Patrons of the Havana Club will get to light up Wednesday evening.

Baltimore City granted the downtown cigar bar on Water Street an exemption from the statewide smoking ban on June 9, making it the only Baltimore business with an exemption to date.

Though Havana Club has historically attracted cigar smokers, the exemption allows cigarette smokers to light up also.

Havana Club executives applied for an economic hardship waiver, which allows businesses to receive an exemption if they can show sales declined at least 15 percent over a two-month period.

Big Steaks Management LLC of Pikesville operates Havana Club, four Ruth's Chris Steak House (NASDAQ: RUTH) eateries in Maryland and Blue Sea Grill.

Earlier this year, Big Steaks' Chief Operating Officer David Sadeghi told the Baltimore Business Journal that sales were drastically down in February and March after the statewide smoking ban went into effect Feb. 1.

Under the conditions of the waiver, Havana Club will provide all of its employees an option to work in another Big Steaks Management venue.

The exemption is valid through January 31, 2011. Website: http://havanaclub-baltimore.com/