Former Poughkeepsie Italian Restaurant to Become Dispensary

A former family-run Italian restaurant is preparing to transform into the Hudson Valley's newest dispensary.

After an uneven rollout of legalized recreational marijuana, New York State has finally gotten its act together. The logjam of licenses are now getting approved and dispensaries are popping up all over the state, including right here in the Hudson Valley.

MAP: All of the Dispensaries Coming to Hudson Valley in 2025

Recently I noticed a sign for a new dispensary that will be moving into the former Beer World location on Route 9D near Dutchess Stadium. Other recreational marijuana businesses have popped up all over the region, with more being announced every day.

The latest dispensary getting ready to open its doors is planning on transforming a legendary local restaurant that has sat vacant for six years.

Poughkeepsie Italian Restaurant to Become Dispensary

In 2019, Umbertos Restaurant on Route 9 in Poughkeepsie near the former Red Lobster shut its doors. Owned and operated by the Annunziata family, Umbertos was one of those classic Italian restaurants with big portions and reasonable prices.

The building, which also housed a car wash was eventually put up for sale and earmarked to become a new Stewart's Shops location. After those plans fell through, a franchise proposed plans to knock down the whole building and replace it with a state-of-the-art touchless car wash. Again, that plan was abandoned and the building sat vacant for over five years.

Serenity Green Planning to Open in Former Poughkeepsie Restaurant

According to paperwork filed with the Town of Poughkeepsie Planning Board, Serenity Green is planning to completely remodel the existing Umberto's Restaurant building and turn it into a 2,600-square-foot recreational marijuana dispensary. The rest of the building, including the former car wash, will be sectioned off for three additional businesses.

The business has already conducted a traffic-impact study and submitted plans for reconfiguring the building's parking lot. Renderings show a completely redesigned facade, with updated architecture and landscaping.

Serenity Green is expected to submit more of its plans at the Town of Poughkeepsie Planning Board meeting on March 20.