Former Queen Metropolis restaurant in Studying to turn out to be medical marijuana dispensary | Native information

The former Queen City Family Restaurant on Route 10 and Lancaster Avenue in Reading is slated to become a medical marijuana dispensary after the property is sold in January.

According to a press release, the new Goodblend pharmacy is slated to open later this year after renovations to the 4,500-square-foot building are completed.

Queen City announced its closure on January 6, the day before the completed sale to Vision Development & Management, an Orlando-based commercial real estate company.

Elsayed “Steve” Elmarzouky, who owned the restaurant for 30 years, sold the property for more than $ 1.9 million.

Two weeks later, Vision announced a long-term lease with Goodblend, a subsidiary of Parallel, an Atlanta-based cannabis company.

Parallel and Vision representatives did not respond to inquiries regarding the transaction or the pharmacy.

Elmarzouky continues to run the family restaurant Heidelberg near Robesonia.

The sale could be interpreted as a sign of the times, both in terms of the challenges restaurants – and diners in particular – continue to face from the pandemic, and in terms of the high visibility that such a prominent location will give a pot brand .

Located at the busy intersection, the building is one of the first things motorists see when heading south after exiting Route 422 or over the Bingaman Street Bridge.

At the same time, however, laid the foundation for Goodblend’s entry into the Pennsylvania market.

In August, the Pennsylvania Department of Health approved the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Goodblend to conduct a clinical research program to study the safety and effectiveness of medical cannabis, according to the Pittsburgh Business Times.

In parallel, the university will provide $ 3 million as part of the 10-year contract – the first government research program in which science collaborates with a certified producer and pharmacy.

While Queen City did not specifically cite COVID as the reason for the restaurant’s closure and sale, numerous Berks County diners ceased operations last year.

Some are closing their doors permanently while others are trying to wait out occupancy restrictions caused by pandemics and general consumer concerns about food.