Pubdate: Mon, 15 Jun 2015
Source: Trentonian, The (NJ)
Copyright: 2015 The Trentonian
Contact:  http://www.trentonian.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1006
Author: Penny Ray

NJ WEEDMAN'S JOINT OPENS FOR BUSINESS MONDAY, FREE DOUGHNUTS WHILE
SUPPLIES LAST

TRENTON - Ed Forchion's new restaurant and sanctuary on East State 
Street will open its doors for business Monday morning.

"I went from Burlington County Jail to State Street," Forchion said. 
"I'm stressing so much, I'm pulling my dreads out."

NJ Weedman's Joint, located directly across the street from City 
Hall, will open at 7 a.m. Monday, and will serve affordable, healthy 
food. The menu will not offer any pork or beef, and will feature 
items such as sushi, pasta, fish, chicken, roasted vegetable 
platters, healthy soups, fruit platters, fresh sandwich wraps and 
more. There will also be a vegetarian menu, Forchion said, and the 
restaurant will offer natural energy drinks such as fruit smoothies, 
breakfast shakes and blended juices.

Forchion said the entire menu will not be available on opening day 
because he doesn't want to overwhelm the cooks. The restaurant's 
website is live online and the menu lists several items priced at 
$4.20. Forchion said the breakfast menu and the "420 specials" will 
all be available on opening day.

"I think we're gonna get hit with a lot of business," Forchion said. 
"Going from zero to 60 is kinda hard. So, we're going to offer a 
short menu at first, and then slowly add the entire menu as time goes on."

Forchion said the restaurant will also offer free coffee and 
doughnuts while supplies last on opening day. The doughnuts were 
donated by Italian Peoples Bakery, Forchion said.

"It was a great welcome to the neighborhood, welcome to the Trenton 
business world gesture," Forchion said. "I'm truly grateful."

On Saturday afternoon, about a dozen people gathered at Forchion's 
restaurant to help him hang the sign. Forchion said the last few 
weeks have been hectic, but he's managed to hire restaurant staff 
including three additional cooks.

"I hired five people and every one of them failed the drug test," 
Forchion said. "They all had to smoke with me as part of the interview."

The sanctuary next to the restaurant will be what Forchion describes 
as "Weedbucks" during the day, and after business hours it will 
become the Liberty Bell Temple III. The sanctuary, which can seat 
approximately 15 people, will include free WiFi.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom