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We all want and need to pamper ourselves man-style. That means finding a nice cigar lounge to relax in without someone complaining about the cigar smoke. Some cigar lounges are nicer than others but we all have our own personal tastes and opinions about what that perfect cigar lounge is. The fun is trying to find that perfect one. Not an easy task, but one I'm willing to undertake for the sake of my sanity. Find a cigar lounge near you or one you might want to visit on vacation: |
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Davidoff Lounge Country: Germany |
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How to get there: Option 1. I followed my GPS to this destination. Along the way, I noticed I was following the same way to reach
Frankfurt-Hahn Airport. This cigar lounge is located between Frankfurt-Hahn Airport and Trier. Coming from Frankfurt am Main or Mannheim areas find your way to the A61 direction Koblenz and exit at Exit 45 Rheinbollen. Follow the B50 in the direction Trier/Simmern/Bacharach/Rhein for 36 kilometers. You'll drive a few kilometers past the Frankfurt-Hahn Airport exit and turn left on Hunsrückhöhenstrasse and follow the signs to Mülheim/Mosel. After a scenic 25 kilometer drive you will reach your destination. |
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Recommendation: If you live near this cigar lounge, I'm sure you know about it already, visit it quite often, and you're wondering why it took so long for someone to write a review about it. I loved it there. If you do not live nearby like myself, I would recommend staying the night at the hotel (alone or with your significant other) and treating yourself (and/or significant other) to a wellness evening at the spa and gourmet restaurant before hitting the cigar lounge. Located in a beautiful wine region, the Rheinland-Pfalz, I'm sure there is more to do and see in the summer. |
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Check out more photos of this visit at the "Cigar Events" page. |
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Davidoff Lounge Country: Germany |
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How to get there: This one requires a car to get to. You can take a train to Baden-Baden, and then catch a cab to the address given above. Or if you are driving, use the GPS or get the directions off of an internet site such as Google Maps or Falk. The Hotel Zum Hirsch is located approximately 300 meters away from the Neues Schloss (New Castle). You can look for parking by the hotel or park up by the castle and take a nice leisurely stroll down the street to the Hotel. |
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Recommendation: If you are in or nearby Baden-Baden for any reason and have time to "enjoy" a cigar, then go to the Davidoff Lounge. Keep in mind...go there if you want to enjoy a cigar in an elegant setting WITHOUT expecting to be waited on hand and foot. You will have to go to reception to ask for assistance. But the staff at Hotel Zum Hirsch are very helpful and courteous and will deliver drinks to the lounge. And do bring your own cigar, cutter and lighter in case the manager goes home with the keys to the humidor. If the keys to the humidor are there, then by all means enjoy one of the Davidoff’s vitolas in the Davidoff Lounge. |
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Check out more photos of this visit at the "Cigar Events" page. |
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Cigarrum in the Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof Country: Germany |
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How to get there: Whether you take a train or drive your car to Frankfurt... you should get off at or park your car in a Parkhaus by the Hauptwache U-bahn stop. It is a 5 minute walk from there to the Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof. Walk toward the main entrance of this beautiful 5-Star hotel and you will see a small sign posted directing you to turn right toward Cigarrum. Follow it. Go through the door and directly up the wide carpeted staircase and you'll walk right into Cigarrum on the second floor. |
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Before ordering our drinks small bowls of peanuts, pistachios and wasabi were placed in front of us as well as long skinny trays of thin dark-, milk- and vanilla-chocolate wafers. They were all good but I kept eating the vanilla flavored chocolate throughout or stay...delicious! With drinks ordered I explored the lounge a bit. They have 2 cigar cabinets about my height and width. One has Cuban Cigars with a selection of the big names (R & J, Montechristo, Partagas, etc... but with limited vitolas) and the other has predominately Davidoff with a vitola of The Griffin's and another brand that escapes me. I returned to the ladies already enjoying their drinks. We ordered our cigars choice, the hostess delivered and prepared them. Cigar lit, drink in hand... we sat back and enjoyed. |
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Recommendation: This is a great place to bring the significant other... as long as they are tolerant of cigars of course. Dress nice, relax, enjoy a wine in a very large manly wine glass (as they should be), also rums and whiskies of course, smoke premium cigars with other keepers of the good life mantra, munch on the delicious vanilla flavored chocolates, and be entertained by the company of good friends. Treat yourselves people. You only live once. Check out more photos of this visit at the "Cigar Events" page. |
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La Casa del Habanos - Frankfurt am Main Country: Germany |
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Since the opening of the first "La Casa del Habanos" in Cancun, Mexico in 1990, they have today expanded to over 130 franchises worldwide. The "La Casa del Habanos" is a franchise brand of Habanos S.A. based in Havana, Cuba. The downtown Frankfurt am Main location opened in January 2009, making it the fifth in Germany. How to get there: It is located directly on the border of the banking district and the red-light district. There are a few options of how to reach the cigar lounge: Option 1. From the Frankfurt Hbf (Main train station) walk straight out the doors of McDonalds through the parking lot and straight down the street into the red-light district. Pass by the random dealer asking if you want to buy "H" and of course the many strip clubs, sex shops, and bordellos. After two blocks of interesting urban scenery you will walk across a street and step into the banking district and La Casa del Habanos will be directly on your left. Option 2. Follow your navigation system and you can park in a nearby parking garage or park directly in front of La Casa del Habanos. Parking is free after 1700 in front of the shop. No matter which route you take to get there, it is worth it. |
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Señor Reyes directed me to the smoking lounge and excused himself momentarily while he prepared my cigar and arranged another espresso. I choose one of the large, comfortable, leather chairs out of many scattered about the spacious room. The two smartly dressed gentlemen nearby acknowledged me with a friendly nod and returned to their conversation. Cuban music played softly in the background. Señor Reyes entered the smoking lounge with the head already cut off my cigar and a waitress followed with a fresh espresso. He warmed the foot with a long cedar match for quite some time, handed me the cigar and offered the remaining flame to light my cigar. Noticing I was quite satisfied with my initial waft of Cuban delight, Señor Reyes wished me a pleasant stay and retreated to the bar in the other room. I pulled out the latest edition of Cigar Clan which I purchased at the train station book shop, settled back in my chair and began to read. |
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"La Casa del Habanos Frankfurt" does have a Non-Smoking Lounge, a VIP lounge for hosting special events, a live cigar roller "Torcedor", and an outside patio around the back in a courtyard setting open during warmer months. They also have a large selection of wines and cocktails. If you get hungry, you can order tapas or sandwiches from their kitchen. |
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Recommendation: Do you have a lot of money and want to spend that money on an evening of fine wine, champagne, and overpriced (although tasty) cocktails in a very elegant, relaxed setting? Then this is a great place do it. But it is also a great place to treat yourself to an hour in the afternoon with a good cigar and a rum or coffee in an elegant and relaxed setting. Considering it's location, it would also be a great place to start the evening with the guys, before hitting the town. It's not an everyday place to settle in and enjoy a cigar. But it is a place to treat yourself to from time to time. **Post Script**: I visited La Casa del Habanos recently for a second time. This time I brought my camera and informed Señor Reyes I was doing a review of his cigar lounge for my website. Señor Reyes and his wait staff were most gracious and accommodating....exactly as they were the first time I visited without their knowledge I was reviewing their establishment. I felt this deserved mention. **Post Post Script**: February 9, 2010... I've been informed that this cigar lounge went bankrupt last month. We'll notify you if another company takes over this cigar lounge or if the lounge goes away. Check out more photos of this visit at the "Cigar Events" page. |
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La Casa Cubana Country: Singapore |
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While the ladies were off shopping my friend and I decided to try out La Casa Cubana located in
the Regent Hotel. Unfortunately I left the camera in the car with the ladies. So the pictures you see
in this review are borrowed directly from the La Casa Cubana website. The Regent Hotel is located at the far end
of the infamous Orchard Road. |
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The lounge is located "off-premise" and we received a proper welcome by the bartender, in our opinion. When asked what we'd like to drink, we each ordered a 12-year-old sherry wood Macallan scotch whisky. The bartender replied, "We only start at 18 year old, sir." My friend and I looked at each other, grinned from ear to ear and I thought to myself, "Oh yeah...this definitely the place for us". "Then 18 year old it shall be," we replied. We retired to beautiful dark green leather upholstered chairs. They had no local Tiger beer, so we chose a Cristal beer, which was just as good. This lounge was absolutely beautiful. I'm planning on building a cigar lounge in my home and I took away many great ideas from this lounge. This place smelled of money and power. There were high-powered bosses of international companies sitting next to us, businessmen and then there was little old me. I was treated with equal respect and courtesy. The staff was again very friendly and professional. |
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There are a few other places to find cigars in Singapore. Some I was able to visit and others I weren't. For purchasing cigars only, try The Oaks Cellars at the Orchard Parade Hotel (also has a nice selection of wines...which are also expensive Singapore-wide) or Takashimaya Shopping Center, and Habanos in Suntec City Mall (have the younger lady help you, she is more knowledgeable about cigars). In these shops I found a 2006 Punch Super Robusto, a 2007 Por Larranaga Robusto, and a 2008 Bolivar Short. I will be doing reviews on all the Asia-Pacifico Regional cigars in the future. Places I'll try next year but let you know about incase you get there before I do are the Davidoff store located in the Grand Hyatt Hotel, The Connosieur Divan located on River Valley Road, and The Conno Divan on Mohammed Sultan Road (+65 6733 7141). |
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Recommendation: Again only accepting the fact that cigars are more expensive in Singapore before I went was I able to relax and enjoy myself while smoking one. This place is a must see while in Singapore! Even though it's pricey, put some money aside and treat yourself to a manly hour of whisky, cigars, great atmosphere and warm hospitality. Check out more photos of our Singapore trip at the "Cigar Events" page. |
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The Olde Cuban Country: Singapore |
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The Olde Cuban is conveniently located right by the Chinatown MRT (subway) stop on the North East line. It is located right in the heart of Chinatown in a 19th century building formally an opium den for coolie traders. Today you'll walk right by it if you don't look up. There are so many shops along the street on the way to The Olde Cuban with hookers (not the sex worker types) trying to pull (or "hook") you into their shop to buy something. I actually walked by The Olde Cuban twice. I didn't notice it until I looked out the 3rd floor window of the Chinatown Heritage Centre and noticed the sign for The Olde Cuban on the building directly across from us. I got excited knowing I was so close to it, but I did ake my time and finished touring a pretty interesting museum. I would recommend this museum as it does a great job giving an honest explanation how the immigrants sacrificed and hardships they endured to make a better life for themselves and their families. We meandered slowly down to the museum exit and collected Alan at the small bar downstairs as he was finishing up his Tiger beer. I mentioned noticing the Lounge sign. He replied, "I know, that's our next stop." |
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Prices: Here's the downside...cigars are not only expensive here but they are expensive everywhere in Singapore. A Partagas Mille Fleurs purchased at The Olde Cuban cost S$15. That is approximately equivalent to €7.35. The same cigar can be purchased in Germany for €4,20. The 18 year old sherry wood Macallan scotch whisky cost S$26 or approximately €12.75. There is nothing you can do about the high prices in Singapore. There is no ration of an allowable amount of cigars permitted into Singapore (that includes duty free). You must declare any and all cigars upon entry into Singapore. So if you want to enjoy cigars while you are in Singapore, you are stuck paying the high prices. |
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Check out more photos of our Singapore trip at the "Cigar Events" page. |
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Union Cigar Club State: Pennsylvania |
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Directions to Union Cigar Club can be found here. This time the whole Wolly Clan drove out to Gettysburg on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. Along the way we were reminded of PA's German heritage driving through such towns as East Berlin and by the Hofbrauhaus in Abbottstown. We also noticed a myriad of houses with the Amish Barn Stars adorning the outside of their homes. Instead of going directly to the Union Cigar Club in downtown Gettysburg, we decided to first tour some of the many battlefield monuments. Gettysburg has changed since I was a kid. Growing up in the area, our school took many field trips to the Gettysburg Battlefield. The National Park Service built a large Museum and Visitor Center helping you to explore the vast area of land where these battles took place and to discover the awesome human sacrifice experienced during three days of battle back in 1863. When I was a kid in school I was fortunate to have a tour guide explain and show us where the battles took place and what happened. Today you can pick up a map at the Visitor Center and follow the marked route in your car to experience the battlefield for yourself. |
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The storefront of Union Cigar Club fits well into the theme and feel of the town. Entering the shop you notice immediately that it is one large open room. The cigars and bar are located in the front of the shop and the lounge is located in the back of the shop. A few people were sitting at the bar enjoying their cigars. We were greeted with a warm hello from the fellow behind the bar and also by a beautiful dog named Moose (if my memory serves correct). This was a self service place, but the fellow working tallied the price for you after you finished your selection. Surprisingly, they had the 2008 Number 1 rated cigar of the year by CA (the Casa Magna Colorado Robusto) in their humidor. I was eager to see what all the hype was about so I bought a few for myself and others in the group to give it a try. |
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I took an open seat next to my brother-in-law and sank into a puffy, very comfortable leather couch. Again there was the standard large flat screen TV in the corner, but there was a black screen and only classic rock music could be heard coming out of it. Bonus points in my book. The walls of the lounge were decorated with wonderful framed cigar box top art. It looked as if someone put some time and thought into the lounge. It felt comfortable and had its own style to it, as you see from the photos. On the table in front of us was a cigar box with a small surprise inside. If my brother hadn't opened it first and reacted as he did, with my curiousness I would have been the one opening it making a bigger scene than necessary. I won't spoil the surprise for you. The guys at Union Cigar Club are pranksters and this was refreshing to see. Other customers were sitting nearby also enjoying each other’s company and their cigars. |
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Recommendation: Gentlemen at Union Cigar Club, please install a ventilation system that works. An "A" for effort with all the fans and ventilators running at the time we were there. But all they did was blow the smoke around the shop instead of out of the shop. You've got a really great cigar lounge and cigar shop. But nobody will enjoy it as it really should be enjoyed if they can't breathe. A great cigar selection, a comfortable, rustic cigar lounge and a friendly atmosphere. Check out more photos of our Central PA trip at the "Cigar Events" page. |
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Olde World Tobacco State: Pennsylvania |
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Directions to Olde World Tobacco can be found here. It was a pleasure to visit this cigar lounge in the Heart of Lancaster County and Amish Country. After an afternoon of visiting many, many shops in such towns as Intercourse, Blue Ball, and Bird In Hand (Yes, those really are their names) with my sisters and girlfriend, we stopped at Olde World Tobacco. I was encouraged that Olde World Tobacco boasted a kick-ass coffee bar as well as cigar lounge. I needed some kind of carrot to dangle in front of the ladies after the previous day’s debacle in Hershey. If this place wasn't good, I'd never live my cigar hobby down. If I could show them "my world" hopefully they would understand their brothers hobby (passion really) a little better. With my stomach full on funnel cake, freshly baked soft pretzels, and Swedish red fish purchased at the Bird In Hand Farmers Market (with whoopee pies and shoofly pie sitting in the car for later in the evening), we found Old World Tobacco - Joey's Java House and made our way in. The storefront is a strip mall style (pretty common for PA) and reminded me of the same style storefront in Hershey from the previous day. I was hoping this wouldn't be a déjà vu. |
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First impression of the cigar lounge was positive because 1.) I could
actually see as it was not dark and 2.) the furniture was in great condition. Of course there was a large screen TV in the
corner with sports playing. This seems to be the norm in American cigar lounges. In Europe it is not. I prefer not having a
TV. TV tends to distract and suck people into it. Without a TV, people tend to talk with one another. I find this more
interesting. I can't fault the cigar lounge though as this is the norm in America and it's what the people want. First
showing my sister how to clip and light her cigar, I clipped and lit mine. My sister had an Oliva NUb Connecticut and I chose a La Gloria Cubana Artesanos de Miami to smoke. At the same time Rocco showed up with my coffee. The freshly roasted coffee
was a refreshing change from the weak American coffee I was drinking in the previous few days. I admit I've become pretty
spoiled with the coffee over here in Europe. Coffee good...cigar good...are the ladies enjoying themselves? As my other
sister and girlfriend had experienced Hershey with me the day before, I was concerned about their opinion. They were enjoying their coffee and felt MUCH more at ease in Olde World Tobacco compared to Hershey. I felt better also because I knew this is
how it should be. |
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Prices: I had to compare prices online as I don't have the luxury of checking ALL of the local cigar stores since I do live in Germany. Most cigars are cheaper to buy online, but I found that most of the cigars I bought were sold under retail value. So I would say the prices are reasonable at Olde World Tobacco. I also found the coffee/cappuccino to be a fair price. |
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Check out more photos of our Central PA trip at the "Cigar Events" page. |
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Posted on November 14th, 2009 by Kurt Wolaver I stopped by a total of four cigar lounges during my visit to Central PA.
I'll do a full review of two of them shortly. As for the other two, I want to give an honorable mention to one and a WTF! to
another. Let me explain... J. Thomas O'Malley Tobacconist The very first cigar lounge was visited before we even reached our final destination. We reached Central PA a couple hours earlier than expected. As we were staying with family, nobody was home because we were expected later. What's a great way to pass some time? You guessed it, after an eight and a half hour flight and three and a half hours in a car, we decided to give J. Thomas O'Malley Tobacconist (I love the name) a try. It is actually connected to the pool room of Coakley's Restaurant and Irish Pub. located at 305 Bridge Street, New Cumberland, PA 17070. It is also accessible through a very cool, old, speakeasy style front door on Bridge Street. It boasts a beautiful hand-crafted wooden bar with a nice selection of high end whiskies, cognacs, and brandy and also cocktails, wine and beer. There is a humidor cabinet standing next to the bar containing a small but well selected choice of cigars such as Padrón, Arturo Fuente, Oliva, and Rocky Patel. The staff was friendly and very helpful with any questions or assistance we required. We purchased our cigars and settled into some comfortable chairs at the end of the room with our beers. I enjoyed a spicy Padrón Robusto Maduro ($5) and my smoking partner-in-crime enjoyed an Oliva G Special G ($4). We passed the time catching up on American football on the large flat screen TV in front of us, enjoying a Yuengling beer after a long hiatus, enjoying each other’s company and the atmosphere smoking our cigars. J. Thomas O'Malley Tobacconist recently opened in September of this year. It is a small place with great potential. Currently it's mostly used by patrons from Coakley's to smoke cigarettes as it is not allowed in Coakley's due to the stringent PA Anti-Smoking laws. We were the only ones smoking cigars during our visit. To be fair it was late afternoon on a Wednesday. I asked if they get a lot of cigar smokers in. The answer was later in the evening. They open to smoke at 1100 (accessible through Coakley's pool room, grab your drinks at Coakley’s bar on the way into the cigar lounge) but the bar and front door opens at 1600. If you are in the area, stop by and light up a cigar. It doesn't have to be purchased there either. You can bring your own cigars to smoke. It really is a friendly, relaxing atmosphere. Sorry I have no pictures, but the camera was buried in the bottom of my luggage. After 12 hours of travel, I had no desire to dig it out. This cigar lounge deserves honorable mention. If I still lived in the area, I would go here often. Now... to the WTF! cigar lounge visited the next day. Hershey, PA home of Hershey Chocolate and the world’s largest chocolate factory was our destination. I spent the afternoon with my girlfriend, sister and mom touring Chocolate World and Hershey itself on the Trolley Works tour. Pretty cool stuff if you get the chance. After eating a late lunch we stopped at the Tobacco Company (located at 239 Chocolate Avenue, Hershey, PA 17033) for a cigar before heading home. I was surprised and thankful my mom and sister would go in the cigar lounge as neither one of them smoke. But they were curious and wanted to see what the cigar lounge thing was all about. First impression upon entering the store was positive. On both sides along the walls were large cabinet humidors extending the length of the walls filled with a large selection of cigars. There were also a couple chairs in the middle of the room occupied by guys smoking cigars and other customers looking for cigars to purchase. I politely told the ladies to make themselves comfortable in the back room where the cigar lounge is located as I would be awhile. I brought a long list of new cigar releases and other cigars I couldn't find in Europe and would take some
time to sort through the large selection there. Turns out they didn't have a lot of what I wanted. But so did neither of the other cigar lounges I visited in the next couple days. Seems most places sold out of the new release and are waiting for new shipments. The ladies retired to the back cigar lounge and I went hunting for cigars on my list. I asked the gentleman behind the counter if I grabbed the cigars myself or if he did that. He pointed me towards some small baskets and said to collect them myself and to let him know the price when you pay for them. Collecting them myself I don't mind. The latter part, telling him the prices, was the beginning of the end. I picked up the business card on the counter as I walked away to make my cigar selections. I found it odd that on the business card it says plain as day "Full Service Tobacconist" and here I am, the customer, collecting my own cigars and later running around
yelling the prices at the cashier as he rang up my purchase. I decided on a Cabaiguan Robusto to smoke and asked for a cutter and light. The cashier pointed to a cutter on the countertop and said to use any lighter around. I had never seen a cigar cutter chained to the countertop like a pen is at a bank...until then. As the cashier walked to the backroom cigar lounge I cut the head and lit the foot with a lighter on display for sale. To the back cigar lounge I ventured. The ladies didn't venture far into the lounge as I found them seated right by the door. They seemed engrossed in watching the end of "Pearl Harbor" playing on a very large flat screen TV. Other seats were occupied so I sat farther away from them and sat contently concentrating on my first ever Cabaiguan. The cigar was quite good. It was pretty dark in the lounge but at first glance it seemed like your typical cigar lounge. Cigar lockers for members, a poker table, couch and chairs, etc... Then my eyes adjusted to the darkness. First thing I noticed was the look on my girlfriends face...the look saying something wasn't right. Long story short, none of the ladies felt comfortable there.
After my girlfriend pointed a few things out to me I took a closer look at my surroundings. The cashier now sitting in the lounge with us was only wearing socks, no shoes. A customer came to the back room to pay for cigars, because the cashier was too busy with something on his laptop. The other guys in the lounge were drinking soda out of large Styrofoam cups they purchased at the nearby pizza joint. They had a soda machine in the lounge but everything was sold out. None of the guys were talking amongst each other. I noticed the chair my mom was sitting in was coming apart. I began to get the feeling I was
sitting in some guy’s basement hanging out with guys pouting because there were girls there. The only thing missing was a porno playing on the TV. I didn't have a good feeling (I actually had a seedy feeling) and told the ladies I saw all I needed to see. We left before I even finished half of my cigar. I apologized to them several times on the way home. If you are looking to buy cigars and don't mind self-service, then this is the place for you as they do have a good selection. But as far as customer service and smoking a cigar on-site....this "Full Service Tobacconist" needs a lot of work. I won't go back. |
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West of the Mississippi, USA - COMING SOON |
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