What Is a Cigar Shop?
A cigar shops sell cigars, accessories and other supplies for cigar smokers. Sizes range from small storefronts in retail shopping centers to large, standalone buildings. Some are independently owned; others are owned by chains or are franchised to individual owners. Stores can focus exclusively on cigars; others offer smoking lounges and other tobacco products. Some have "cigar bars," where patrons can order a beverage or cocktail to enjoy with their cigars.
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Humidors
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Nearly all cigar shops have a walk-in humidor where cigars are stored and displayed for customers. Devices are utilized that control temperature and humidity inside the humidor to keep the cigars in prime smoking condition. Patrons usually can buy cigars either individually or in boxes. Some cigar shops have smaller humidors placed about the store to separately display certain brands or styles of cigars for purchase.
Cigar Shop Indians
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A carved wooden Indian figure is a cigar shop icon. Dating back as far as the 1600s by some accounts, a carved wooden cigar store Indian statue once stood outside nearly every tobacco or cigar shop to alert passersby to the store's content. Ranging from small figurines to life-sized portrayals, the statue generally portrays a Native American in a headdress, holding a bundle of cigars in one hand. In the late 1800s, laws against obstructing pedestrian traffic on sidewalks moved many of the cigar store Indians inside the shops or out of use altogether. Today, cigar store Indians are considered collectibles, though many cigar shops still have one or two inside the store.
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Tobacconists
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The proprietor of a cigar shop is generally called a tobacconist. Customers can consult with the tobacconist for expert advice on their purchases. The tobacconist can offer tips on accessories and techniques for smoking, and make recommendations on purchase based on a customer's smoking preference. Some tobacconists undergo training or gain certification in the field from such institutions as Tobacconist University, based in Princeton, New Jersey.
Cigar Lounges
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Many cigar shops offer cigar lounges within the shop. The lounge can be a simple as a few comfortable leather chairs arranged in a corner or as large as a full liquor bar with many tables and chairs for patrons to enjoy a coffee, cocktail or beer while smoking cigars purchased at the shop. Though many states have passed bans on smoking in indoor workplaces, exemptions usually include cigar shops and cigar bars.
Online Cigar Shops
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Some cigar shops exist solely online, supplying cigars and accessories to their customers who order on their websites. Others, such as JR Cigars in North Carolina, have both physical cigar shops and online ordering. A cigar smoker who orders from an online cigar shop based in his or her home state must pay state sales taxes on the order. Cigars ordered from the website of a shop based in another state are generally exempt from sales tax. Smokers who live in states with high tobacco or sales taxes sometimes order from another state to save money.
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References
- Photo Credit cigar and smoke image by Slyadnyev Oleksandr from Fotolia.com Red Indian image by Sujit Mahapatra from Fotolia.com
