Washington State Smokers

T

Todd W

Pepin Hoe
I don't have a smoking den, or a garage. I do have a balcony, but I hate bundling up and standing outside in the pouring rain for an hour at a clip. It's times like these that make me long for a cigar club or a bar -- big time.

For Washington staters, it's truly a case of "don't know what ya got, 'til it's gone," at least for me that's the case. I never was one to spend much time at Tini Big's, El Gaucho, or the smoke room at Pike Brewery among others. I think I took it for granted that I could always enjoy a cigar somewhere in the sanctity of fellow smokers, who, much like me, didn't mind.

Now we're caught. I don't care at all for cigarettes, and as far as I'm concerned, 25 feet is just fine with me! But, for cigars, it's a culture thing. It's also a fight I know we can't win, having such a small portion of votes behind us.

I see smoking spots like the Olde World Cigar Lounge, and I start to salivate. I wonder if WA can ever come to terms with an establishment such as their's in Temecula, (a beauty I might add). I read that two college students in Bellingham started a hookah club (the apocalypse is near!! :tpd:) based upon the facts that a) it was a membership only situation. and b) they were the only two proprietors, thus able to skirt around the employee health/safety stipulations.

I guess my question here is: Why can't we do that? This is more of a wish than a rant, but I'm perplexed. Do you think it's a lack of interest? I don't. It seems, by the look of things on these forum boards, that people all over the country are more-than-willing to get together for a smoke.

Don't get me wrong, Joe's in Fife is an excellent establishment. But that's a long haul from where I am.

It seems to me, with a little legislative push, we'd be able to open this sort of club for stogies only. If the membership base was there, the club wouldn't go broke in the process. How do others feel?
 
I have been to the hookah lounge in Bellingham, and it is AWESOME. It is $1 for a lifetime membership, and they have to hand you the hookah bowl prepacked outside, which you the carry inside to a hookah and they bring you coals. Nothing can be sold INSIDE, not even a bottle of water, but this isn't a problem. I guess a place like this could be set up for cigars as long as cigars were not actually sold inside.
 
See, there's the problem: No cigar sales, and a 1$ membership!? What kind of building is it in? I'm thinking any decent commercial space to lease anywhere in King or Snohomish county would be at least $2,000.

I don't doubt it's awesome though, if that's your thing. The last time I saw a hookah ironically was in B'ham, but I don't remember any tobacco being involved. :tu

There was a similar club to this open for a while in Seattle. I peered in the window one day and really laughed at all the empty coffee cups left from the night before! That place needed a liquor license BADLY!

This strict stance towards resale of cigars, combined with the impossible task of liquor licensing (that will never happen) may just be the reason no such cigar club exists around these parts.
 
The draconian anti-smoking law passed a few weeks before I moved here so this sad state of affairs is all I've ever known in Washington. I'm anxiously awaiting the opening of the new Indian casino in Snoqulamie as it's supposed to have a cigar bar and will be only ten minutes away. I've never made it down to Smokey Joe's or the Thunderbird so until the new place opens its doors it's cold garages and front porches for me.
 
I think that after the 2 year period where the Legislature can't change the law without a 2/3 majority is up they will loosen the law to allow cigar bars and tobacconists to allow smoking. This could happen in the next Legislative session. Email your representatives!
 
At the hookah lounge (Cobra lounge) they charge for the hookah tobacco. It was like $14 for one bowl of tobacco, half off for refills, which is at the higher end of normal. They don't make their money on the memberships, they make it on the tobacco. They just had to hand the tobacco and take your money from you from a window while you stood outside. Its actually a really nice space. I would imagine a cigar lounge could do the same thing, just selling cigars instead of hookah tobacco. If they were going to let people bring their own cigars then of course the membership would have to be much higher. The $1 charge at the Cobra Lounge is simply so that they are complying with the law.
 
I live in Bellingham and drive to herfs in Vancouver. Too far after a cocktail. I visited the Cobra Lounge and was also interested in looking into a similar idea for cigars. With 100 members at $20 a month, a $2000 space would be easily workable.
 
And with locker rentals, monthly dinners, other events and sources of income you might even make a few bucks. With the proper layout and planning it is extremely workable. This past year we grossed over 125k.

Roscoe
The Metropolitan Society, LLC
http://www.metrocigar.com
 
Hello everyone,

I was googleing things cigars yesterday and stumbled upon this post.

For those who live in Washington I would like to inform you that an effort to modify the smoking ban is in the works.
My name is Dale Taylor. I work for Rain City Cigar in Seattle. We have been very active in cigar related policical issues for several years. We are now gearing up for an attempt to get a "very narrow" modification to the smoking ban.

We are seeking the return of Cigar Bars, smoking in a Cigar Store and private clubs.

If you are interested in knowing more about this effort and or would like to get involved, please let me know. We appreciate your interest and could use your help!

Regards,

Dale
 
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