Jane & Buds Cannabis Dispensary is set to become Elgin’s second recreational pot store, and the latest entry in the state’s billion-dollar cannabis industry, pending Elgin City Council approval.
The proposal to convert the former Boston Market restaurant at 205 S. Randall Road into the new business has received the recommendation of the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission and will go to the council for review in a few weeks.
Matthew Hagglund and his company, Emerald Coast, have secured three state of Illinois cannabis licenses through a social equity lottery system. The U.S. Navy veteran has already opened his first two dispensaries in Alton and Island Lake, he told the commission.
Hagglund learned of the Elgin location through a friend and, after meeting with owner Lazzara Properties, found that it checked all the boxes for the dispensary site he was seeking, he said.
“We really want to clean up the building and make it really nice, and work with the city along the way to make sure it’s a project you guys are happy about too,” Hagglund told the commission.
The former Boston Market was located on the one-acre lot from 1996 until 2023. It’s across the street from the Otter Creek Square strip mall and in an area that includes a McDonald’s, Marcus Elgin Cinema, and Old Republic Kitchen and Bar.
Emerald Coast is planning to sink between $600,000 and $800,000 into the extensive reconstruction needed to meet state requirements for the cannabis license, Elgin Senior Planner Damir Latinovic said.
The company has a temporary conditional approval from the state, Latinovic said. It needs a special use permit from Elgin, which city staff has recommended granting, he said.
Jane & Buds would have a 260-square-foot lobby where customers’ ages would be verified before they’re allowed to enter, Latinovic said. Products would be stored in a vault until sold, he said.
The drive-thru window used by Boston Market will be enclosed, but can be reopened should the state allow for its use in the future. The back of the building would include an office, break room, restroom and vault.
A security guard will be on duty during business hours, Latinovic said. No cannabis can be consumed on the property.
The parcel currently has 45 parking spots, but will lose nine of them with planned landscaping. However, the remaining 36 spots will still meet the city’s parking ordinance, Latinovic said.
“We believe that all applicable standards are satisfied,” he said.
Emerald Coast must pass a state inspection before being allowed to open. Its cannabis license was issued in 2023, but remains valid, Latinovic said.
Elgin’s first recreational cannabis business, High Haven Dispensary, opened in September 2024 at 15 Clock Tower Plaza on the city’s east side.
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.