Silver Therapeutics Dispensary in Palmer MA

Silver Therapeutics, a “second home” off the Pike

Driving the Massachusetts Turnpike through central Massachusetts? Silver Therapeutics Dispensary in Palmer MA calls itself the quickest dispensary stop off the Pike, just minutes from Exit 63 at 1235 Thorndike Street. When it opened in June 2023, it became Palmer’s first recreational cannabis dispensary.

Store manager Tony Ramos told The Reminder at the time that he wanted the shop to be part of the community and a “second home” for the people who visit. Here is what to know before you stop in.

Open since 2023

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission lists 1235 Thorndike Street as an active, licensed adult-use cannabis retailer, open since June 1, 2023. Silver held its grand opening on June 5, 2023, and Ramos said the crowd turned out. “People are excited, we’re excited to be here,” he said. Customers, he added, were glad they no longer had to travel to find a dispensary.

Built for light and room to move

Ramos was proud of the store itself. He pointed to the natural light that pours in through a large overhead window and to an open layout that lets shoppers move through the store easily. Silver also says the location has “loads of parking,” which makes it an easy in-and-out stop.

Local team, fair prices

About half of the Palmer staff came from Palmer and nearby towns when the store opened, according to The Reminder. Ramos, who had worked in the industry for five years, called his budtenders “very knowledgeable about products” and said “Silver is the best company” he had worked for.

He was confident about value, too. Ramos said the store’s prices “rival everyone else in the business,” and that the menu would “keep growing by the day.” Silver’s Palmer page says its budtenders help with product selection and cannabis education with no pressure to buy.

Reviews on the store’s page agree. “Great prices great product and great people. It doesn’t get any better than this dispensary,” one shopper wrote. Another called the team “the most friendly staff you will ever meet.”

Everyday pricing, no coupons

Silver has also changed how it handles deals at some stores. At its Roslindale shop, City Farm, the company dropped daily promotions and stackable coupons in favor of everyday pricing, so shoppers do not have to guess whether a better deal is coming. “We’re ditching discounts, but this is actually a good change,” the company wrote, adding that “the only thing we trimmed was the price, not the quality of the products.” Check the Palmer specials page to see the current deals in Palmer.

Order ahead, ready in about 15 minutes

Silver’s online menu makes pickup simple. Place an order and it is generally ready in about 15 minutes, and pre-orders are accepted until 8pm. That is handy if you are passing through on the Pike and want to keep moving. Place the order before you set out, or have a passenger do it, and by the time you park it should be close to ready. Bring your ID and payment, check in at the door, and you can be back on Route 20 or the Pike in minutes.

What’s on the menu

The Palmer store carries flower, pre-rolls, vapes, concentrates and extracts, tinctures, edibles and drinks, topicals, CBD, accessories and apparel. Silver also lists specials and deals on its website, and it has planned pop-up events and vendor visits, announced on its website and Facebook page.

Silver VIP rewards

Join Silver’s loyalty program, Silver VIP, to earn points on purchases and unlock exclusive deals, plus birthday and anniversary rewards. You can check your points balance online any time.

Who is behind Silver Therapeutics

Silver Therapeutics was founded in 2017 by CEO Josh Silver, an attorney, and co-founder Brendan McKee. The Reminder named a third main partner, Joshua Ferranto. The company’s first store was in Williamstown, and it has since grown to stores in Massachusetts, Maine, New York, Vermont and Minnesota, including City Farm in Boston’s Roslindale neighborhood. Silver describes itself as locally owned and operated and says it is “on a mission to help communities achieve their wellness and enjoyment goals through the use of high quality cannabis.”

Ramos told The Reminder that the company wants to stay close to its Massachusetts roots and serve customers in its home state. For Palmer shoppers, that means a company with stores across several states that still treats this store as a hometown shop, with a team drawn from Palmer and the towns around it.

Education first

Education runs through everything Silver does. Co-founder Brendan McKee has written that the biggest thing holding people back from cannabis is a lack of knowledge. “What’s the one thing that holds consumers back from embracing cannabis? Education,” he wrote, adding that “in local communities, the answer is always the dispensary staff.” In Palmer, that means budtenders who take the time to explain, so you can make your own choices. McKee has also written that “cannabis education is pertinent for ensuring people are consuming the plant responsibly,” and that you “simply can’t acknowledge what you don’t know.” Ask questions, even the basic ones; that is what the team is there for.

Tips from the Silver blog

Silver’s blog has a couple of reads worth knowing about.

Low-THC flower. Not everyone wants the strongest option on the shelf. Silver writes that some shoppers want a “mildly psychoactive experience” or to “remain focused and functional,” and that lower-THC strains tend to be less overwhelming. With less THC in the way, a strain’s “unique flavors and aromas” can come through more clearly too. Ask a budtender to point you toward the gentler end of the menu.

Tolerance breaks. If you use cannabis often, Silver explains how a short break can help it feel more effective again. Its suggestion is to “start with 48 hours and see how it goes,” then build up, with about 21 days as a longer goal. A practical tip: “Store all weed and accessories out of sight” before you start, and ask a friend to keep you honest.

Close to Connecticut, too

Palmer is a short drive from the Connecticut line. Silver says the store is about 28 minutes, or 17.3 miles, from Stafford Springs, Connecticut, by way of Route 32. Out-of-state visitors 21 and older with valid ID are welcome. Just remember that cannabis bought in Massachusetts must stay in Massachusetts.

Plan your visit

Address. 1235 Thorndike Street, Palmer, MA 01069, across from Saint Thomas Cemetery.

Hours. Monday through Saturday, 10am to 8pm. Sunday, 10am to 7pm.

Phone. (413) 289-9901.

Getting there. Minutes from Mass Pike Exit 63 and about three minutes from Route 20 in downtown Palmer.

Parking. Plenty of parking on site.

ID. A government-issued photo ID such as a passport, driver’s license or military ID, checked at the door. You must be 21 or older.

Paying. Cash and debit cards.

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.

Your first visit, step by step

Order ahead online. It is usually ready in about 15 minutes.
Exit the Pike at 63. The store is minutes away.
Bring your ID and cash or debit. ID is checked at the door.
Ask a budtender. No pressure, just good advice.
Join Silver VIP. Start earning points.

Make a day of it in Palmer

Palmer is a Hampden County community of 12,448 people (2020 census), the least populous city in Massachusetts, though it keeps “The Town of” in its official name. It was first settled in 1716, named for John Palmer in 1752 and incorporated in 1775. Its villages include Depot Village, the main commercial center, plus Thorndike, Three Rivers and Bondsville.

Palmer’s nickname is the “Town of Seven Railroads,” and its Union Station, designed by H. H. Richardson, now houses a restaurant. Mills, scythe and wire factories and woolen mills once powered the local economy. Today, Palmer Motorsports Park, a 2.3-mile road course that opened in 2015, draws racing fans, and Silver points visitors to nearby spots like Eager Park, The Trainmaster’s Inn, The Day & Night Diner, Roadside Pizza & Grinders and Figlio’s.

The Quaboag Hills Chamber of Commerce is based in Palmer, and Camp Ramah in New England is here too. Palmer, Bondsville and Three Rivers each run their own water and fire departments, a reminder of how the villages grew up side by side.

Getting around is easy. Interstate 90 has an exit right in town, and Routes 20, 32, 67 and 181 all pass through. The PVTA runs Palmer and Ware shuttles too.

Why Silver Therapeutics Palmer is worth the stop

Palmer’s first recreational dispensary, a bright open store with natural light and plenty of parking, a local team that loves to teach, quick online pickup and a spot minutes off the Mass Pike: Silver Therapeutics Palmer makes a road trip stop easy. Take Exit 63 and make yourself at home.

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