Illegal cannabis dispensary selling on Toronto sidewalks again

CAFE is staying true to its word despite now being in a near-constant state of watch from police and bylaw enforcement officials.

Just days after nine of its employees were arrested for selling marijuana in front of two blocked-off stores, the unclicensed (and thus illegal) weed dispensary chain has once again set up shop outside at least one of its four locations.

Look who is back in business on Harbord Street🥶. #CAFE #UniRose pic.twitter.com/wELrqUZx6A

— Reboot 👩🏾‍💻 Robertson (@RebootRobertson) July 24, 2019

The CAFE store at 104 Harbord Street continues to do brisk business as of Wednesday afternoon despite multiple recent closure notices.

Employees can't get inside due to the presence of city-installed concrete blocks, so they appear to have set up a patio situation of sorts along the public sidewalk.

A photo posted to Twitter earlier today shows employees sitting behind tables protected by patio umbrellas and seats — presumably for waiting — lined up along the curb.

The CAFE location on Harbord appears to continue to do business. Tables have been set up in front of the cinderblocks and there has been a steady stream of people coming by. They are also asking people to sign this petition ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/RMfSiZ2ieF

— Kelly Linehan (@KellyCP24) July 23, 2019

An almost identical setup was spotted outside the notorious weed shop's Fort York location on Tuesday.

CAFE, as defiant as usual, seems to be having a sidewalk sale in front of their concrete-block-barricaded storefront on Fort York Boulevard. #Toronto #marijuana #illegal #cannibis pic.twitter.com/KSh6yqukZJ

— Vik Pahwa Photo (@VikPahwa) July 23, 2019

Customers don't seem deterred by all of the recent raids, closure notices and ensuing press coverage.

Lineups remain outside the Harbord Street location as of Wednesday afternoon with dozens waiting to purchase cannabis products from a source they know and love.

The same cannot be said for the five legal retail cannabis stores in Toronto that were lucky enough to secure licenses through Doug Ford's surprise lottery — or the government's own online weed store.

Okay so legal cannabis store is kind of like buying cosmetics in a weird soviet era store. Staff was knowledgable but every second sentence was “ I know it sucks we can’t do that because of the rules” everything is over packaged, weed seems dry and stale. I miss #Cafe #Toronto

— Sir Paul "The Book Guy" Alves (@PaulTheBookGuy) July 24, 2019

In an emailed statement on Monday, CAFE told us that it has no plans of shutting down over increasing pressure from law enforcement.

"There will have to be 350 dead bodies on the street before CAFE closes [winking face emoji]," wrote a representative for the chain, which has so far managed to stay open using a combination of outright defiance and a strange loophole in Ontario's Cannabis Control Act.

by Lauren O'Neil via blogTO