Stopped in a cigar lounge today and..

[ChuckMejia]

@Boudie I think this guy might be the owner of the shitty lounge you speak of.


#triggered

 

[tengel78]

This is the type of attitude that is driving everyone to support online stores. If you owned a nice lounge near me with an attitude like that, id never even consider walking into your establishment.

Agree completely. The members-only lounge in my area is elitist and they have specifically said they don't want anyone off the street to just come in and have a cigar. So, I take my business to a much nicer lounge, that is free for any as long as you buy a cigar. This is the one that is busy all of the time, they have lockers if you want to buy one, and if you can't afford to buy a $20 Opus every time you come in, they could care less. Do some people take advantage and sneak in and have a cigar without buying, sure. But, most of the regulars spend big amounts of money and they bring their friends as well. The welcoming attitude by the staff is equal to all, whether you are a ditch digger or a CEO.
Which is another reason why this forum works and most cigar smokers in general. We could care less how much money you make and don't look down on you if you can't afford to smoke the most expensive cigar in the store every night.

 

[sofc]

If it was my regular shop: less people, less smoke both make for a more enjoyable smoking atmosphere for me.

 

[ChuckMejia]

Agree completely. The members-only lounge in my area is elitist and they have specifically said they don't want anyone off the street to just come in and have a cigar. So, I take my business to a much nicer lounge, that is free for any as long as you buy a cigar. This is the one that is busy all of the time, they have lockers if you want to buy one, and if you can't afford to buy a $20 Opus every time you come in, they could care less. Do some people take advantage and sneak in and have a cigar without buying, sure. But, most of the regulars spend big amounts of money and they bring their friends as well. The welcoming attitude by the staff is equal to all, whether you are a ditch digger or a CEO.
Which is another reason why this forum works and most cigar smokers in general. We could care less how much money you make and don't look down on you if you can't afford to smoke the most expensive cigar in the store every night.

According to @SaraCigar the BOTL environment only comes from people who aren't "low life's" and spend money on only the higher end more expensive premium
Cigars. People who purchase cheap sticks bring nothing to the table!

 

[tengel78]

According to @SaraCigar the BOTL environment only comes from people who aren't "low life's" and spend money on only the higher end more expensive premium
Cigars. People who purchase cheap sticks bring nothing to the table!

If that's true, 90% of us should be banned from BOTL then. Only join botl.org if you're rich enough and don't you dare smoke a $4 stick.

 

[ChuckMejia]

If that's true, 90% of us should be banned from BOTL then. Only join botl.org if you're rich enough and don't you dare smoke a $4 stick.

I can already see @SaraCigar walking into the lounge and seeing ALL the chairs taken... and then spotting that one dude smoking that $5 stick. He probably has a stroke each time.

 

[ChuckMejia]

 

[StogieNinja]

Agree completely. The members-only lounge in my area is elitist and they have specifically said they don't want anyone off the street to just come in and have a cigar. So, I take my business to a much nicer lounge, that is free for any as long as you buy a cigar. This is the one that is busy all of the time, they have lockers if you want to buy one, and if you can't afford to buy a $20 Opus every time you come in, they could care less. Do some people take advantage and sneak in and have a cigar without buying, sure. But, most of the regulars spend big amounts of money and they bring their friends as well. The welcoming attitude by the staff is equal to all, whether you are a ditch digger or a CEO.
Which is another reason why this forum works and most cigar smokers in general. We could care less how much money you make and don't look down on you if you can't afford to smoke the most expensive cigar in the store every night.

I think the beauty of this hobby is that there's room for both private, quiet places and busy social gathering spots.

Personally, I don't go to the lounge that is 12 minutes from my house, even though it's the nicest place in the state, because its always crowded, busy, and I just don't like that kind of environment. I'm certainly not a baller, but I like to be left alone, I don't want crowded or busy when I smoke. Fortunately there's another lounge about ten minutes the opposite direction that's almost always empty.

Can we stop with this nonsense that because some people like to smoke in a nice environment that is exclusive and not-crowded they are somehow automatically worse people than the average joe? They might just be introverted like me. I'm broke, but I like my peace and quiet.

Let's stop painting everyone with broad brush strokes, shall we? Not every Opus smoker or private lounge member is a d-bag, and not every regular guy of the street is a nice guy. I've met plenty of tools in both categories, and plenty of good decent folk in both categories as well.

 

[tengel78]

I'm not sure everyone is against private lounges, I say go for it if you need some peace and quiet and can go enough to justify the cost.
I think those of us that had issues was because of the low life $4 cigar smoker comments.

 

[ChuckMejia]

I think the beauty of this hobby is that there's room for both private, quiet places and busy social gathering spots.

Personally, I don't go to the lounge that is 12 minutes from my house, even though it's the nicest place in the state, because its always crowded, busy, and I just don't like that kind of environment. I'm certainly not a baller, but I like to be left alone, I don't want crowded or busy when I smoke. Fortunately there's another lounge about ten minutes the opposite direction that's almost always empty.

Can we stop with this nonsense that because some people like to smoke in a nice environment that is exclusive and not-crowded they are somehow automatically worse people than the average joe? They might just be introverted like me. I'm broke, but I like my peace and quiet.

Let's stop painting everyone with broad brush strokes, shall we? Not every Opus smoker or private lounge member is a d-bag, and not every regular guy of the street is a nice guy. I've met plenty of tools in both categories, and plenty of good decent folk in both categories as well.

And not everyone that buys a cheap $4 stick is a low life.






But you didn't quote him

 

[DRed409]

I think the beauty of this hobby is that there's room for both private, quiet places and busy social gathering spots.

Personally, I don't go to the lounge that is 12 minutes from my house, even though it's the nicest place in the state, because its always crowded, busy, and I just don't like that kind of environment. I'm certainly not a baller, but I like to be left alone, I don't want crowded or busy when I smoke. Fortunately there's another lounge about ten minutes the opposite direction that's almost always empty.

Can we stop with this nonsense that because some people like to smoke in a nice environment that is exclusive and not-crowded they are somehow automatically worse people than the average joe? They might just be introverted like me. I'm broke, but I like my peace and quiet.

Let's stop painting everyone with broad brush strokes, shall we? Not every Opus smoker or private lounge member is a d-bag, and not every regular guy of the street is a nice guy. I've met plenty of tools in both categories, and plenty of good decent folk in both categories as well.

Bankers be bougie

 

[StogieNinja]

And not everyone that buys a cheap $4 stick is a low life.
But you didn't quote him

You already made that point. I was making a different point.

@tengel78 I didnt mean to call you out, I was just responding to your "its great because it's busy" comment, then I went off on a side tangent. I should have separated that from the rest of what I said, the second half of my post was not directed at you. Apologies if it came off that way!

Bankers be bougie

Retail managers be broke. I smoke in my garage, or at the quiet lounge, which generally has as more blue-collar crowd than the busy lounge.

 

[sofc]

Would any of your answers change if you actually owned a lounge and financed it?

 

[tengel78]

@StogieNinja no hard feelings. I'm introverted as well, so I understand the need for quiet time to recharge. What I meant was busy is good for the store.

 

[DRed409]

Really all joking and sarcasm aside... the whole concept is a train wreck.

Running a retail outlet and being a dick to your customers is bad business, although it is their right to manage or mismanage as they see fit.

A private club should be exactly that... private. If you are turning customers away because you are "private" that doesn't seem very private to me. More of just being a d bag. Although there are a ton of d bags in this world.

One of the best aspects of cigars is the ability to meet new people and share a common interest. I have smoked with CEOs of public companies (smoking dog rockets) to outlaw bikers, and have had a great time with all. Enjoy what you smoke, life is too short to use the price of your cigar or the type of lounge you smoke in as a status symbol.

 

[luckyace12]

Would any of your answers change if you actually owned a lounge and financed it?

Nope lol

 

[sofc]

Really all joking and sarcasm aside... the whole concept is a train wreck.

Running a retail outlet and being a dick to your customers is bad business, although it is their right to manage or mismanage as they see fit.

A private club should be exactly that... private. If you are turning customers away because you are "private" that doesn't seem very private to me. More of just being a d bag. Although there are a ton of d bags in this world.

One of the best aspects of cigars is the ability to meet new people and share a common interest. I have smoked with CEOs of public companies (smoking dog rockets) to outlaw bikers, and have had a great time with all. Enjoy what you smoke, life is too short to use the price of your cigar or the type of lounge you smoke in as a status symbol.

What if they're smoking Undercrown?

 

[StogieNinja]

@StogieNinja no hard feelings. I'm introverted as well, so I understand the need for quiet time to recharge. What I meant was busy is good for the store.

Thanks, and I agree, busy is good for the store...

Would any of your answers change if you actually owned a lounge and financed it?

It's a good question, one that depends on your fundamental assumptions about what makes for good business. I think some would argue for fewer people who spend more money. If I were running a lounge, I would actually prefer the opposite of my personal preferences, if I were in it to make money. I would just want as many people there as I could, all the time, and try to create ways to generate revenue while people were already there.

 

[sofc]

Nope lol

So you'd be okay with people coming in and just smoking stuff while you pay the rent/taxes/maybe even provide drinks?
Not to mention all the work done to keep the proper RH.

 

[ChuckMejia]

Really all joking and sarcasm aside... the whole concept is a train wreck.

Running a retail outlet and being a dick to your customers is bad business, although it is their right to manage or mismanage as they see fit.

A private club should be exactly that... private. If you are turning customers away because you are "private" that doesn't seem very private to me. More of just being a d bag. Although there are a ton of d bags in this world.

One of the best aspects of cigars is the ability to meet new people and share a common interest. I have smoked with CEOs of public companies (smoking dog rockets) to outlaw bikers, and have had a great time with all. Enjoy what you smoke, life is too short to use the price of your cigar or the type of lounge you smoke in as a status symbol.

I agree Donny