Pioneer Valley Trading Co. Dispensary in Southwick MA

Pioneer Valley Trading Co., a dispensary like no other

Most dispensaries move into a storefront. Pioneer Valley Trading Co. Dispensary in Southwick MA moved into a church. Its Southwick store at 660 College Highway sits in the former Southwick Episcopal Church, and the team kept enough of the old building to make it one of the most memorable places to shop for cannabis in Western Massachusetts.

Think 23-foot ceilings, a working church organ in the corner, comfy couches and a big fish tank. It is also the town’s first recreational cannabis dispensary. Here is a closer look.

Southwick’s first recreational dispensary

Pioneer Valley Trading Co. opened Southwick’s first recreational cannabis dispensary in the summer of 2025, according to MassLive. The town put out a request for proposals in July 2024, the Select Board approved Pioneer Valley Trading Co., and the store opened its doors less than a year after that approval, with the state’s Cannabis Control Commission guiding the process through final inspections.

The local paper, The Reminder, followed the process closely. The town spent nearly two years setting up rules to allow two recreational cannabis retailers. In August 2024, the Select Board chose Pioneer Valley Trading Co. over three other applicants, citing its experience successfully opening its Westfield store. On March 18, 2025, the Planning Board unanimously approved the site plan and special permit, after the police chief signed off on the security plan. The principals described themselves as longtime Southwick residents, and they promised the church’s exterior would not change. Their plans, as reported when they first went before the Planning Board in January 2025, kept the church’s existing sign, updated with the company’s logo and name and a banner reading “premium cannabis,” and remodeled the inside into retail, office, security and consulting space with nine points of sale. The owners pointed to the experience their team gained opening the Westfield store, and said they were excited to get it going.

The Commission lists 660 College Highway as an active, licensed cannabis retailer. The store’s owners told MassLive the community has been supportive, and that other local business owners welcomed the shop to town.

Founded by locals

Pioneer Valley Trading Co. describes itself as “a labor of love by true Western Massachusetts folks,” founded by people born and bred in the region’s hills. It is locally owned and serves the Western Massachusetts area, and its stated commitments are community, sustainability and a curated selection of strains.

The company also says it wants to be more than a dispensary. Its goal is a warm, welcoming space and a guide to Western Massachusetts cannabis culture.

Inside the old church

This is the part you have to see in person. When Pioneer Valley Trading Co. converted the former church, it kept a working organ from the building in one corner. The cathedral ceilings, 23 feet high, now hold colored disks that hang overhead, and the room has been filled out with artwork and couches.

Then there is the fish tank. The store added a large tank full of marine life, including a big white goldfish said to be 20 years old. Between the decorative lighting, the high ceilings and the old organ, the whole space has what MassLive described as a cathedral feel.

It is a relaxed place to browse. An iPad kiosk lets you look through the menu at your own pace, and the couches make it easy to settle in while you decide.

Small-batch cannabis, carefully chosen

Pioneer Valley Trading Co. leans toward small-batch, boutique cultivators, with some products from larger growers too. Everything is tested by the independent labs the state requires, so whatever you choose, you know it has been checked before it reaches the shelf.

Before stocking the Southwick store, the team screened products at its flagship store in Westfield, and that experience shaped the Southwick lineup. The Southwick menu is broken into handy sections:

Deli flower, flower and bulk flower
Pre-rolls and infused pre-rolls
Vaporizers
Concentrates
Edibles and beverages
Tinctures
Topicals
Merchandise

The menu changes, so check the Southwick menu online before you visit.

Low and slow for newcomers

If you are new to cannabis, or a little nervous, you are in good hands. The budtenders help first-timers start with low-THC products and a “low and slow” approach, so you can find what works for you without overdoing it. Tell them it is your first visit and let them guide you.

Two stores, one local team

Pioneer Valley Trading Co. runs two stores, both open seven days a week from 9am to 9pm and reachable at (413) 440-9631:

Southwick: 660 College Highway, Southwick, MA 01077
Westfield: 475 Southampton Road, Westfield, MA 01085, the company’s flagship

The Westfield store opened first, in early 2024, and Southwick followed in 2025. Each store has its own online menu.

The flagship has its own fun backstory. According to The Reminder, Pioneer Valley Trading Co. moved its Westfield store into a former Dunkin’ Donuts on Southampton Road, removing the old drive-through window and menu board. Southampton Road carries U.S. Route 202 and Route 10 through Westfield, the same highway pair that runs down College Highway to the Southwick store, so the two shops sit on one easy route.

Westfield itself is known as the Whip City, a nod to its 19th-century buggy whip industry. It is home to Westfield State University and had 40,834 residents at the 2020 census. If you are making a day of both stores, Westfield also has Stanley Park, the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail and Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport.

Plan your visit

Address. 660 College Highway, Southwick, MA 01077.

Hours. Open every day from 9am to 9pm.

Phone. (413) 440-9631.

Adults 21+. Pioneer Valley Trading Co. is a recreational dispensary. Bring a valid, government-issued ID showing you are 21 or older.

Browse first. Look at the Southwick menu online, or use the iPad kiosk in the store.

Massachusetts cannabis basics

Southwick sits right on the Connecticut line, so this one matters. Here are the rules from the state’s 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, so anything you buy in Southwick cannot cross into Connecticut, and it cannot be mailed.

Your first visit, step by step

Look up. Take in the 23-foot ceilings and the hanging disks when you walk in.
Show your ID. A valid ID showing you are 21 or older.
Browse on the kiosk. Scroll the menu on the iPad, or sit down on a couch and think it over.
Say it is your first time. The budtenders will suggest a low-THC, low-and-slow start.
Say hi to the goldfish. The 20-year-old resident of the fish tank is worth a look.

Getting to Pioneer Valley Trading Co. Southwick

The store is on College Highway, which carries both U.S. Route 202 and Massachusetts Route 10 through Southwick. College Highway runs north to Westfield and south to Granby, Connecticut, and Route 57 crosses the town from east to west, so the store is easy to reach from both states. The Get directions button on this page opens the store in Google Maps.

Make a day of it in Southwick

Southwick has a famous quirk on the map. A long-running dispute between Massachusetts and Connecticut left a notch in the state line, known as the Southwick Jog. Massachusetts claimed the area in 1793, and a compromise in 1804 set the boundary that stands today, which makes Southwick the southernmost town in Western Massachusetts.

The town was settled in 1690 and incorporated on November 7, 1770, as a separate district of Westfield, and it had 9,232 residents at the 2020 census, close to the 9,502 counted in 2010, which keeps its small-town feel. Its farmland suits tobacco, which is still widely grown as a cash crop.

The Congamond Lakes have their own history. Ice was once cut from the lakes and shipped by rail to food storage in cities like New York and Boston, and the lakes drew tourist resorts in the 1800s. Babb’s Roller Skating Rink, on the Suffield side, is the last remaining piece of the old amusement park.

Southwick has produced some notable names too, including Amasa Holcomb, the first telescope maker in the United States, Matthew Laflin, one of the founders of Chicago, basketball star and broadcaster Rebecca Lobo, and Dr. Jerri Nielsen, the physician who treated her own breast cancer while stationed at the South Pole.

Why Pioneer Valley Trading Co. Southwick is worth the trip

Pioneer Valley Trading Co. took a former church, kept the organ, hung art from the rafters and added a fish tank, then filled it with small-batch cannabis chosen by a local team. It is Southwick’s first recreational dispensary, it is open every day, and its budtenders make newcomers feel at home.

Come for the cannabis, stay for the cathedral ceiling, and say hello to the goldfish. Then head north up College Highway to the Westfield flagship if you want to see where it all started.

For adults 21 and over. Please consume responsibly.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

Where is Pioneer Valley Trading Co. in Southwick?

Pioneer Valley Trading Co. Southwick is at 660 College Highway, Southwick, MA 01077, in the former Southwick Episcopal Church. College Highway carries Routes 202 and 10 between Westfield and Granby, Connecticut. Call (413) 440-9631 or use the Get directions button on this page.

What are Pioneer Valley Trading Co. Southwick's hours?

Pioneer Valley Trading Co. Southwick is open every day from 9am to 9pm. The company’s flagship store in Westfield keeps the same hours. You can check the Southwick menu online before you go, or browse on the iPad kiosk once you are inside the store.

Why is the Southwick dispensary in a church?

Pioneer Valley Trading Co. converted the former Southwick Episcopal Church into its Southwick store. It kept a working organ from the church and added colored disks under the 23-foot ceilings, artwork, couches and a large fish tank, giving the store what MassLive called a cathedral feel.

Is Pioneer Valley Trading Co. good for first-time customers?

Yes. The budtenders help new or nervous customers start with low-THC products and a low-and-slow approach. The store focuses on small-batch, boutique cultivators, and every product is tested by state-required independent labs, so you can ask about anything on the menu with confidence.

Can I bring cannabis from Southwick into Connecticut?

No. Massachusetts law makes it illegal to take cannabis out of the state, so anything you buy in Southwick has to stay in Massachusetts. In the car, keep it in a closed container in the trunk or a locked glove compartment, and never drive under the influence.