By Theresa Knapp

At its meeting on March 11, the Holliston Select Board unanimously approved the transfer of the Host Community Agreement (HCA) for the marijuana facility at 89 October Hill Road from Mayflower Medicinals to Onyx Grow LLC.

Mayflower opened the Holliston site in 2019 but stopped operating within the last year after it was purchased nationally, according to Town Administrator Travis Ahern. Onyx will take over the long-term lease. 

Kobie Evans, co-owner of Pure Oasis, soon to be Onyx Grow LLC, told the board Onyx does not plan to make any changes at the site. 

“We’re excited for the opportunity to purchase this facility and also to work with Holliston, being a good community partner,” Evans said. He noted his company currently owns two retail locations (Dorchester and Boston), and a third will open soon (Brighton). 

 Onyx’s attorney Phil Silverman said, “This is a company that’s been very successful but, to be even more successful, as a retailer you really want to be able to stock your own shelves with your own product, it’s just more efficient that way.” 

Silverman said, once the state approves and issues the transfer, which could take 75 days, Onyx could be up and running in five months. They plan to hire locally. 

Evans said, “That was one of the attractive components of this location is that they were fully staffed with what seemed to be a lot of local individuals who knew the site so we want to potentially reach out to those people to bring them back onboard…So, yes, we are looking to ultimately hire the same people that used to work there.” 

Onyx will also need to meet with the Planning Board to request a transfer of the existing special permit from Mayflower.