Asheville News

Cigar lounge coming to Asheville

Jason Sandford September 27, 2009

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

The Salisbury Post reports that the owner of a new cigar lounge that just opened in Salisbury is planning to do the same thing here in Asheville. The name of the Salisbury lounge is Havana Knights, and the owner is Dunkan Echevarria.

A couple of relevant grafs:

Echevarria called cigar lounges “the great equalizer. It’s probably one of the last few fraternities that are out there.”

He said a cigar lounge provides a place for men and women of different backgrounds to come to one place and spend time together and talk without being threatened by each other.

And he does mean men and women.

He has a line of cigars made by a woman specifically for women to smoke, and he has another line coming in.

The flavors are milder, and cigars tailored to women are often smaller.

“I envision finesse,” Echevarria said. “I envision refinement.”

He asks customers what alcoholic drink and what food they like to gauge what cigars would probably suit them.

“I can engage you in 30 seconds or less,” he said.

…

Much as he loves Salisbury, it isn’t his only focus.

He’s also working on starting a store in Asheville. He plans to open two or three more in other areas of the state in the next few years.

The store in Asheville will be reminiscent of the gentlemen’s clubs of the 1950s, a true cigar bar, he said.

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

Hellbilly Hootenanny this weekend

The Ashvegas Hot Sheet: On Bookopolis, fall leaf-peeping, running unregistered, pink dildos and more

5 Comments

John S. September 27, 2009

Cigar bars received an exemption under the new smoking ban.

I like the idea of having a cigar bar in town, but it seems a bit ridiculous that one smoking bar (Hookah Joe’s) will be forced to shut down roughly the same time another one is allowed to open. After all, the act of smoking is the entire premise of both bars.

Reply
Homer September 27, 2009

Will they have a "Clinton" Cigar?

Reply
mon September 27, 2009

when I smoked cigars I was perfectly happy with the same one’s men smoke…

Reply
Ash September 27, 2009

Julie, good question. i think if the place is set up as a private club under state alcohol laws, it doesn’t have to abide by the smoking ban. i’m not sure, though.

Reply
Julie C September 27, 2009

How does this fit in with the smoking ban shortly to be in effect?

Reply