If you owned a B&M...

[SmokinJoe]

Originally Posted by Tha Criddler

I saw pictures of The Outlaw Cigar Co. in a magazine and it blew me away.

It's just as cool in person!

[texasmatt]

It would probably be more like a kickass sports bar but with smoking allowed throughout and a massive humidor off to one side.

[cbs0121]

The last place in the world I would attempt to emulate is the Grand Havana Room. Any place that's going to cost the same amount as a new car just to gain entrance to isn't my thing. Way too pretentious. In my experience, most cigar smokers are normal people with normal jobs in often normal places who simply like cigars. They aren't fashion accessories or status symbols (no matter what Kaizad Hansotia and Gurkha try to say to the contrary).

I mainly look at three things in a Tobacconist's shop. First and foremost is quality - I'm not shopping there if they are selling cigars that are stored improperly. For 1.5 mil, a few Cigar Oases aren't too much to ask for.

Second is selection. Selection is the only thing that comes close to quality in importance. I look for shops with a good variety of smaller brands outside the standard General Cigar/Altadis portfolio that you can find anywhere.

Finally, customer service and perks. Knowledgable and friendly staff, a good smoking lounge, maybe a few libations. In my experience, these places also happen to have requirements one and two, probably because a knowledgable staff is likely to be passionate about cigars. Outside of school, I work at a local natural foods retailer, and you can just walk in to a supermarket and tell a lot about the passion the employees have for the products. The Wal-Marts of the world almost always have produce that is beaten ragged by customers, employees, and shippers and not removed from the floor. It's not a pretty sight. Perhaps if they actually hired people who cared and paid them a respectable wage it would be different. Anyways, enough of that off topic stuff!

In the end, I think that like so many other fields, distinction is brought about by taking care of the basics that make a cigar shop great - quality, selection, and service.

[ezmoney5150]

Originally Posted by CHRIS7891011

ooooh I'm going to be down there this month. I'll have to make a stop.

Get ready to spend some money. They have everything. All the Pepin products, Litto Gomez. And nice people in the lounge to BS with.

[Itsme-Speedy-G]

Originally Posted by leafandale

I would do it just like I did it, but make the humi 2x bigger and the lounge closed in for a more "private" feel (and to keep excess smoke out of the sales area). When we get 9-12 guys in there, which is quite often, even the smoke eaters can't keep up. Other than that, it's pretty bitchin the way it is. Then I'd invest the rest in an Emu farm.

I would model it after Leaf and Ale but move it to communist California and I would put my house next door

[texasmatt]

Originally Posted by Txbob

Actually been thinking about this. Maybe after I get through playing in the sand box I can open a place in a high traffic tourist area in the hill country of Texas with a resturant for the wife to run and next door a cigar/coffee shop for me to play around with.

I love the hill country. I've already decided that's where I'm going to retire to (either that or Santorini). You open that place and I'll make that 4-6 hr drive from north texas.

[Petite_Flavored_Sweetie]

I would make it like the rum jungle in Las Vegas
So it would have food too. You cant tell by the pic but it had comfy couches and dark lighting. Romantic and modern.

http://www.mandalaybay.com/dining/rumjungle.aspx

Renowned designer Jeffrey Beer’s tropical fantasy is a 20,000 square-foot spectacle for the senses. Guests pass through a 22-foot tall wall of fire and are met with the cool rush of a waterfall followed by a spectacular three-tiered dining area. The exotic á la carte menu features such delicacies as Blue Corn Fried Calamari with dangerous salsa and cilantro-ginger pesto, and Cuban Coffee Smoked Ribs with guajillo BBQ sauce. From the Brazilian Rodizio-style “fire-pit,” signature entrees include Wood-Fire Mai-Tai Cured Island Spiced Salmon and Huli-Huli Rotisserie Chicken with a Pineapple Teriyaki Glaze. At night, rumjungle turns into a nightclub considered to be one of the hottest in Las Vegas, featuring the world’s largest and best rum bar, measuring 144 feet long and 19 feet high.

[dnapunk]

Funny enough, over the last break home from college I got bored and designed a B&M/Lounge/Bar/Concert Venue in 3d on Google Sketchup. I was telling my parents how I'd love to start a place up like this because I'm such a music whore and always wanted to own a lounge. PM me if you're interested in the Sketchup file.

[awsmith4-cl]

Originally Posted by CHRIS7891011

ooooh I'm going to be down there this month. I'll have to make a stop.

Its a good shop and the sports bar in the same center also allows cigar smoking which is nice when you want to have a drink with your smoke. I personally like how BlueHavanaII (Jim) is set up with the lounge in the rear. I also like Smoker's Paradise (Fred) solely in the fact he has the ability to serve beer and wine.

[Wiseash-cl]

I thought about this all day and I'm sad to say I'm not sure I'd model it after any shop inside Atlanta proper. They all have their positives but many have drawbacks as well. In the area, I'd say The Cigar Shoppe north of Cumming is put together right. Great humidor/accessories on one side; very attractive and comfortable lounge with bar on the other. The only drawback is it's too far away for me to enjoy very often.

[LkyLindy]

Originally Posted by Petite_Flavored_Sweetie

I would make it like the rum jungle in Las Vegas
So it would have food too. You cant tell by the pic but it had comfy couches and dark lighting. Romantic and modern.

http://www.mandalaybay.com/dining/rumjungle.aspx

Renowned designer Jeffrey Beer’s tropical fantasy is a 20,000 square-foot spectacle for the senses. Guests pass through a 22-foot tall wall of fire and are met with the cool rush of a waterfall followed by a spectacular three-tiered dining area. The exotic á la carte menu features such delicacies as Blue Corn Fried Calamari with dangerous salsa and cilantro-ginger pesto, and Cuban Coffee Smoked Ribs with guajillo BBQ sauce. From the Brazilian Rodizio-style “fire-pit,” signature entrees include Wood-Fire Mai-Tai Cured Island Spiced Salmon and Huli-Huli Rotisserie Chicken with a Pineapple Teriyaki Glaze. At night, rumjungle turns into a nightclub considered to be one of the hottest in Las Vegas, featuring the world’s largest and best rum bar, measuring 144 feet long and 19 feet high.

Mandalay bay is the bomb-My favorite Vegas place

[awsmith4-cl]

Originally Posted by Wiseash

I thought about this all day and I'm sad to say I'm not sure I'd model it after any shop inside Atlanta proper. They all have their positives but many have drawbacks as well. In the area, I'd say The Cigar Shoppe north of Cumming is put together right. Great humidor/accessories on one side; very attractive and comfortable lounge with bar on the other. The only drawback is it's too far away for me to enjoy very often.

I can agree all have drawbacks but Highland Cigar is a good place to smoke, bad selection though.

Also I want to say Leaf and Ale in Knoxville looked like a great place to smoke, killer selection but I didn't have time to stay and herf

I'd also like to add the suggestion that a cigar lounge to have many separate lounges inside so small groups could gather possibly for meetings or taking new clients to discuss business

[Sea Jay]

Originally Posted by triplezero24

I'd have a huge walk-in in the center of the room with windows so you would look into it with a lounge going around it. Leather couches, nice ashtrays. Mosaics of cigar box tops adorning the walls, with some pictures of famous people who came to visit. A special walk-in humi in back, divided up for a few of my local CL buds (and to store my ISOMs hehe). I'd also have a nice coffee bar somewhere in there.

Eric - Man, this sounds nice. When do you open the doors?

[ytford]

Now this is a thread I can really enjoy since Im in the process of trying to create one. First the shop is a mix between a very highend club I went to in amsterdam in 2000 called "The Arms" (loose translation) and a popular cigar pub here in Tokyo called "La Connosuer" (5 locations). These shops were exceptionally appointed but didnt have the uppity feel that many of the high end places do.

My B&M is a combination of social club and tobbaconist. One of the key things in undertaking this project and using an old cake shop my wifes grandmother owns is the size. All B&Ms in Tokyo (loose term here) are tiny and do not have places to smoke in them. So what makes the shop different will be sheer size and ability to stock a larger variety. There a no shops here in Japan that stock RP, Gurhka, Graycliff or any other of the high end non-cuban brands (Except davidoff, LGC and Macs). So our stock would be semi exclusive to the region. Next with the developement of the house brand we are the only B&M in Tokyo (that I am aware of after checking 62 shops) that have a proprietary blend which makes it rare and exclusive in its own right. The next thing to set it apart is the herfs. Even though our shop isnt open me and my partners still hold herfs and supply sampler cigars and a selected spirit to taste and review with the fellow herf members. This helps to educate the local customers and establishes a word of mouth advertising. Cigars are just now becoming more popular here so we are kind of ground floor on this. Next Japanese homes are small and usually have a tatami matting or paper mache type wall paper. Smoking in this type of house is terrible becuase the smoke seeps into the paper and the rooms smells stale for weeks. We are in the proceses of having lockers installed (also a first here) to allow about 40 customers to stock their smokes in the shop. Lastly is location. The B&M is located not in a high shopping area but in a corporate business area (sony and toshiba tokyo headquarters are about 200 meters down the street), this allows us to be close to the target demograph of cigar smokers in japan(corporate businessmen). We are also close to a subway station and that line leads to many different social areas of the city (Roppongi, shubuya, shinjuku etc.) So when our businessmen friends go out to see their hostess girls (which happens often) they can stop at our place for the first drink of the night and a good smoke.

Now I obviously dont have 1.5 mil to invest in this (boy I wish) but if I did the main upgrades would be selection of cigars and turning the roof into a outdoor patio for the summertime months. The thing that would make this a real success is the social club aspect of it. Its not an elitist establishment but it does cater to a specific small group of the populace. SO a sense belonging is key to repeat business. Every hobby here in Japan has some form of social structure and club (darts, pool, airsoft etc). This would be no different it offers the western style of shop and lounge but with a business practice based of eastern culture.

And I am now done writing this novel. Sorry guess I went off on a tangent.:huh_oh:

[Sea Jay]

Ian -

It sounds like you are positioned to be very successful with your new business. I think the exclusivity of the cigar brands that you carry will indeed set you apart from other local establishments. You have made some great decisions here and I wish you the best of luck.

...the outdoor patio on the roof sounds like a goal to set for your fifth year of business.