A new cigar club in town aims to be the meeting place not just for cigar-smoking connoisseurs but also for locals looking to become enthusiasts.
Billed as Chattanooga's "premier cigar lounge," the Chattanooga Cigar Club opened last month and includes craft cocktails, a small selection of hand-rolled cigars ranging from around $10 to $100 and a menu of small bites and entrees. Curtis Greene, part-owner of the new lounge and bar, said he wanted to open a spot downtown after traveling to different cities and seeing the success and community around cigar clubs in places such as Nashville and Atlanta.
Acid "Kuba Kuba" Cigars by Drew Estate have been the most popular at the Chattanooga Cigar Club, which opened last month, according to part-owner Curtis Greene. The cigar lounge and cocktail bar is currently open from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. They are closed Sunday. (Staff photo by Allison Shirk)"I wanted to offer nice, soft music in a nice atmosphere with good food and conversation," he said. The owners are listed as Streamline Partners LLC and the new club has five employees.
Located at 1518 Market St., a block away from the Chattanooga Choo Choo, large leather couches, exposed brick walls and contemporary jazz music greet customers when they walk in the door of the 1,300-square-foot store. The cigar club's menu includes cocktails ranging from $8-$10, beer and wine, appetizers from $8-$17 and entrees around $15. The menu also includes a selection of sides and bourbon bread pudding for dessert.
Cigar Man and Burns Tobacconist are two other cigar shops also located in downtown Chattanooga.
On a recent Thursday evening, the club served as a good social gathering spot for a group of area business owners and retirees. There are happy hour specials every day from 4 to 7 p.m., and Greene said bartenders are encouraged to create their own, unique drinks.
Curtis Greene poses with the tabletop humidor currently stocked at the Chattanooga Cigar Club in downtown. Greene, part-owner of the new lounge and bar, said he will increase the supply of cigars for purchase in the coming weeks once he learns what customers are interested in. (Staff photo by Allison Shirk)Greene said he expects the lounge's cigar selection to increase soon with a cabinet humidor, but he first wants to see what the neighborhood is interested in smoking. There will be a monthly membership available for $100 that will include a free cigar, access to private events and a percentage off transactions.
While the club's grand opening will be some time in May, the business is currently open from 4 to 11 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. The club is closed on Sunday.
For more information, visit the club's Facebook page.
Contact staff writer Allison Shirk at ashirk@timesfreepress.com, @Allison_ Shirk or 423-757-6651.