The Mid-Hudson region’s first recreational cannabis dispensary is so close to opening, the owners can smell it.

But in the meantime, they are working on staffing the store and making friends with their neighbors with a job fair that drew over 100 applicants in its first hour.

The Orange County Cannabis Company at the Dolsontown Plaza in Wawayanda is looking to bring on 25 employees before opening in a few weeks. The dispensary also wants to educate the community about what they do.

The Libron family is looking for bud tenders, security guards and delivery drivers.

Owner Howard Libron was once arrested on a cannabis-related offense. But under the state’s licensing policy, that arrest gave him priority over other applicants. Libron said that policy also is allowing his family’s shop to be the first in the region.

In total, 21 other licenses have been issued in the area so far.

"When licenses were being issued, and some of our licenses weren't getting called, we were like, 'Our time isn't yet. When our time comes, we're going to take advantage of it.' And that's what we did,” says Libron.

Some applicants say they’re looking for make a career in the marijuana industry. Others are without a job and looking for their next opportunity. John Joyce was just laid off from the Yellow Freight Company in Montgomery.

"Yeah, I'd drive a truck full of marijuana,” Joyce said with a laugh.

Owners of neighboring businesses say they’re on board.

"We can do more business [because of] it. Like, maybe we can freeze a weed popsicle or something like that, right?" says Aaron Martinez, of Michoacán Homemade Ice Cream.

The Librons say they’d like to open on Aug. 25, but that might get pushed back as they wait for their new floor to be finished.