DEPEW, N.Y. -- It hasn't been easy for New York State Conditional Adult-Use Retail Cannabis licensees to open in Western New York.

At first, they were hampered by a court injunction and even after, there were expensive construction costs, finding suitable locations and state and local red tape. None of that appears to have stopped Herbal IQ though.

"This is what we do. We design. We build. We execute and close out," Chief Operations Officer Mike Ortiz said.

Ortiz said on July 21, the dispensary will become the first state-licensed one to open in the western half of New York. It was approved by the Office of Cannabis Management just two months ago during the second round of licensees.

"In our professional business and in our personal lives, we're very competitive guys," Ortiz said, "This is what we do and competition is always fun. It spurs you to be the best of the best. It spurs you to bring out your "A" game, and who doesn't like that?"

He said his and owner Bradley Kyler's construction background helped them convert a former billiard hall in about three weeks. Ortiz said the owner's ability to find his location on the busy Transit Road in Depew and invest his own money also contributed to the quick turnaround.

Still, it wasn't easy.

"There were so many gray areas. It took all of us to come together, read through it, get the lawyers involved to interpret the laws the way they were written to fill in the gaps, to make sure we're compliant with not only what New York state says we must do and what our host community the village of  Depew tells us to do," Ortiz said.

Hodgson Russ Cannabis and Hemp Practice Group leader P.J. Hines said even though the state required licensees to have previously owned a business, the amount of experience and sophistication licensees have widely varies.

He says many have also been waiting for promised assistance from the state and outside investors.  

"That was supposed to be able to provided buildouts for turnkey retail space and loans for operations, things like that. It took a long time to secure that funding and even what they have recently secured, it's not 100 percent sure how that's going to work and what actually is going to be made available," Hines said.

At Herbal IQ, they are putting the finishing touches on things like security, computer systems and furnishing. Ortiz said they're waiting on the physical license to start stocking shelves.

"We're anticipating a large crowd, so we just ask that you be patient with us and help us get people in and out as quick as possible, efficiently and safely," he said.

The ribbon cutting is at 11 a.m. and customers will be allowed inside shortly after.