Xena Dispensary opened a cannabis consumption lounge in McGinley Square in Jersey City, an opening Jersey City Mayor James Solomon attended, and owner Haytham Elgawly said the project came after a 4-year process. About 300 people were expected by the end of the night, and the rapper Jadakiss was expected at the party later, according to the report.
Xena Dispensary Opens Cannabis Consumption Lounge in Jersey City
Xena Dispensary opened a cannabis consumption lounge in McGinley Square in Jersey City, an opening Jersey City Mayor James Solomon attended, and owner Haytham Elgawly said the project came after a 4-year process. About 300 people were expected by the end of the night, and the rapper Jadakiss was expected at the party later, according to the report.
The Jersey City Cannabis Control Board approved Xena to open as a dispensary in July 2022 and approved its cannabis consumption lounge in March 2026, according to the report. The Jersey City Council approved the lounge in May 2026, and the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission awarded approval to open the lounge in June 2026. The dispensary initially opened its doors in April 2025.
The Jersey City Council initially approved the business to open in September 2022 under the name Medusa, the report states. The name was changed because of copyright issues and a lawsuit, and Elgawly kept the Greek theme. Elgawly said Xena means hospitality in Greek and described the concept as Zeus's Law, under which a host was expected to treat guests well and a guest was expected to reciprocate that energy.
Elgawly said St. Peter's University objected to a cannabis lounge near its new dorm and sued, which delayed the opening, and that the university conceded; he recently reported that the two are now on good terms, according to the report.
Elgawly previously operated his Clearport sneaker and clothing store in the space for 10 years, and the report describes his background as a party promoter. He was among the first cannabis grant winners awarded by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority in October 2023. He said he was born and raised in Jersey City, is a lifelong Jersey City resident and community advocate, and attended Dickinson High School.
The report states that under New Jersey state law the lounge cannot sell drinks or food, and that the operators were hesitant to provide water. The lounge has a nightclub feel, leather seats, dim lights and an HVAC system intended to prevent the air from getting too thick with smoke, along with table reservations intended to prevent crowding. It is the second consumption lounge in North Jersey after Urb'n, which opened its lounge in February 2026 in Newark, the report states; High Rollers and Sunnytien in Atlantic City and Gynsyng in Merchantville in South Jersey had soft openings the same week in July 2025.
- The source does not state the date of the opening celebration or the publication date of the report.
- The source does not reconcile the timeline it presents: it reports regulatory approvals dated March, May and June 2026 and a second North Jersey consumption lounge opening in February 2026 while describing the Xena lounge opening as current.
- The source does not state how many people attended the opening; it states that about 300 people were expected by the end of the night.
- The source does not state whether the rapper Jadakiss attended the party.
- The source does not name the party that brought the copyright claim over the name Medusa, or state the terms or outcome of that lawsuit, and does not state the current status of St. Peter's University's suit beyond Elgawly's statement that the university conceded.
- The source does not state the cost of the lounge, the size of the space, or the number of employees.
- The source text supplied appears truncated; some material may be missing.