Cigar Lounge

[Cigar_Addict]

A friend of mine has been quite seriously entertaining the idea of opening a cigar lounge in the Hertfordshire area, especially if he manages to sell part of his business. He's been keeping an eye out for potential locations, but fear it can't be solely a cigar lounge. He'd thought about it working in conjunction with something like a virtual golf type of experience, but wonder what you guys thought would be good to combine it with?

[MB01]

Would be a fun project, I hope he goes ahead and the business is a success!

I'm in the golf industry and have friends in the virtual golf sector too. Although the setup costs are relatively high (launch monitors, projectors, screens, lighting, Huxley matting etc), the running costs are low. Low staffing requirements is a massive benefit, along with the ability to operate 365 days a year. Different business models to consider too, such as offering memberships versus operating solely on a pay-to-play basis.

Cigars and golf naturally complement each other, perhaps not quite to the extent as in the US, however there is still a strong connection in the UK. I also have a friend overseas running a chain of F1 simulators and this is a very successful business. A lot of parallels to running a virtual golf business.

Like any bricks and mortar business - location will be key. If alcohol is part of the business model it would ideally need to be somewhere with high footfall and easily accessible. Golf simulators do require a fair bit of space and this will add to the challenge of finding an affordable site in an attractive location.

I guess the other major concern would be if cigars / cigar lounges are banned in the near future...

[Cigar_Addict]

That's some really good info thanks. It would likely serve coffee etc, but likely not sustainable as just a cigar lounge. Like you say, golf & cigars go hand in hand so being able to enjoy a stick while playing a virtual round would work timing wise, but also like to attract people that really want to be able to just sit & relax with a cigar. There is plenty of lounges where he's from in the States, so looking to create a similar community over here.

[PeeJay]

Surrey Cigars' lounge is on the top floor of an estate agency but he also sells cigars so his 'shop' which is about 10'x8' justifies the 'sampling lounge' which takes up the whole top floor. perhaps he needs to consider a small shop because that is the legal way to have a lounge in this country.

[Cigar_Addict]

Good to know, thanks. Think ideally it would be somewhere with a terrace area as well as a lounge, and large enough to be a location to organise herfs for communities like this