Cannabis meets pop culture in Chelsea
New York is about to get a whole lot more colorful this weekend. As the massive crowds descend on the Javits Center for New York Comic Con, a local cannabis shop is setting up shop right in the middle of the action. It is a wild intersection of subcultures, but it is exactly the kind of energy that keeps this city interesting.
From Thursday, Oct. 8, through Sunday, Oct. 11, the Chelsea-based dispensary Poppin is opening a licensed pop-up location. You can find them in the parking lot directly across from the Javits Center. The shop isn’t just about weed; it’s about bringing together different groups of people through a shared experience.
What to expect at the pop-up
According to amNewYork, the event features products from several high-profile New York licensed processors and growers. The lineup includes names like Ruby Farms, Fernway, Wyld, Good Tide, Back Home Cannabis, Milkweed, Golden Garden, and Revert. The shop will offer everything from vapes and edibles to flower and pre-rolls.
Poppin owner Terran Cooper told amNewYork that the goal is to foster community for both veteran users and newcomers. Cooper noted that many people attending Comic Con, specifically gamers and comic enthusiasts, are already part of the cannabis community. He added, “We want to make this as good of an experience for everybody as possible.”
The pop-up isn’t just a retail space; it’s an event. There will be special merchandise drops and a chance for visitors to trade trinkets. There is even an interactive area with the Leafly team where people can decorate lighters or make friendship bracelets. If you want to skip the line, you can even preorder items through the Poppin or Leafly websites.
The massive scale of Comic Con
While the pop-up is a small, localized addition, the convention it sits beside is a behemoth. amNewYork spoke with Chris D’Lando, the creative director for the convention, about the scale of this 20th anniversary. D’Lando noted the massive growth of the event, stating, “To see this event grow from 33,000 fans in 2006 to 250,000 20 years later is incredible.”
The 2026 lineup of Guests of Honor is stacked, featuring stars like Nicolas Cage, Rosario Dawson, Sebastian Stan, Hayden Christensen, and Idina Menzel. The convention also maintains a massive presence for independent creators, with over 500 tables dedicated to the Artist Alley section.
A New York takeover
I love seeing small businesses try to grab a slice of the action when the world comes to our doorstep. When 250,000 people show up to the Javits Center, you don’t just sit there and watch; you get out there and participate. Poppin is doing exactly that by tapping into the massive foot traffic that Comic Con generates.
It is a smart move for a local brand. By positioning themselves right across the street from the convention floor, they are meeting a specific demographic where they already are. Whether you are there for the celebrity panels or the indie comic artists, the opportunity to grab some local New York cannabis products is a huge draw for out-of-towners.
This isn’t just about sales; it is about the vibe of the city. New York thrives when different worlds collide, the high-end celebrity culture of a convention meeting the local, street-level entrepreneurship of a Chelsea dispensary.
