As more and more of the country falls under smoking bans, I'd be interested to hear of any gems of cigar shops that are converting or have converted a part of their space to a cigar lounge. You know, comfortable chairs, wi-fi, etc.

I know in both New York and Denver there are some excellent choices. Wondering if that's the same elsewhere in the country?

back at home in maryland there a few places. nice chairs, cable t.v., and internet access. one has a little practice green for putting. very nice places for us marylanders with not too many places to go anymore.

The 2 local cigar shops nearest to me have smoking lounges. One even has a full bar, dinner menu, and live entertainment on the weekends.

It's funny you posted this topic because I went to a local shop this past Saturday to watch the NFL draft. Nice leather lazy boy chair and giant 42" HDTV

Too bad the owner was watching the History Channel on ancient Egyptian artifacts smuggled out of the country

If you're ever in NH, find Castro's Back Room (there are three of them). It's the perfect place.

Tone,

How does it work in CA? You can have smoking inside as long as you're a tobacco store making - what? - 50% or more of your income in tobacco sales?

That sounds like a great set up. Food any good?

A couple shops by me are seeing another revenue generating source. You can join their lounge for the low cost of $500 a year. Not a member, you can forget about hanging at the store.

quote:

Originally posted by Scottological:
Tone,

How does it work in CA? You can have smoking inside as long as you're a tobacco store making - what? - 50% or more of your income in tobacco sales?

That sounds like a great set up. Food any good?

Scott - I am not familiar with CA State law regarding smoking indoors and revenue. So I don't know.

The menu is Persian and Mediterranean food. I haven't dined there yet but the food looks good.

This is the place I referenced in my previous post: www.aficionadocigar.com

The owner is real nice and helpful. My Fiance bought my first humidor at his shop for my B-day in April.

Three of the main cigar stores in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area have lounges; two of the three have locker rentals. The first one opened in the early 1990s; the next one, in 2005; and an exisiting store added a lounge on in response to competition from those two. Twenty years ago in this neck of the woods, that would have bene unheard of, but today, as customers move from box sales to singles sales and more restaurants don't allow cigar somoking, it's just a necessity to stay in business.

There are two great cigar bars in San Francisco. Both serve food (limited menu) during dinner. A small portion of revenue (10%?) must be made by sale of cigars themselves. But the key thing is that there cannot be any employees (poor pitiful employees must be protected from second-hand smoke, you know). So both of these establishments have groups of owners... all of which work part or full time. Owners do not have to be protected.

That above sounds all good, and it is for the most part. The two places are "Occidental Cigar Club" and "850 Montgomery Cigar Bar". Both are in the Financial district. Drink prices are no higher than other 'trendy' bars. And yet these are places that you can't show up in grubby, old clothes. Maybe new jeans with long sleeve shirt and sweater are okay. But most of the clientel wear suits. And the few female attendees usually wear dresses, but never pant suits. Conversations inevitably end up about making big money schemes, real estate and the stock market. After all, these places opened during the stock market boom and at first were mostly supported by stock broker types.

The smoking law in California is pretty straightforward. If an establishment is "a place of employment" you're pretty much relegated to taking your smoking habits outside unless it's a private lounge, a tobacco shop, or your own house. In terms of smoking inside shops, I believe that the shop needs to be dedicated to the selling of tobacco and/or tobacco products. What exactly dedicated means, and what percentage it constitutes, I'm not really sure.

I even remember hearing a story a couple of months back about how protestors were trying to prohibit Govenor Schwarzenneger from smoking inside his private tent, which is positioned outside on the capitol lawn! Pretty soon there won't be anywhere to smoke in CA.

Our local shop, Tobacconists of Raleigh, has added WIFI, and they have a small seating area for smokers. They have chosen one night, Thursday, to stay open late, like 11pm, and have food for dinner.

There's a shop in Denver called "What's knot to love" that has a great online store. The owner, Matt, has a coffee bar inside along with a pretty slick TV room complete with leather couches, armchairs, etc. A weird little community of people that go in and out of there, but it's cool.

In NY there are a few like that, but only one that serves alcohol of any kind. Still, these are great environments. I wish them well.