Community outrage prompts quick closure of Radnor Township CBD shop

CBD shop near two schools in Wayne, Pennsylvania shut down after community outrage

CBD Kratom in Wayne, Pennsylvania, is closed after town officials said it should have never opened in the first place. FOX 29's Chris O'Connell has the latest.

WAYNE, Pa. - A CBD shop inside a former Starbucks in Wayne, Pennsylvania, has been shut down after township officials said it should have never opened in the first place.

Residents in the town were shocked when they saw a big cannabis leaf outside the old Starbucks store in town.

CBD Kratom, located at 218 E Lancaster Avenue, opened up in close proximity to Radnor Middle School and St. Katharine of Siena School.

Less than one day after it opened, township officials say they shut it down alleging no business, building or construction permits were applied for. The existence of the shop was unknown to officials until it opened.

CBD Kratom is owned by a company based in St. Louis that sells various products including chocolate, gummies and seltzer water infused with CBD. Some of the products also include Kratom, an herbal supplement that can legally be sold in the U.S. but is banned in six states.

The company also has stories in Wynnfield, Center City and Media.

One angry resident compared the store to a drug dealer. "That’s their business model," he said. "Like a scum ball street corner drug dealer you go to your drug dealer and say ‘give me some weed’ and they say ‘I don’t have any weed, but try this other stuff.’"

In a statement to FOX 29, CBD Kratom's Vice President Dafna Revah said, "In October of 2021, we signed a lease for the former Starbucks facility after doing due diligence with Delaware County and Wayne Business Overlay District (WBOD). Unfortunately, Radnor Township requirements were not identified by our team. I strive to live by our core values, which include Responsibility, and which is why I take full ownership of this oversight. As always, we strive to be part of the communities we serve, which is one of the reasons we chose this facility in South Wayne. It was utilized as a previous training facility for Starbucks and the space provides us with a golden opportunity to have a permanent educational space for both us and our community."We look forward to opening and becoming part of the local community."

CBD Kratom in Wayne, Pennsylvania has been shut down after opening in close proximity to two schools.

The company also said it plans to hold educational sessions for community members about its product offerings. "Our products do not fall under the purview of the Pennsylvania Code for medical marijuana because we do not sell medical marijuana, nor any product with above 0.3% Delta-9 THC," a CBD Kratom spokesperson said. "We carry both kratom and kratom specialty products. As members of the American Kratom Association, we are proud to uphold industry best practices, which include implementing age restrictions as well as educating consumers on the products we carry. I'd like to share this Bloomberg Article with you as it provides a high-level overview of kratom in the United States; our Vice President did provide comments for this article. Additionally, in December of 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) released their assessment on kratom. The summary recognizes the role that kratom plays in wellness and pain management routines for consumers around the world."

Many residents say if they have their way, the doors of CBD Kratom will never open again.