jordan is a cannabis industry veteran who helped build the vertical model behind Native Roots, a large Colorado dispensary chain, and he brought that experience east. Villatico is a Massachusetts native and motocross racer with a background in hemp and beverages.

In the grand opening announcement, Jordan spoke about the town directly: “My co-founder Joe and I have a deep commitment and love for Dudley.”

Dudley was the first stop. Greatest Hits has since opened in Taunton and Lynn as well.

A store with a DJ booth

What makes a visit to Greatest Hits different is the soundtrack. Its stores have a DJ booth and host music on Fridays, according to a walk-through by the cannabis blog Talking Joints Memo, and the company sponsors concerts, holds in-store signings and talks with musicians, and has ties to the Indian Ranch summer concert series.

“Concerts for a lot of us are some of the best experiences,” vice president of retail sales Lucas Baier told the blog. The goal, he explained, is to make cannabis part of that same kind of memorable, live-event feeling. The playlist can run anywhere from Nas to Led Zeppelin, so there is a good chance you will hear something you love while you shop.

Three ways to shop

Baier described the Greatest Hits layout as built for three kinds of shoppers:

Express shoppers who know exactly what they want and want to be in and out.
Guided shoppers who would like a tour and some advice.
Browsers who like to take their time and look around.

The stores use glass-enclosed displays for flower and concentrates, self-serve kiosks and specialty counters, where staff answer specific questions about products. The company describes its staff as highly educated and ready to help.

Grown with care, picked with care

Greatest Hits says it brings premium strains to Massachusetts, backed by a custom genetics library and a curated product rotation. Its shelves also carry a wide range of Massachusetts brands. The lineup changes often, so check the online menu before you go, and ask a budtender what is new.

Learn the basics

Greatest Hits keeps a consumer education page on its website, and it is a solid primer before any dispensary visit:

Start low. Flower usually runs about 10 to 25% THC, while concentrates often land around 50 to 80%. “We do not recommend concentrates for people who are just starting out,” the page says.
Be patient with edibles. Effects can take about one to four hours to begin and may last longer than expected. Check the package, since one cookie or brownie may hold several servings.
Vaping is gentler. The page notes it is “typically much easier on the throat and lungs than smoking it.”
Topicals are different. They are described as “generally non-intoxicating” and used for local relief.
Play it safe. Do not mix cannabis with alcohol, do not drive under the influence, and keep products locked away from children and pets.

The page also lists free, confidential help through the Massachusetts helpline at 1-800-327-5050 for anyone who needs it.

Giving back

Community is part of the Greatest Hits playbook. At its grand opening, the company announced work with BridgeFridge, a local charity, to provide community fridges, including one in Dudley. The company has also talked about concerts, comedy shows, food drives and charity events with local groups and venues. And for anyone with an old cannabis conviction, the Greatest Hits website links to Lake Shore Legal Solutions for information about expungement.

The Greatest Hits app and VIP

Greatest Hits has a mobile app where you can shop, earn and save in one place. The company also offers a VIP membership with “exclusive rewards, products, giveaways.” Sign up on your first visit.

Good to know

The Greatest Hits FAQ answers a few common questions:

Payment. Cash or debit, with an ATM on site.
ID. A valid government-issued ID showing you are 21 or older. Temporary paper licenses are not accepted.
Out of state? You do not need to be a Massachusetts resident to shop.

Plan your visit

Address. 35 Chase Avenue, Dudley, MA 01571.

Phone. (508) 980-0420.

Hours. The Dudley store page lists 9am to 9:55pm, seven days a week. Call ahead to confirm.

Paying. Cash or debit, with an ATM on site.

Adults 21+. Bring a valid, government-issued ID. Temporary paper licenses are not accepted.

Massachusetts cannabis basics

Here are the state rules from the Cannabis Control Commission:

Age. 21 or older, with a government-issued ID for every retail purchase.
Carrying. Up to two ounces in public.
At home. Up to 10 ounces, and anything over two ounces must be locked up.
Where to use it. Not in public places and not on federal land.
In the car. No open containers in the passenger area. Use a closed container in the trunk or a locked glove compartment, and never drive under the influence.
State lines. It is illegal to take cannabis out of Massachusetts, and it cannot be mailed. Dudley sits right on the Connecticut line, so keep that in mind.

Your first visit, step by step

Get the app. Browse the menu and earn as you shop.
Pick your speed. Express, guided tour or browse.
Bring your ID and cash or debit. No temporary paper licenses.
Ask at the specialty counters. Staff are there to answer questions.
Come back on a Friday. Catch a DJ set.

Make a day of it in Dudley

Dudley is a Worcester County town of 11,921 people (2020 census) on the Connecticut border, next to Thompson and Woodstock. The land was carved out of Nipmuc territory in 1681, first settled in 1714 and incorporated in 1732. In 1776, George Washington’s Continental Army camped in Dudley near the Connecticut line.

The town has deep manufacturing roots. During the Civil War, Dudley was a major maker of “Brogan boots” and much of the standard Union Army uniform. The Stevens Linen Works Historic District is a reminder of that mill history, and the Black Tavern, begun around 1803 by Hezekiah Healy, is another landmark worth seeing.

Nichols College, founded in 1816 as Nichols Academy, sits on Dudley Hill, the town’s historic center. The French River runs along the town line with Webster, named for an early Huguenot settlement.

Why Greatest Hits Dudley is worth the stop

A flagship in a historic mill, a DJ booth and a playlist that runs from Nas to Led Zeppelin, three ways to shop and a company that gives back: Greatest Hits Dudley turns a cannabis run into a show. Turn it up, grab your ID and head to Chase Avenue.

Cannabis is for adults 21 and over. Please consume responsibly.