This past weekend marked a milestone many small businesses never reach: four consecutive years of daily operation. From August 9, 2021, to August 9, 2025, Major Bloom has not closed its doors once. No holiday shutdowns. No snow days. No “We’ll be back next week.” That’s 1,460 days of showing up for our customers, our community, and our culture.
It’s not just a number. It’s a story of “Day Ones” — the people and community members who have stood with us through the grind, the setbacks, the wins, and the growth.
Day Ones Inside the Business
Every vision needs people who believe in it before it’s visible to the world. For us, that started with Andie and Val, who were in it back in 2017, long before our retail doors opened. Andie brought over two decades of high-level startup experience, structuring our complex fundraising and financial operations in a way that could survive the unique challenges of 280E tax law and nontraditional cannabis banking. Val brought leadership, grit, and a work ethic that set the tone for the whole shop.
As our team grew, we saw others step up — Camry, John, Ravon — along with contributors like Sheldon, Angelica, Sean, Drew, Doc, and Nana, who each brought their own skill sets and loyalty. And we can’t forget our interns who went on to become full-timers: John from Fitchburg State, Rachel and Jill of Clark University. They learned the business from the ground up, proving that the Major Bloom way isn’t just about jobs — it’s about building careers.
Pivotal Moments We Won’t Forget
We started with branded products on Day One, and we never looked back. Hash balls, gummies, topicals, vapes, 7-gram pre-rolls and blunts, cereal bars, and of course, our signature cross joints — all part of staying committed to full-spectrum cannabis and unique product experiences.
We didn’t just make products — we created culture. Our toy and food drives, back-to-school events, and expungement clinics became annual commitments. Our in-house design team has produced more than 700 pieces of custom strain and product art, turning packaging into storytelling.
Not every moment was smooth. In 2023, we faced a catastrophic attempted break-in. It could have shut us down for months. Instead, we worked with insurance providers, construction crews, and community stakeholders to stay open, rebuild, and come back stronger. That’s what Day Ones do — they hold the line.
From the Neighborhood, For the Neighborhood
From serving 40 customers a day to now welcoming more than 400 daily, our growth has been powered by Worcester’s trust. Over 93% of our nearly 30 employees come from marginalized backgrounds or diverse communities. The handful of white guys who work with us are either immigrants or veterans. We’re not just a dispensary — we’re a reflection of the city we serve.
Our community impact is measurable: 5,000 food, toy, and back-to-school donations, partnerships with sustainable cultivators like Fathom (who grows using the sun instead of just high-energy lighting), and more than 200,000 impressions from our radio show Infused Influence on WICN, Worcester’s NPR affiliate.
We’ve invested over $1 million into a historically disenfranchised neighborhood, feeding the homeless, sponsoring local businesses, and supporting cultural events like the Summer Jam Classic at Crompton Park — just a three-minute walk from our shop.
The Culture of Day Ones
At Major Bloom, there’s an unspoken agreement: No one here “knows it all.” Education is always top of mind because reversing the damage of cannabis prohibition means learning as much as we teach.
We operate on trust, loyalty, and an understanding that impact comes before profit. We celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, Juneteenth, and the Fourth of July by staying open, paying our team time and a half, and giving our customers a place to keep their own traditions alive.
The unwritten rule? Support each other and play into each other’s strengths. Our diversity isn’t just a statistic — it’s an engine.
Looking Ahead: The Next Four Years
The future is expansion, but not just in size — in creativity, access, and innovation. We’re building Major Bloom Digital, a platform for merchandise, accessories, live-streaming shows, and a state-of-the-art creative and research studio in our expanded basement.
We’re growing our product development capacity to keep our shelves stocked with full-spectrum favorites, and we’re investing in more delivery and wholesale reach. The mobile app will connect customers directly to our menu, live chat, and content, because the cannabis experience doesn’t end at checkout.
Cheers to the Day Ones
“Day One” isn’t about when you started working here or shopping here. It’s about your commitment from the first handshake to today. It’s about knowing the vision is bigger than any one person’s role, and putting in the work to make it real.
So here’s to four straight years of selling weed in Worcester — through snowstorms, break-ins, personal challenges, and every other curveball life could throw. Here’s to the Day Ones who believed before there was proof. And here’s to the next four years — because if we’ve made it this far, we’re just getting started.
