B&M Lounge Fees

[danthebugman]

I'd have to drive an hour to find a lounge to smoke in. Now that the weather is turning chilly I'm seriously considering the investment of an electric heater this year so I can comfortably smoke in the shed. Casa de Bugman...yep, gotta nice ring to it.

Dan

 

[FireDoc83]

Casa de Fuego in Yorkville charges a one time fee of 15K. It comes with a 50inch plasma behind a 11'ft bar. A 8 person poker table with a 32 inch LCD. Also has a closet for all coats separate from the lounge itself. Has heated wood floors and a ton of extra leather seats for general theater viewing. Scheduled to open in Jan 2012. This thread is exactly why I'm building it..... I'll update the thread again, most of the walls are framed and up.

Count me in +1

 

[jbizzle]

Theres one not too far away from Topeka that charges a yearly membership fee or it's $10/day for own smokes and $5/day if you buy a cigar from them. Very nice lounge.

Interested in this since I travel to Topeka regularly. Only place I know of is Churchills. Feel free to PM if you don't want to post here.

 

[MReschke0626]

If you gotta pay, you gotta pay.

That said, I do prefer systems like Casa de Montecristo's VIP where my regular shopping covers my membership. I know a lot of times it's ridiculous when you first think about it, but for BOTL like us, a few hundred bucks a month is easy when you binge on a few boxes from time to time plus buying singles regularly.

 

[CWS]

Never been charged tp smoke in a lounge. I have been invited into many back room clubs and lounges that are normally member based. Of course I always buy a number of sticks or a box. It is a business. They are there to make money. I would not walk into a restaurnat and expect to eat a lunch I brought from home.

I have always liked the idea of a membership lounge with 24 hour access and dues. Those are more of a club than a cigar shop that charges a fee to smoke.

 

[PhobicSquirrel]

I'm not going to mention the name because that may be in bad taste but here in Portland, there is one on 82nd that use to be free to go too, well if you bought a cigar there. I use to go their at least once a month on a sunday. It's not bad, but not luxerious by any means. They have some nice leather couches/chairs, tv's and some games and what not. They were working on getting a full bar going. Then they started to charge a membership. 50 bucks a month and it came with a 10 percent off. However for people like me who live 20 minutes away that makes no sense. Also it's 5 bucks per day to go in there(if you don't pay for the membership). So that plus any cigars you buy. <br><br>
I'm not against fees but they have to be warrented. I personally stopped going there because of this and they don't have much of a great selection, well they have a decent selection but they don't get much of the new or hard to find stuff.

 

[bigdaddybry]

Local place here is opening a 2nd floor lounge within the next week or two. Apparently, there's gonna be a 150.00 "initiation fee" and then 25.00 a month. He's putiing in 15 leather chairs, couches, 5 or 6 flatscreens, full kitchen if we wanna cook sime food for parties, etc. We will all be getting a key and will have 24hr access to the upstairs from a seperate entrance. No access to the shop after hrs. so it's byob, smoke your own after hours, but he'd appreciate if we buy sticks and drinks while he's open. I think it'll be worth it. I'm a night owl who never wants to leave at the regular 1am closing time, so it's gonna be nice to have a place to hang after hours.

 

[MReschke0626]

24hr lounges? As much as I would love something like that as winter rolls in and I regularly smoke after 1am when I get home from work. That sounds like a nightmare for the owner, I cringe at the thought of a nice cigar lounge looking like a frat house after just a month or so. And I'd be concerned about the security of it all too.

 

[Tobacco Giant]

Local place here is opening a 2nd floor lounge within the next week or two. Apparently, there's gonna be a 150.00 "initiation fee" and then 25.00 a month. He's putiing in 15 leather chairs, couches, 5 or 6 flatscreens, full kitchen if we wanna cook sime food for parties, etc. We will all be getting a key and will have 24hr access to the upstairs from a seperate entrance. No access to the shop after hrs. so it's byob, smoke your own after hours, but he'd appreciate if we buy sticks and drinks while he's open. I think it'll be worth it. I'm a night owl who never wants to leave at the regular 1am closing time, so it's gonna be nice to have a place to hang after hours.

That sounds awesome and affordable.

 

[bigdaddybry]

+1. I just watched 4 guys come in to my local last nite and light up cigars they brought in. At least come with the thing already lit!! Shop owner's put up a 5.00 fee sign to try and deter it, but it hasn't really worked. These guys bought beers, but it still ain't right, imo. One guy even came in with a freakin CI catalog! WTF?...showing everybody how cheap they were, etc. Yes, CI's great and all, but don't promote them in your local shop!! Buy a smoke you cheap bastard! Sometimes I just don't get people. Effing morons.

 

[usmcpurcell]

The places around here are good about just buying a stick and you're good to use the lounge.

 

[bigdaddybry]

24hr lounges? As much as I would love something like that as winter rolls in and I regularly smoke after 1am when I get home from work. That sounds like a nightmare for the owner, I cringe at the thought of a nice cigar lounge looking like a frat house after just a month or so. And I'd be concerned about the security of it all too.

This is only for the regulars he knows very well. The only way a newb can become a member is if one of the regulars vouches for him. He's going to be limiting it to 20-25 members to start.

 

[slave2theaxe]

I guess I'm a bit spoiled the way things run here in AZ. There are plenty of places, and a few very nice places that don't charge fees to sit and smoke in the lounge. I mainly hit up Cigar King lately...its a bit of a drive for me, but well worth it. Huge lounge with plenty of comfy seating, 6 large flat screen TVs in the main lounge (probably 10 TVs throughout the store), great selection, great people, BYOB...the list goes on. All this for NO fees...can't beat it.

While I do bring sticks from home sometimes (if I plan on being there all afternoon), I always buy a stick (or 5, or whatever...) when I go in. My view is, as long as you are supporting the place by buying something, there is nothing wrong with bringing something from home as well.

 

[Fia]

+1. I just watched 4 guys come in to my local last nite and light up cigars they brought in. At least come with the thing already lit!! Shop owner's put up a 5.00 fee sign to try and deter it, but it hasn't really worked. These guys bought beers, but it still ain't right, imo. One guy even came in with a freakin CI catalog! WTF?...showing everybody how cheap they were, etc. Yes, CI's great and all, but don't promote them in your local shop!! Buy a smoke you cheap bastard! Sometimes I just don't get people. Effing morons.

I agree with your sentiments but in the end its up to the owner to monitor that. If they dont say anything, things like this will happen. Ive experienced that myself. Most of the guys were good about it and supported the B&M but there were always ones exactly like what you just described. The store really didnt enforce it. Sadly they are out of business now.

 

[BrandonP]

We choose not to do lounge fees or memberships here at Cigar King. We have an open door policy to anyone who comes in. They are free to use this place to sit and relax, smoke a cigar and just chill. I know of several shops that do charge fees and I have no issue with it as long as they offer proper amenities. To each their own and some people find them extremely useful for their hobby.

 

[Hot Lips]

I'd have to drive an hour to find a lounge to smoke in. Now that the weather is turning chilly I'm seriously considering the investment of an electric heater this year so I can comfortably smoke in the shed. Casa de Bugman...yep, gotta nice ring to it.

Dan

That or said lounge needs to invest in the much discussed cots so you don't have to leave as often ;-)

 

[tsimonitis]

I'd have to drive an hour to find a lounge to smoke in. Now that the weather is turning chilly I'm seriously considering the investment of an electric heater this year so I can comfortably smoke in the shed. Casa de Bugman...yep, gotta nice ring to it.

Dan

Dan try a propane one. They give off much more heat, especially if you are going to be outside in the shed

 

[CarlKolchak]

I know some shops have to charge a membership to be classified as a private club thus getting around city no smoking laws.

 

[Alwayslit]

Local place here is opening a 2nd floor lounge within the next week or two. Apparently, there's gonna be a 150.00 "initiation fee" and then 25.00 a month. He's putiing in 15 leather chairs, couches, 5 or 6 flatscreens, full kitchen if we wanna cook sime food for parties, etc. We will all be getting a key and will have 24hr access to the upstairs from a seperate entrance. No access to the shop after hrs. so it's byob, smoke your own after hours, but he'd appreciate if we buy sticks and drinks while he's open. I think it'll be worth it. I'm a night owl who never wants to leave at the regular 1am closing time, so it's gonna be nice to have a place to hang after hours.

Nice!!

 

[tmoney2007]

I agree with your sentiments but in the end its up to the owner to monitor that. If they dont say anything, things like this will happen. Ive experienced that myself. Most of the guys were good about it and supported the B&M but there were always ones exactly like what you just described. The store really didnt enforce it. Sadly they are out of business now.

They would've been asked to leave at my local B&M.

No fee, but if you don't buy regularly, you will be asked to leave. I smoke stuff from home there pretty regularly, but I buy single and boxes there so it ends up evening out.