Despite frigid temperatures, patrons lined up around the building to be among the first to enter Strain Stars — New York State’s largest retail cannabis dispensary — during its grand opening on Dec. 6.
The Riverhead mega-store (1871 Old Country Road) is the Strain Stars brand’s second location. The first opened in July 2023 in Farmingdale.
“We saw how things progressed in Farmingdale, at our first store, and we were prepared, excited and a little bit anxious to do this big project” says Strain Stars CEO Yuvraj Singh. “Now that it’s finally here and done, we’re very excited and hope for the best.”

The new location, at the corner of Kroemer Avenue and Route 58, sat empty for a number of years as properties around it were developed. Despite logistical challenges, Strain Stars was able to finish construction and get open for business relatively quickly. “There was a lot of negotiations here and there,” Singh says. “But this property was vacant for almost 20 years, and we were just fortunate enough to be able to lock it down, kind of in the right place at the right time.”
The store currently offers some 1,200 distinct cannabis products for sale, from flower and pre-rolled joints to edibles and beverages. The variety of products is designed to appeal to a wide range of customers, but the owners are committed to supporting local brands. As cannabis cultivation continues to expand across Long Island — especially on the North Fork — Strain Stars hopes to partner with area growers. “A lot of [our brands] come from local Long Island growers, and we’re definitely looking to support them as best as we can,” Singh says.
The atmosphere on opening day was filled with eager anticipation. Irene, a local resident who managed to be one of the first in line, expressed enthusiasm for the new business. “I always try to get out and support new businesses when I can,” she said. “I’m happy to be here.”
The new store employs around 35 workers, 28 of whom are Riverhead residents. The remainder are commuting between the new store and the original outlet in Farmingdale.

“We’re excited to have this grand opening, and then we want to just help out everybody, offer the best service that we can.” Singh says.
Strain Stars is the second retail pot store to open in Riverhead in the past few weeks, after Beleaf opened in Calverton late last month. The town stands to benefit from the new dispensaries, as a large percentage of the sales tax revenue is earmarked for reinvestment in the community. As of August, the Town of Babylon, home to Strain Stars’ Farmingdale location, had collected $1.2 million in tax revenue from cannabis sales.