2019 PCA Magazine

34 PCA The Magazin e | JULY-AUGUST 2019 PREMIUMCIGARS.ORG Exterior lounge area at Lord Puffer Tobacconist in Escondido, California. T H E N E X T S T E P SAM ATALAH La Aroma de Havana/Cigar Empire “Find a reliable person or people that are willing to manage or run the business as efficiently as you would. In my opinion staffing is very, very important.” “Location is also important. A lot of people don’t smoke cigars, but are fascinated by the idea. If they don’t see your cigar lounge, they won’t come in. But if you have a lot of foot traffic, you will get people who just happen to see the lounge and think, ‘Let’s go in and have a cigar.’ We get a lot of these people in all three locations, so foot traffic is important.” T I P S F OR OP E N I NG A S E C OND L O CAT I ON ANGELA YUE Lord Puffer Tobacconist “Do your homework and have a business plan. Research the area, demographics and market. We flew to Florida several times before we committed to our new location. There are many different business models and concepts. Picking the right location that best suits your needs is important.” “The biggest downfall is lack of experience. Many cigar enthusiasts think retail cigar lounges are easy to open. Enjoying a cigar is one thing. Having the retail experience is another. Many lounges open because it is a hobby rather than a business.” “Learn from other successful retailers.”