Burlington-based writer covering Vermont's cannabis industry since 2023. Visits every licensed dispensary in the state, tests products, and reads the CCB rulebook so you don't have to.
Quick Answer
Essex Junction has three licensed adult-use cannabis dispensaries open in 2026. Magic Mann at 21 Essex Way, Suite 216 (in the Essex Shoppes complex near Five Corners) is the largest and the only shop with a medical-plus-recreational integrated license — it sells its own Vermont-grown products and is open 10 AM to 9 PM, seven days a week, the latest closing hour of any shop in town. On Pearl Street, about a mile west, two shops sit directly across the street from each other: The High Bar at 159 Pearl Street (Monday–Thursday 10–7, Friday 10–8, Saturday–Sunday 11–7) accepts Apple Pay and credit cards — one of very few Vermont dispensaries to do so — and focuses on small Vermont craft farmers; Sweetspot at 139 Pearl Street (10 AM–7 PM daily) runs a 30% first-purchase discount and has a polished multi-state-brand menu. Vermont requires a valid 21+ ID. Public possession is up to 2 oz of flower as of July 1, 2026.
Essex Junction is Vermont's fifth-largest city — and one of the few towns outside Burlington proper with a genuine cluster of cannabis shops. There are three licensed dispensaries within its limits: one vertically integrated operation in the suburban Essex Shoppes complex that offers medical and recreational in one stop, and two side-by-side shops on Pearl Street that let you comparison-shop without moving your car. Parking is free and abundant everywhere. Here is what you need to know before you go.
TL;DR: Quick-Pick by Situation
| Situation | Best pick | Address |
|---|---|---|
| Medical patients (Vermont medical card) | Magic Mann | 21 Essex Way, Suite 216 (Essex Shoppes) |
| In-house Vermont-grown brand, wide selection | Magic Mann | 21 Essex Way, Suite 216 |
| Open the latest (until 9 PM, every day) | Magic Mann | 21 Essex Way, Suite 216 (open daily) |
| Pay with Apple Pay or credit card | The High Bar | 159 Pearl St |
| Small Vermont craft farmers, COA-focused buying | The High Bar | 159 Pearl St |
| Best first-purchase discount (30% off) | Sweetspot | 139 Pearl St |
| Same hours every day, easiest to remember | Sweetspot | 139 Pearl St (10–7 daily) |
| Comparison-shopping two shops in one stop | High Bar + Sweetspot | Both on Pearl St, across the street from each other |
Magic Mann — 21 Essex Way, Suite 216 (Essex Shoppes)
Hours: 10:00 AM–9:00 PM, seven days a week
Phone: (802) 871-5810 | Website: magicmann.com
License: Integrated (Medical + Adult-Use Retail) | Payment: Cash only (ATM on site)
Magic Mann is Essex Junction's largest and most established dispensary, and the only one in town holding Vermont's integrated medical-plus-adult-use license. That designation means registered medical patients receive their own checkout lane, patient-only pricing, and the 14% excise tax exemption — all in the same building where adult-use customers shop. For medical cardholders in the greater Essex Junction area, this is the default destination.
The operation is vertically integrated from seed to shelf: Magic Mann cultivates in Vermont, manufactures its own extracts, edibles, and vape cartridges, and retails from multiple locations, with the Essex Shoppes flagship being the largest. The menu is notably deep on in-house product — Magic Mann flower strains, concentrates, pre-rolls, and gummies — alongside a curated selection of outside Vermont growers. If you want to ask a specific question about cultivation conditions or extraction methods, staff can often answer it directly from their own supply chain.
The shop is in the Essex Shoppes complex at Suite 216, steps from the Five Corners area. Parking in the shared complex lot is free and plentiful — a stark contrast to Burlington's downtown garage hunt. Magic Mann is open seven days a week and stays open until 9 PM, the latest closing time of any dispensary in Essex Junction, which makes it the go-to for an after-work or evening run when the Pearl Street shops have already closed at 7.
See the full Magic Mann listing, directions, and menu link.
The High Bar — 159 Pearl Street
Hours: Mon–Thu 10:00 AM–7:00 PM | Fri 10:00 AM–8:00 PM | Sat–Sun 11:00 AM–7:00 PM
Phone: (802) 404-3842 | Website: thehighbar.com
License: Adult-Use Retail | Payment: Apple Pay, credit cards, and cash
The High Bar stands out from almost every other Vermont cannabis retailer in one significant way: it accepts Apple Pay and credit cards. Most dispensaries in Vermont are cash-only because of federal banking restrictions on cannabis businesses. The High Bar found compliant solutions, which means you can walk in with your phone or card and skip the ATM entirely.
The shop's product philosophy is explicitly small-farmer-focused. The menu skews toward independent Vermont cultivators over corporate or multi-state brands, and staff are trained to talk through COAs (Certificates of Analysis showing lab results for potency and terpenes). If you want to know who grew the flower, where it was grown, and what the terpene breakdown looks like, this is the shop built for that conversation. The High Bar holds a 4.9 Google rating.
The Pearl Street location at 159 Pearl is in a commercial strip about a mile west of Five Corners. Sweetspot is directly across the street at 139 Pearl, so if you want to price-compare or browse two menus in one visit, you can do that on foot. Free parking is available immediately in front of both shops.
See the full High Bar listing, directions, and menu link.
Sweetspot Essex Junction — 139 Pearl Street
Hours: Mon–Sun 10:00 AM–7:00 PM (7 days a week)
Phone: (802) 871-5895 | Website: sweetspotfarms.com
License: Adult-Use Retail | Payment: Confirm with shop directly
Sweetspot opened at 139 Pearl Street in September 2024 as part of the multi-state Sweetspot Farms network (with locations also in Massachusetts and Connecticut). The Vermont store brings a more polished retail format than most local shops — brighter lighting, larger footprint, and a broad in-house product selection produced at Sweetspot's own cultivation and manufacturing facilities.
The most immediate draw for first-time visitors: a 30% first-purchase discount that has been available since the shop launched and remains active as of mid-2026. If you have never shopped at a Sweetspot location before, that discount applies from your first visit. The menu combines Sweetspot-branded flower, pre-rolls, vape cartridges, concentrates, and edibles with a selection of Vermont partner brands.
Sweetspot's 10 AM to 7 PM hours, seven days a week, are the easiest in town to remember — the same opening and closing time every single day, including Sunday, with no weekend or weeknight variation to track. It is directly across the street from The High Bar, so the two Pearl Street shops function as a built-in comparison cluster.
See the full Sweetspot listing, directions, and current offers.
Hours Comparison at a Glance
| Shop | Mon–Thu | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Magic Mann | 10 AM–9 PM | 10 AM–9 PM | 10 AM–9 PM | 10 AM–9 PM |
| The High Bar | 10 AM–7 PM | 10 AM–8 PM | 11 AM–7 PM | 11 AM–7 PM |
| Sweetspot | 10 AM–7 PM | 10 AM–7 PM | 10 AM–7 PM | 10 AM–7 PM |
Parking
All three Essex Junction dispensaries have free off-street parking directly adjacent — a significant advantage over Burlington's Church Street cluster, where you typically pay for a garage or circle looking for metered spots.
Magic Mann: The Essex Shoppes complex has a large free surface lot. Pull in off Essex Way and park anywhere in the shared lot; the shop is in Suite 216 inside the complex. Expect to walk about 100 feet from most spots.
The High Bar and Sweetspot: Both are in a commercial strip on Pearl Street with dedicated free parking directly in front of each shop. Since the two are across the street from each other, you can park once and visit both without moving.
Getting There from Burlington and Surrounding Towns
From Burlington's downtown (Church Street area): take Route 2 East approximately 7 miles to Essex Junction — about 12 to 15 minutes with light traffic. For the Pearl Street shops, exit toward Pearl Street before reaching Five Corners; for Magic Mann, continue to Essex Shoppes on Essex Way.
From the Burlington New North End or Riverside Avenue: Essex Junction is closer than it appears — roughly 10 minutes via North Avenue or Route 127. Some New North End residents find Pearl Street faster than the Church Street cluster during peak hours.
From Williston: the Pearl Street shops are roughly 5 minutes north via Kimball Avenue. From Colchester or Winooski, take Route 2A or I-89 North (Exit 12) — about 10 minutes. From South Burlington, take I-89 North to Exit 12 or drive Route 2 through Williston for a similar 10 to 15-minute trip. Jericho and Underhill residents often find Essex Junction the most convenient Burlington-area destination.
Vermont Cannabis Rules (as of 2026)
- Age: 21 and older, with a valid government-issued photo ID. Driver's license, passport, or Real ID all accepted. No exceptions.
- Possession: Adults may possess up to 2 ounces of cannabis flower in public as of July 1, 2026 (S.278 doubled the previous 1-oz limit effective that date). Concentrate limits remain 5 grams.
- Consumption: Illegal in any public place in Vermont. Your hotel room, a rental car, or an outdoor park all count as public. Consume only in a private residence where you have permission.
- Tax: Vermont levies a 14% cannabis excise tax plus the 6% state sales tax, and the City of Essex Junction adds a 1% local option tax — an effective combined rate around 21%, the same as Burlington. Medical patients using the integrated shop (Magic Mann) are exempt from the 14% excise tax.
- Driving: Cannabis-impaired driving is illegal and enforced. If you are visiting from out of state and purchasing from a Vermont dispensary, leave it sealed and in your trunk on the drive home. Interstate transport of cannabis is a federal offense regardless of the originating state's laws.
Nearby Option: Gaston Weed Company in Essex Center
If you are willing to drive about 3 miles east of Five Corners, Gaston Weed Company at 100 Center Road in Essex Center (distinct from Essex Junction) is a fourth nearby adult-use retailer with a drive-through pickup window for online orders — an unusual convenience in Vermont. Hours are Monday through Saturday 11 AM to 7 PM, Sunday 11 AM to 5 PM. The shop focuses on premium Vermont-grown product and in-house live resin extracts.
See also: Magic Mann full listing — medical integration details, menu, directions; The High Bar full listing — craft focus, payment options, directions; Sweetspot Essex Junction full listing — first-purchase offer, menu overview; Best Dispensary Near Me Burlington VT — all 12 Burlington shops by neighborhood; Best Dispensary Near Me Winooski VT — the three Winooski shops with free parking; Full Burlington-area dispensary directory — all Chittenden County shops; Vermont Strain Match — find the right strain by effect; Edibles vs. Flower vs. Vapes: A Vermont Beginner's Guide — what to know before your first visit.
Frequently Asked Questions
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