Richmond Row pot shop hopes to open next week

Employees at the city's second cannabis retail store say they're ready to open the doors next week at the Richmond Row store.

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) approved an operator's licence for J. London at 691 Richmond St., Suite 5 on Tuesday.

The application submitted by Ranjit Basra was authorized oneday after brick-and-mortar pot shops were officially allowed to open in Ontario.

J London employees told CBC News the dispensary will open sometime next week, assuming it passes a pre-opening inspection conducted by the AGCO.

The Richmond Row shop is located next to the former London Relief Centre, an illegal dispensary that was subject to numerous raids by London and provincial police bodies. The property's past history was included in the applicant's eligibility review.

Central Cannabis was the first store to open on Monday along Wonderland Road near Oxford Street West. About 200 people lined up to check it out.

• London, Ont. opens first cannabis retail outlet

London could get a third pot shop under cannabis retail giant Canopy Growth's Tweed brand at 1025 Wellington St. S.. The application's public review period has ended, however a licence has not yet been issued.