Opening a Cigar Lounge

[baust55]

IN any bar/lounge ,B&M make sure the volume on music and tv is not loud so you can have a conversation and that goes for sports ... especially sports .

I always leave the min the volume is jacked up . I could care less about cigs.

[Gabe215]

Allow people to smoke cigarettes. The employee of the smoke shop by me smokes cigarettes at the register and never bothered anyone. Now acid cigars pissed everyone off in the lounge!

[jjirons69]

Way cool! Congrats!!! I also don't believe in turning away business. Serve salty pretzels and peanuts at the bar, too. A self-serve popcorn machine in the corner also makes for thirsty customers. Good ventilation is a MUST.

[Dave128]

Good luck with your new venture!

[mosesbotbol]

Can you still smoke cigars in the bar at Mickey Mantle's? A lot of restaurants allow smoking inside. I use to go to some British pub chain, I forget its name...

There's enough tourists coming to OKC to make it "go to" place when visiting the city. For that, location is critical. People from out of town don't want to drive far and wide to go from dinner to cigar lounge.

I spent almost a year working OKC, Monday-Friday, flying home on the weekend. I have pretty good outsider view of the city and culture there.

[cigarmarine]

the stinch of cigarette smoke cant out do the beautiful smell of a cigar

[NCRadioMan]

What do you mean by "dedicated jazz venue"?

[RWhisenand]

Just a quick little story about cigs at a cigar bar. At a nice cigar bar I rarely go to as it is not in my normal travel route, I did stop in to pick up a few stickes one afternoon. At the bar were two very nice looking women enjoying a glass of wine and each with a cigarette. Now I don't go to a cigar shop to pick up women, but the eye candy wasn't bad while enjoying a short corona. Haven't seen this at other lounges since, my vote is to allow cigs.

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by RWhisenand

Now I don't go to a cigar shop to pick up women, but the eye candy wasn't bad while enjoying a short corona. Haven't seen this at other lounges since, my vote is to allow cigs.

Nothing will make your business more successful than having it frequented by attractive women. Nothing!

[RWhisenand]

Originally Posted by mosesbotbol

Nothing will make your business more successful than having it frequented by attractive women. Nothing!

Preach It!

[ColdCuts]

John, first, my most sincere congratulations. You are actually living my dream. I am genuinely happy for you, if not a little jealous.

I don't know squat about ventilation, sorry. As for cigarettes, I don't care for the smell of them myself, but I'll echo what others have said and say allow them. The way I see it, if you sell them, you have to let your customers smoke them. If cigars are your clear focus, hopefully cigarette smokers will be few.

It's a tricky thing though and the line is yours to draw. My wife is a cigarette smoker. It's hard for me to imagine that she'd have to leave a lounge to have a cigarette outside while I'm puffing away on my cigar inside. But I guess that's the way it is in some places.

As a customer in my fantasy dream shop, there'd be no cigarettes, vape pens, e-cigs, hookahs, or artificially flavored cigars. But you're opening a shop in the real world. You're a cigar man, but you're a business man. I suppose much depends on your clientele. It would be great if only cigar smokers--and lots of 'em--walked through your door. But, who'll be walking in? Jazz people. I'd bet that there are a lot of cigarette smokers among the jazz crowd.

Let us know how you decide to handle it.

[MagicDrop]

I enjoy both Cigars and cigarettes. I wouldn't exclude cigarette smokers. I don't see why a Cigar smoker would be offended by cigarette smoke. The Cigar is so much stronger of a smell, which is why cigarette smokers at times get offended she someone lights a cigar as others have pointed out but if your walking into a Cigar lounge you would be a cool to be offended by cigar smoke!

Congrats on following up on you dream and making it a reality.

[JohnRogers]

Blugill, Mr. Grimes and I had some time to sit and burn a couple in the new space and ponder what will be. It is going to be great!

Thank you all for your thoughts and opinions on the subject.

[JohnRogers]

I realize a walk-in humidor is not just about size but I'd like to ask the assemblage here. How many boxes of cigars does a respectable walk-in humidor need to hold in your opinion?

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by JohnRogers

I realize a walk-in humidor is not just about size but I'd like to ask the assemblage here. How many boxes of cigars does a respectable walk-in humidor need to hold in your opinion?

Guessing about 400+

Originally Posted by JohnRogers

I realize a walk-in humidor is not just about size but I'd like to ask the assemblage here. How many boxes of cigars does a respectable walk-in humidor need to hold in your opinion?

Very subjective question. One of the nicest B&M's I've seen is Tampa Sweethearts and try do NOT have a walk in humidor. They probably only have 200-300 boxes. Their forte is customer service and great selection of the brands they carry. Service and good cigars will trump a huge number of mediocre boxes. My
RR

[JohnRogers]

Opinions please. So the humidor I can afford from the numbers in my budget holds about 135 boxes of cigars. Is that enough to start with in a community of 50,000?

[WhiteMamba]

I would say it's all about quality over quantity.

[JohnRogers]

Originally Posted by WhiteMamba

I would say it's all about quality over quantity.

That is what I'd hope that a selection of quality sticks would over come humidor size. I can always expand my selection later. I can't open if I constantly blow my budget.

Hoping to sell my first cigar before January is over.

[CigarNut]

Originally Posted by JohnRogers

That is what I'd hope that a selection of quality sticks would over come humidor size. I can always expand my selection later. I can't open if I constantly blow my budget.

Hoping to sell my first cigar before January is over.

Very cool!