Grant W. McCabe, a local area resident, entrepreneur and business owner, passed away on January 16, 2025. He was 43 years old. Grant was a former owner of The Leaf in Beacon, and currently owned Smoker’s Mecca in Beacon.

The Leaf, located at 498 Main Street, was open for 5 years before closing in October 2024, as reported by WRRV. “After five amazing years of helping you find balance, calm, and those much-needed chill moments, we’re reaching out with a bittersweet message. The Leaf will be closing its doors. We'll still be online...” the radio station reported from the store’s announcement to customers via email.

The Leaf provides “the highest quality hemp CBD products and provides the education you need to get the most benefit from them.” According to their website, the Leaf is part of the US Department of Agriculture’s industrial hemp research program and harvested crop in the Hudson Valley. The Leaf was not one of the three cannabis businesses in Beacon to hold a microbusiness license, a designation that only recently was made available to New York based businesses.

The Hudson Valley Post reported that Grant opened the Smoker’s Mecca at 285 Main Street in 2014 on Main Street in Beacon and sold CBD products purchased from other suppliers. Smoker’s Mecca was known in Beacon for its brief offering of free marijuana during “Joint Free Fridays,” an incentive some stores were doing before microbusines licenses became available. Grant paused it after the cannabis board announced it would pursue stores that made that offer, according to the Times Union.

“Grant was a hardworking entrepreneur,” his obituary states, and “was a former owner of The Leaf in Beacon, and currently owned Smoker’s Mecca in Beacon, multiple online stores, stores in Florida, a Distribution business in New Windsor and an ATM business covering the Tri-State area. He had begun his working career as a salesman in the car business and continued his excellence in sales into all of his businesses. Grant also was a very caring and giving person who helped many people down on their luck over the years.”

According to his obituary, Grant grew up in Illinois and was a professional motocross racer there. "Grant was born on January 14, 1982 in Joliet, Illinois, the son of Debra Dorich McCabe and the late William McCabe who predeceased him on October 18, 2020.

“Grant met his fiancé Darcy Wang and called it love at first sight,” the obituary explains. “He said there was no way he would let her go and spent 4 wonderful years together.”

Grant is survived by his mother, Debra McCabe; his fiancé, Darcy Wang, and numerous cousins, aunts and uncles; his many friends and loving employees; his 2 dogs, Nugget and Uki.

Family and friends gathered on Saturday, January 25 and on Sunday, January 26 at Riverview Funeral Home by Halvey, 2 Beekman Street, Beacon. A private cremation followed. Said one person who attended the funeral: “Grant was loved by many people. You could tell. His mom and fiancé seem to be surrounded in community.”

To send a personal condolence please visit www.riverviewbyhalvey.com.