Sports News

Ex-NFL star Calvin Johnson Jr. to open cannabis dispensary in Boston

Primitiv, a Michigan-based cannabis company, is expanding to Boston.

Courtesy of Primitiv

March 9, 2023

Primitiv, a cannabis company founded by Pro Football Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson Jr. and a pair of his former teammates, is set to expand to Boston according to a release from the company.

The company announced that it will open a wellness-based cannabis dispensary on High Street in Boston.

“This collaboration is something we have been cultivating as a team for the past couple of years and we couldn’t be more excited to see it become a reality,” said Primitiv co-founder, Calvin Johnson Jr. “Rob and I have known Gosder Cherilus since our days in the league as members of the Detroit Lions, and we’ve been brothers-in-arms ever since. Being able to collaborate on this new Boston-based dispensary with Gos and his group is special for us.”

The release said it will open soon, but did not provide an opening date.

The ownership group includes Godser Cherilus, a former NFL first-round pick from Boston College, and Rob Sims who played offensive line in the NFL from 2006-2014.

“Primitiv Boston will be a very welcoming retail provisioning center, as we are taking a customer-service first approach to how we interact with our guests, believing this is a very personalized industry,” said Cherilus. “We want to take the time to get to know our guests and help them find the right type of medicine they are looking for depending on their specific needs, as this is truly a wellness brand. I’m so excited to bring this to Boston and couldn’t imagine better teammates than Calvin and Rob.”

Primitiv began selling its products at dispensaries in Michigan in 2021. It opened its flagship dispensary in Niles, Michigan last year.

The former teammates were inspired to go into business after searching for alternative ways to manage pain outside of opioids and prescription drugs.

“We’ve seen so many of our brothers from around the league turn to other forms of pain relief just to get through the game, day or season, and that doesn’t always have a positive outcome,” Sims said. “We believe in the holistic properties of cannabis as an all-natural, plant-based option not just for athletes, but for anyone looking for relief. We’ve just scratched the surface in our innovation process with the launch of our nano CBD product line, Primitiv Performance, in February, and hope to have more exciting announcements later this year.”