A San Jose entrepreneur who won a spot in a city-run cannabis lottery two years ago is opening the doors to his own dispensary next week. Giau Nguyen, a social equity owner who completed the City of San Jose's Cannabis Equity Business Academy training, has partnered with California retailer MWG Holdings to launch Perfect Union San Jose at 2220 Business Circle, with a grand opening celebration scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 16.
Nguyen's path to ownership traces back to August 2024, when he was selected through a San Jose Police Department lottery as one of 10 candidates eligible to register a cannabis retail business in the city, chosen from among 29 graduates of the equity academy, according to the City of San Jose. The city reported that 86 percent of those 29 academy graduates identified as Asian, African American, Native American, Latino, or Pacific Islander, reflecting the program's focus on historically underserved communities. The San Jose Police Department says the city allows up to 10 local equity retail registrations, per the San Jose Police Department.
The pathway that put Nguyen in position to open a storefront was also underwritten by state money. The San Jose City Council accepted a $1,026,820 grant from the California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development in March 2024, the city said in a separate announcement. That funding sits within a much larger statewide push: California has awarded more than $40 million in local jurisdiction grants under the California Cannabis Equity Act of 2018, according to the Department of Cannabis Control.
State Sign-Off Clears the Site
On the regulatory side, the California Department of Cannabis Control issued a Notice of Exemption on March 27, 2026, approving the commercial cannabis retail license submitted by MWG CEO Thomas Sheridan for Perfect Union San Jose LLC. The approval covers a 3,000-square-foot dispensary unit inside an existing 6,987-square-foot industrial building at 2220 Business Circle, according to filings on CEQAnet.
According to MWG Holdings Group, Inc., the San Jose location marks the company's first Perfect Union store in the city and its expansion into the local cannabis market through what the company describes as a local equity partnership combining its retail expertise with community-driven ownership. As reported by PR Newswire, MWG CEO Tom Sheridan said San Jose represents a vibrant local community and an important step in the company's long-term growth strategy. Nguyen, for his part, said the San Jose opening reflects a commitment to responsibility, collaboration and long-term opportunity, per the same release.
What's Inside the New Store
Perfect Union San Jose will carry flower, concentrates, edibles, beverages, vapes, wellness products and accessories, and the shop plans to operate daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., per the PR Newswire announcement. The store's interior features custom countertop art highlighting local favorite spots around the city. Store staffer Shawn Samery said the goal is to give guests a welcoming experience where they can explore products and ask questions, according to the same release.
The grand opening celebration runs as a four-day sale from Wednesday, Sept. 16 through Saturday, Sept. 19, with a ribbon cutting set for 9 a.m. on opening day. The sale includes exclusive promotions, doorbusters, brand demos and giveaways, plus 40 percent off more than 65 participating brands, the release states.
Part of a Bigger Expansion
Perfect Union San Jose is MWG Holdings' latest addition to a retail footprint that already spans 10 storefronts across California, including locations in Sacramento, Turlock, Morro Bay, Woodland, and a Southern California store that opened in San Diego in October 2025, according to the San Diego Cannabis Times. The company, whose brands include Perfect Union and Wild Seed Wellness, has also been notching regulatory firsts elsewhere in the state. In July 2026, state regulators approved MWG Holdings to run an RFID-powered self-checkout system at its Perfect Union Northside dispensary in Sacramento, making it the first licensed California retailer allowed to offer self-checkout, per MJBizDaily.
MWG Holdings has also reported a fourth consecutive year of double-digit sales growth in 2026, record revenue months earlier in the year, and cash flow positivity, alongside raising millions in capital, according to the company's own PR Newswire announcement. Frank Louie, formerly chief operating officer of the California Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce and managing director of California Grow Green, said that program gave entrepreneurs guidance, resources and advocacy to navigate the changing cannabis industry, per the release. California Grow Green, operated by the California Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce from 2018 to 2024, was among the industry education programs cited in the announcement.
A Tough Market to Break Into
The San Jose opening comes as California's legal cannabis industry faces real headwinds. Statewide, the legal cannabis market faces pressure. Facing that pressure, measures aimed at helping licensed dispensaries stay competitive have been discussed, according to the Marijuana Policy Project. Perfect Union is described in the PR Newswire announcement as one of California's top five retail chains, a scale that may help it absorb pressures smaller operators cannot.
