LOWER EAST SIDE, Manhattan (PIX11) — A New York City man is turning his painful past in prison into a wellness empire. He’s been getting people fit and mentoring formerly incarcerated men and women in business. Now his latest venture will be legally selling cannabis.
Coss Marte grew up on the Lower East Side in Manhattan. It’s where he once sold drugs, which landed him in prison for four years. He has now completely transformed his life and is in the business of transforming others.
It’s that never-give-up attitude at the heart of his business called CONBODY. It’s a gym on the Lower East Side that teaches a “prison-style” boot camp. Marte only hires formerly incarcerated men and women.
Marte said he learned the secret to business success on the streets as a drug dealer. His new marijuana dispensary will be called CONBUD. On its website, there’s a section called “Meet Your Dealers.”
Marte wants to change his story, especially now with the addition of his daughter, Camilla Rose. He continues to fight the stigma of having a prison record while promoting wellness and helping his community heal.
Marte said he plans to open up the dispensary on the Lower East Side in the next few months.
