Cigars and Class

[larrysputnik]

Here's a rant:

Yesterday I accompanied my brother to a cigar "lounge" that we had never been to before. This particular place is called The Leaf and Bean and has a unique gimmick. It is a coffee house and a cigar lounge, and they encourage patrons to BYOB. But that's not the most interesting aspect of the place. The place is essentially a hippie gathering place complete with two Grateful Dead Bears flanking the main sign and live acoustic music that is only occasionally pre-meditated, but more often impromptu jamming amongst the patrons as they lounge in the old barbershop chairs gazing up at the hordes of accumulated garage sale items hanging from the walls and ceiling. The owners dress casually, have long hair/dreadlocks, and could pass for members of The Family at any jam-band concert.

My thoughts on this are neutral in terms of politics, hippies, and fashion. Rather, I am more intrigued by the thought of how different this particular place is compared to every other cigar lounge I have ever visited or read about. Which brings me to the fundamental question that inspired this rant. Why is it that everything that involves cigars is typically geared towards one particular demographic? We all know that cigar magazines, most notably Cigar Aficionado, more often than not use advertisements for items that are grossly over-priced or just available for the super wealthy. CA gets a lot of flack for that you'll notice in the letters to the editor section. Similarly, cigar lounges are almost guaranteed to be adorned with leather upholstered seating, rich mahogany surfaces, dim lighting and clientele that have only one or possibly two uniforms: expensive suits and maybe pajamas... but definitely the suits. Maybe a hot over-dressed chick on his arm too, but that's just an accessory.

My problem with this is that most of us that smoke cigars are not so pretentious. In fact, most of us would agree that cigars are not only meant for the super wealthy, even though practically everyone on here would similarly agree that smoking cigars is an expensive habit.

So the owners of Leaf and Bean may be on to something here: Cater to all cigar smokers by creating an easy-going atmosphere for you to enjoy your cigars. They have indeed accomplished this through two pioneering avenues. First, the cigar lounge is the type of place where you're not worried about having a coaster under your drink, you're not worried about looking like you are someone important (not that I ever do, but everyone else in the lounge certainly dresses to impress whenever I have cared to take notice), and you're not embarrassed about being the loud one in the establishment. It welcomes you to look up, down and all around as you smoke because there is so much to look at and read and the material you are looking at and reading is fun, funny, and sometimes obnoxious, but never ever boring - (one lounge I have spent some time in only has menus and a couple of empty cigar boxes laid out strategically for you to peruse as you smoke) .

Second, you are invited to BYOB or just order from their surprisingly adequate coffee selections. Unfortunately, I'm a bit like Ron Burgundy; I like scotch. But buying scotch at a typical cigar lounge is ridiculous. We don't have a ton of options around here, but to give you an idea; each of the lounges I have frequented before the Leaf and Bean sells scotch for $13 - $16 a low ball PLUS $3 for the ice. Here, you can bring your own flask, get a complimentary glass of ice and sip away without thinking twice. I don't know about you, but cigars bring me relaxation. Worrying about the cost of each drink while enjoying a cigar is counterproductive IMO.

So there you have it. Love them or hate them, hippies seem to have the right idea when it comes to truly enjoying the finer things in life. I think I am pretty far from the whole "peace, love and weed" phenomenon, but I do know a good thing when I see it. I don't fit in there, but oddly enough I don't feel the slightest bit out of place either. That's how cigars are meant to be enjoyed I think.

But that's my thinking on it. You can take it for what it is worth from a guy whose sign-on name combines the most forgettable Stooge and early Soviet space exploration ingenuity. I'm expecting not to make much sense!

[Rocco]

sounds like a cool place. Is this located in Toronto or Vancouver, with all the hippie references, I'm not too sure? Montreal only has a handful of places to smoke cigars and one of them lets people smoke cigarettes. WTF, that totally discourages me. Cigarette smokers make up 95% of the clientele. Last time I smoke there.
Rocco

[Kdot]

sounds like a cool place, the atmosphere sounds like that of an amsterdam coffee shop.

[larrysputnik]

sounds like a cool place, the atmosphere sounds like that of an amsterdam coffee shop.

I wonder if maybe they were inspired by those. I'm going to post pics the next time I head down there.

Here is their web site: http://www.leafandbeanstrip.com/

[ChrisMClark]

That sounds like heaven Larry. If somebody was to open a similar venture anywhere near me I could quite easily see myself spending every Saturday morning there. Sounds like my kind of place, and the kind of place a couple of non-smoking friends wouldn't feel out of place visiting with you!

[Drewmidorn]

Larry this place sounds great.

I completely agree with you that there is an association with cigars which includes golf, expensive watches and displays of wealth over taste (like overly figured walnut dashboards lol).

I love my cigars and spend a fair deal of money on them, but the rest of my life (studio gear and guitars aside) is pretty frugal.

I have nothing against spending money on whatever you enjoy.

Having said that I do think that the "cigar lifestyle" is championed by magazines like CA, but most of the guys you meet in cigar lounges in the UK (with a handful of exceptions) are usually more interested in a great discussion of any kind on any subject.... To be honest if they'll entertain the thought of chatting to me they must be pretty broad minded.

[daverave999]

Sounds great!

sounds like a cool place, the atmosphere sounds like that of an amsterdam coffee shop.

Agreed.

[larrysputnik]

To be honest if they'll entertain the thought of chatting to me they must be pretty broad minded.

LOL. Especially if you don that blond wig you were wearing in those facebook photos.

I guess that's why so many of us have found the forum.

[Drewmidorn]

Larry... the boredom of long hours in dressing rooms brings up some strange moments... as I'm sure you know! lol

[Son of Cigarsmoke]

Yeah i hate how cigar smokers are viewed as 'posh' probably why i get funny looks from people lol

[satch]

Call me a cynical ol' bastard but if that happened here the chavs would wreck it, one way or another.

[Soulmanure]

Very interesting piece, and I agree that there is a perhaps antiquated image of the cigar smoker promoted in these magazines and cigar bars, though the one I've been to in San Francisco was not too over the top.

It makes me think that the world of cigars is not too dissimilar to women's fashion magazines and stores. If you look at Vogue or any such magazine, the contents are ridiculously overpriced, and I'll bet you that most women who read these magazines cannot afford most of the advertised content, though they can afford the less expensive knock-offs and pieces that show up in the stores. As with cigar smokers, though most women enjoy the products they can afford, they can't afford the 'lifestyle' that gets sold along with them.

I suppose this is almost inevitable once an industry hires its marketers and gets rolling (no pun intended). While I do get annoyed at times with the so-called hippies over here in the bay area (they can sometimes be quite closed minded themselves), I think you are right on that an open community approach is the best way to go.

So here's to more cigar bars with excellently priced drinks and a mellow atmosphere.

[larrysputnik]

Very interesting piece, and I agree that there is a perhaps antiquated image of the cigar smoker promoted in these magazines and cigar bars, though the one I've been to in San Francisco was not too over the top.

It makes me think that the world of cigars is not too dissimilar to women's fashion magazines and stores. If you look at Vogue or any such magazine, the contents are ridiculously overpriced, and I'll bet you that most women who read these magazines cannot afford most of the advertised content, though they can afford the less expensive knock-offs and pieces that show up in the stores. As with cigar smokers, though most women enjoy the products they can afford, they can't afford the 'lifestyle' that gets sold along with them.

I suppose this is almost inevitable once an industry hires its marketers and gets rolling (no pun intended). While I do get annoyed at times with the so-called hippies over here in the bay area (they can sometimes be quite closed minded themselves), I think you are right on that an open community approach is the best way to go.

So here's to more cigar bars with excellently priced drinks and a mellow atmosphere.

Interesting analogy. I guess it's very appropriate too when considering that cigar smoking is almost completely targeted towards the male demographic. That raises another question about cigar stereotypes. I mean we have female members on the forum. Who else is not considered in the cigar world?

[Drewmidorn]

I mean we have female members on the forum. Who else is not considered in the cigar world?

I think children are disgracefully under catered for in the cigar world. Producers are more than happy to make alcoholic kids drinks (wkd, smirnoff ice etc) and its a disgrace that its becoming more and more difficult to find a decent hand rolled chocolate flavour belicosos. Kids deserve fine tobacco too.

MASSIVE IRONY ALERT...... before i get slammed for my outrageous irresponsibility.

A

[Soulmanure]

I think children are disgracefully under catered for in the cigar world. Producers are more than happy to make alcoholic kids drinks (wkd, smirnoff ice etc) and its a disgrace that its becoming more and more difficult to find a decent hand rolled chocolate flavour belicosos. Kids deserve fine tobacco too.

MASSIVE IRONY ALERT...... before i get slammed for my outrageous irresponsibility.

A

I am completely offended by your outrageous sense of humor!