A Cigar Bar Grows in Brooklyn


Posted: Wednesday, May 17, 2006

By Michael Moretti

You wouldn't think it could happen, what with overlapping city and state
smoking bans in New York, but an establishment in which you can smoke cigars
indoors has not only set up shop in the Big Apple, but it's expanding.

About a year and a half ago, the Velvet Cigar Lounge opened on the Lower
East Side of Manhattan, despite a 2003 city ban outlawing the start-up of
any new cigar lounges not in business before December 2001. In addition to
that feat, Velvet is planning to open a second location in the Williamsburg
section of Brooklyn, next to the famed Peter Luger Steak House, on May 21.

Velvet, technically, is not a cigar lounge, says founder and owner Jason
Alvator. It looks and acts like a cigar bar, offering wine and beer (no
whiskey yet) for a price, a fireplace, humidors and places to sit and enjoy
it all. However, in accordance with smoking ban regulations, the place
qualifies as a retail tobacconist, says Alvator, by counting 50 percent of
its revenue from the sale of cigars. This is accomplished, in part, through
the on- and off-premises sale of an in-house brand of cigars, called Reserva
Dominicana, which are rolled in the same room where cigar bar clientele
smoke.

"I used to work in the Supreme Court during the summer when I was in
college," said Alvator where he spent much of his time reading legal
documents. Upon reading the smoking ban legislation, he noticed the
loophole. "[Fifty percent of revenue from cigars] is defined as a retail
tobacconist. There is nothing [in the regulations] that says you can't serve
booze and charge for it, too."

Frank,

So what the fuck is new been posting this for 2 yrs, ain't no freakin
law going to stop us.

Smart move. Good to see that this can still happen. Thanks for the
good read Frank.

only in fuckin NYC baby, a city so nice they named it tiwce.

Because of New Jerseys new laws, The Metropolitan Cigar Society lost its
monthly dinner venue at The Brownstone House. However, did not taking this
lying down.

We are a 12 year old cigar club in New Jersey and because of the new laws we
are opening our own private, members only, cigar club. Through our 100
member base, we raised $50,000.00 in startup capital for the new club.

Check us out at http://www.metrocigar.com

The Metropolitan Society was founded in 1994, as the Metropolitan Cigar
Society, so cigar smokers could savor elegant surroundings where they could
relax and escape the intolerance and militancy of the anti-smoking crowd
while fostering the camaraderie of others who share their enthusiasm for
fine cigars.

Conveniently located in Northeast New Jersey (18 miles from New York City),
we are a private club, a sanctuary, where people dedicated to the enjoyment
of fine cigars can meet in a hassle free environment.

Bob


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"Crisis occurs when women and cattle get excited"...James Thurber

Appartently you have not gone to Newark, Elizabeth and Bayonne.

Ain't no gringo's telling us no mas fuma.

The venues in NYC is openly smoking, do you know the only ones bitching
is the tourist traps, not us city folks.

REMEMBER NO CIGAR POSTS TODAY.

APOLOGIZE HUTCH AND LEE

Give it time. Once the public is comfortable with the current ETS bans, the
law will be strengthened to include private clubs that hire employees.

No they won't strenthen the law to include private clubs.
Not if the owner runs them and the owners Smoke, they can all be 'owners'.
They have them on the Left Coast...
The California Govenor has a tent in back of the state capital for Cigar
smoking.
There are ways around EVERYthing.

What did you not understand about "that hire employees"? It was quite
clear.