Op-Ed by Jennifer Gierum, Founder/CEO of Highlife Health
Editor’s Note: New Yorkers bought over $1 billion worth of weed in 2024, but how did that break down in New Rochelle? Highlife Health, a women-owned dispensary in New Rochelle, celebrated its one-year anniversary on August 23 and released some customer data from its first year of sales.
The dispensary found:
Largest Spend Group Ages: 21–29
Highest Spend Per Visit Ages: 50–59
Largest Cart Size: Seniors (50+) averaging $65.63 per customer
Most Popular Products:
Vapes/Carts: 32.2%
Flower: 28.8%
Pre-Rolls: 19.1%
Edibles: 14.1%
Other (Concentrates, Beverages, Topicals): 5.8%
When we opened New Rochelle’s first legal cannabis dispensary, HighLife Health ,a year ago, we expected our customer base to skew young, and in some ways it does. The 21–29 group is the largest by volume, coming in frequently and spending collectively more than any other demographic. But what surprised us most is that our customers in their 50s are the highest spenders per visit. Seniors in particular average $65.63 per transaction, making their cart size the largest in our store. That difference has reshaped how we think about service, inventory, and the role our dispensary plays in the community.
The numbers make it clear. Younger shoppers are driving traffic, while older shoppers are making bigger, more deliberate purchases. Among product categories, inhalables dominate. Vapes and cartridges account for 32.2 percent of sales, followed by flower at 28.8 percent. Pre-rolls make up 19.1 percent, edibles 14.1 percent, and everything else, concentrates, beverages, topicals, rounds out the final 5.8 percent. The split reflects both experimentation and comfort zones. Younger customers often move quickly, chasing potency and price, while older shoppers tend to invest in a variety of products that address specific needs.
Our personal customer interactions reveal even more. Customers who are new to consuming legal cannabis will ask about how strong a product is, or what makes an edible different from a tincture, pre-roll, or topical. Topicals in particular raise questions about whether they might show up on a drug test, and we explain that regulated topical products are designed for localized relief, not systemic absorption. Many customers come in searching for strains from their past (many have asked about Panama Red is a common request) and we take the time to explain how today’s regulated, tested products are both safer and more consistent, even if the names have changed.
Sleep is another frequent topic, and one that requires nuance. We ask whether the struggle is falling asleep or staying asleep, since each calls for different cannabinoid profiles and delivery methods. These conversations are where education becomes as important as the product itself.
Some of our most powerful learnings come from our regulars. We have one customer who visits Highlife Health almost daily. For him, the dispensary is more than a retail stop, it is a social anchor and a place where familiar faces matter. The story of his loyalty says more about community than any metric could.
When two neighbors voiced opposition to our opening on Facebook, we held back from arguing. Instead, our broader community spoke up for us, offering public support that proved far louder than the criticism. That moment reinforced the idea that trust is earned through consistent service and openness, not by chasing down every detractor.
The wider community has also embraced us in meaningful ways. The Chamber of Commerce welcomed us as members, allowing us to participate in local initiatives and give back through donations. The city’s Buildings Department has worked with us to address the realities of overdevelopment and the unique challenges of applying cannabis regulations designed for dense urban blocks to the suburban grid of New Rochelle.
What all of this means for New Rochelle is simple: the cannabis consumer here is not just one thing. The younger crowd brings energy, volume, and experimentation. The older crowd brings thoughtful purchases, loyalty, and a focus on health and lifestyle. Both are essential. Our role is to meet each customer where they are, whether that means explaining dosing to a first-time buyer, recommending a vape to a value-driven twenty-something, or guiding a senior through the options for better sleep.
HighLife is more than a dispensary; it is part of the fabric of this city. We are here for the questions, the stories, the quick stops, and the long conversations. Whether you come to us for relief, recreation, or routine, we will always treat education as part of the purchase and community as part of the business.
Visitr https://highlifehealth.com, for more information.
