How it started: In 2016, the mobile business's co-owners, Mark Franklin and Chris Abernathy, were sitting around on a back porch smoking cigars and began talking about what they could do to share their passion for cigars with others. They started a private Facebook group centered on cigar smoking, and when Franklin, who'd been a cigar smoker for about 13 years, got married that year, he reached out to a friend who was a local cigar rep to bring some to his wedding.
"The whole ambiance about it was just great," said Franklin. "I wanted to offer that to people."
He and Abernathy then grew their passion for cigars into a business offering cigar bar services for events in Chattanooga and the surrounding areas. "It's all about education and preserving the art of cigar smoking for the next generation," Franklin said.
What the business offers: Franklin and Abernathy create a custom cigar bar for each event, such as weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, golf tournaments, bachelor parties or baby showers; "anything our client has to celebrate," said Franklin. "Cigars are a celebratory symbol."
They explain the subtle nuances of the cigars they bring, including the wrap, the tobacco blend comprising the fill; the binder, and the country or region from which the cigar comes. They also instruct the uninitiated on cutting and lighting their cigars. "It's kind of an art; you can't just light a cigar with a Bic lighter," Franklin said, explaining that cigars need to be lit with a smooth, continuous flame, and that there are several different ways to cut them. He and Abernathy also talk to guests about palate and explain the complexity of flavor in the selected cigars.
Chattanooga Cigars for Gents has two cigar rollers on staff to provide that service at events, and the business also prepares cigar gift sets for clients.
What's great about cigars: "Cigar lounges are an environment where you're not judged based on how you look, who you vote for, what religion you are. It's about the cigar, camaraderie and taking the time to enjoy each other's company," said Franklin.
Franklin's top three cigars: Padron 1964 Anniversary Series, Long Live the King by Robert Caldwell, and My Father The Judge. "There's no bad cigar," he added. "Everyone has their own palate. It's also about the environment you're in when you smoke a cigar."
Not just for gents: "Women have really embraced the art and culture of smoking cigars," Franklin said, naming Demi Moore as a celebrity example. By the first of next year, he and Abernathy plan to launch another brand, Chattanooga Cigars for Ladies. "We want to include the ladies as well, because they're a big part of this industry we've grown to love," Franklin said.
Plans for the future: "We plan on growing this business and incorporating the city we live in," said Franklin, adding that the business owners hope to create their own line of cigars with Chattanooga branding. "We want to put Chattanooga on the map in the cigar world."
Learn more: Call 355-4535 or 629-202-9396, or visit chattanoogacigarsforgents.com or Chattanooga Cigars for Gents on Facebook.