Quote:
Originally Posted by Islayphile
Put me in the Do Not Charge for usage of the lounge crowd.
There's no better way to keep a new customer than to sell them a cigar and offer them a place to smoke it right then and there if they wish.
Even if they don't smoke there the first time, they will come back and often with a friend.
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I'm with you. I get down to Nashville, TN every few months or so. First store I found to shop in was Uptown's. While I did not make a major purchase on my first visit, I did buy several singles that I can't get in our small town's B&M, and had time to light one up after the sale. I asked if the lounge was free to use, or members-only or by fee, and they said "light up, it's free for ALL cigar smokers". Now when I come to Nashville, I always make it a point to stop in and shop, and usually do not stop with one box. I've also brought my brother in with me, because of their policy. If they had refused me the first time I visited, it would have been the last money I would have spent there, no matter what they carried. My purchases wouldn't make or break them, but multiply me by 5, or 10, or 50, and it adds up over 12 months.
I can definitely understand making visitors pay for any drinks, food, or a cover for special events though. Being generous is one thing, but being unfair to your regular customers is not wise.
Good luck! I love a great lounge.