In this blog Mark Jr. and I are talking about what we think are Pros vs Cons of cigar lounges. A cigar lounge is as you a place to hang out, relax, and enjoy yourself. Smoking a cigar with a cocktail can be enjoyed by yourself, with friends and family, or strike up a conversation with perfect strangers and make new friends! It's all up to you. So let's discuss a little bit about whether a cigar lounge is the right fit for you, or maybe not.
Cigar Lounge Pros: Jr. and myself both agree there are some benefits worth mentioning as to why you should consider joining a lounge. There are indoor/outdoor differences of course, but for now we will discuss the benefits of indoor lounges. If you have questions or comments, please reach out to us and we'll be happy to share!
Air Conditioning: One of the primary benefits of an indoor lounge is air conditioning, both cooling and heating. A/C levels out a constant temperature within the lounge and helps ensure the most relaxed climate for smoking, especially if you live in more extreme climates North or South.
Furniture: Most cigar lounges are designed to keep you safe, comfortable, and happy. Plus the longer you sit there, the more drinks and cigars you may buy. It's a retails sales tactic, and a successful one at that in my opinion.
Selection: Most cigar lounges have a large selection of cigars and accoutrement for purchase. The wider the variety of choices available, the more likely you are to shop there.
Food Compliments: Not all, but a select few cigar lounge/restaurants are still a thing. Nothing brings out the most full-bodied experiences with a cigar than food and libations. Think of Burn by Rocky Patel. You can enjoy dancing, food, music, drink parings and of course, cigars!
Fellowship: If you don't know by now, cigars are designed to being people together, from all walks of life.. I cannot tell you how many friends I have met in my travels among different lounges. Everything from exchanging ideas, politics, economy, even discipleship. Cigars are all about community and bonding, and if you hang around a lounge long enough, you will have no choice but to make a new friend or two. Sorry!
Customer Service: The most critical component to for any establishment to stay in business, is repeat customers. Cigar shop owners want you to have the enjoyable experience each and every time you enter their home (I'm referring to the lounge as their home because most of them treat you like a guest in their house) That means guiding you through your smoking journey is their main goal here. Don't be afraid to ask questions and no, they will not judge you for being a newbie. Every cigar smoker was a newbie once, they understand. Remember, respect their store, and you will be part of their family in no time.
Product and Service Guarantee: When you order cigars online, you are ordering from a warehouse and unfortunately you don't know how long, or in what conditions those cigars sat in the warehouse. When you purchase cigars in a lounge, you be rest assured those cigar were kept in optimal conditions, carefully stocked, and available for your to look at up close prior to purchasing. You also have the support of the staff to ensure you are enjoying your experience. If you have a broken/damaged cigar, for example, or spill your drink they will almost always replace it, refund you, and/or top off your drink for the inconvenience. (Just don’t spill your drink on purpose to get an easy freebie, that’s not how this works).
Cigar Lounge Cons: In contrast to all the benefits of an enclosed lounge, there are also a couple of caveats that we think are worth noting, helping you decide if joining a lounge is right for you. If you have alternative opinions or comments, again, please let us know.
Noise: If you are not in the mood for chatting and sharing memories with complete strangers, or having a crowd cheering sport playing on TV, then perhaps a cigar lounge/club may not be for you. Sometimes you get lucky and catch some alone time in the lounge to enjoy coffee, read a book, and relax in peace and quiet. Bare in mind however, depending on the lounge you attend, you are not the only one using that piece of real estate which can, and will become noisy at times. It is the nature of the beast.
Nature: It sounds very attractive to enjoy a cigar in perfect indoor climate, with food, drink, and an air filtration system in a relaxing environment. On the flip side it is equally attractive to enjoy a cigar in the outdoors. However, enjoying a cigar with free open air, the shade of a tree, and the picturesque view that an enclosed cigar lounge cannot duplicate is also very appealing. It might be a little warmer or a little cooler outside, but if you find the right location at the right time, and dress accordingly it can create a unique smoking experience.
Prices: Cigar lounges need to make money to keep the lights on. This means charging more for cigars and drinks as opposed to enjoying them at home. You're paying for the experience and customer service, and only you can decide if it is valuable enough to you. When you are purchasing online, you can usually stock your humidor for less money. (Please make sure you are purchasing from a reputable and verified online retailer who can help ensure the quality and service of your purchases. You can expect to have great customer service and reasonable prices from Holt’s Cigar Co and Fox Cigar.)
Distance: Unless you are one of the lucky few who live within walking distance near a cigar lounge, or have access to smoke at home, there is a good chance you will have to drive. This means dealing with parking, traffic, maybe even tolls depending on where you live. It is entirely up to you to determine whether your lounge is worth the extra round trip driving time. In my opinion, it's worth it.
If you like this or have a different opinion, leave us a comment on our website Cigar Tipsters we would love to hear from you. Thanks for reading!
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