POWNAL, Vt. — Last week saw the opening of two new businesses in North Pownal: Marijuana and motorcycles.

 

Royal Enfield of Bennington County, a multinational motorcycle manufacturer, and Rambler Cannabis Supply held their grand opening on Saturday in the brick building at the intersection of Route 346 and North Pownal Road. 

 

Motolicks, the custom parts and performance division of Royal Enfield of Bennington County, is owned by Arthur Thibert Jr. Rambler Cannabis was started by Chris Lussier two years ago as a cultivation facility. He is now expanding it to a retail location next door to Motolicks.

 

Lussier and Thibert met a little over a year ago when Lussier wanted to check out some motorcycles; Thibert directed him to a Royal Enfield partner. 

 

"We started talking and just kind of realized that like our two brands kind of really mesh well and we kind of wanted to build this," Lussier said. 

 

They decided to bring motorcycle culture and cannabis culture together. The businesses are separate but lease the building together with cannabis dispensary located on the left side of the building.

 

"Rambler the brand and the feel of it felt like it really connected with the Royal Enfield spirit of things, just that rebellious freedom, doing things your own way," Lussier said.

 

"Even though they are two different products they blend well," Thibert said.

 

Thibert started Licks Cycles in Clarksburg, Mass., in 2002 with his late wife, doing custom work with Harley-Davidson. He closed the shop nearly 10 years after his wife passed but still loved riding and came upon Royal Enfield when he wanted to buy a bike. The owners knew about Licks Cycles and decided to partner with him a few years ago.

 

"It was a fluke, I bought a bike and we hooked up and they were like let's get you back in the business again so that started," he said. "Then we slowly started selling bikes and they asked me about the brand again so we decided to reintroduce the brand now under Motolicks for custom parts for Royal Enfield. ...

 

"I do my own parts, I do custom leather bags, we do handlebars, we do all kinds of stuff I mean all kinds of mirrors and stuff, it's basically custom parks for the bikes."

 

Lussier was licensed for cultivation in 2022 and got his retail license in late 2024, just before the Vermont Cannabis Control Board paused retail licenses to address oversaturation in cities and towns.

 

"For me it was just a group of guys that I connected with and had a good time hanging out with and kind of wanted to spread that to the rest of the community," Lussier said.

 

Their goal is to see Vermont allow consumption lounges and to be able to expand their space for people to hang out.

 

"We really want to have that people want to come, a destination, so we'd love to have a much larger place where you come in looking at motorcycles, buy a motorcycle, hang out, and have some venue, buy some cannabis hang out here," Lussier said. "Kind of make it more of just that community hang out space instead of a retail transaction, really want to make it kind of a home."

 

Thibert would also like to see Motolicks expand into bigger venue where events could be held.

 

"Have some type of lounge area for us and maybe even make it bigger where we can rent a spot for a tattooist or a barber," he said.

 

They say they really want their retail spaces to feel like a home to customers.

 

"We really want people to feel like this is their third place where you can kind of hangout and be part of the community," Lussier said.

 

They are located at 3584 VT-346, North Pownal. Motolicks' hours are weekdays 10 to 5 and Saturdays 10 to 4. The phone number is 802-753-8889. 

 

Rambler Cannabis is open Wednesday to Friday 11 to 7; Saturday 10 to 6 and Sunday 10 to 4. Contact them at info@ramblercannabis.com.