Dank 716 to close its doors as competition grows across New York State

BUFFALO, N.Y. — When Dank 716 opened its Main Street location in 2023 , it stood alone as the region’s first and only licensed cannabis dispensary.

Less than two years later, the landscape has dramatically changed. According to the New York State Office of Cannabis Management, more than 500 licensed dispensaries now operate across the state — a surge that has reshaped the market and contributed to the store’s decision to close.

Owner Aaron Van Camp says the rapid expansion in dispensaries has intensified competition in ways that have made sustainability difficult.

“We’ve seen analytics for other parts of the state. We see what stores are doing and just various numbers. And it just wasn’t working out as it used to be.”

Dank 716 enjoyed an initial boom when it became one of the first l