How I approach reviewing cigar shops and lounges varies, depending on the shop. Every shop is different. Whether it’s a difference in business plans, layout, product choices, treatment of customers, or treatment of other shops in the area, every shop is unique. As are their members and patrons. It’s that uniqueness that brings cigar smokers, enthusiasts, and aficionados together. It’s important for a cigar shop and lounge owner to know that, and Freddy Allan knows that.
Freddy is the owner of the new Habano Cigar Lounge, located at 432 East 4th Street Davenport, Iowa. Freddy has been in the cigar industry for over 20 years. Freddy owns four other cigar shops and lounges in the Chicago area, and he’s brought those years of expertise to an area that sorely needs it. For Freddy, though, it is more than just the opportunity to fill a need; it is an opportunity to bring his vision to the Quad Cities area.
I’ve had the chance to sit down and share a cigar and some great conversation with Freddy on two separate occasions, one of which you can hear here. During those conversations, we talked about a lot of things that a lot of cigar smokers discuss in a lounge setting: sports, politics, society, culture, and of course, cigars. Freddy’s years of experience as a lounge owner help him navigate the myriad of personalities, cultures, and points of view that come through his doors. For Freddy it boils down to one simple question; “why?”
The “why” for Freddy is more simple than just a passion for cigars. You have to have that passion in order to be in this business, especially the retail side, for as long as he has. It’s far simpler than just trying to put food on his family’s table. The “why” for Freddy is about bringing together the myriad of personalities and points of view that walk into his shops. Freddy’s “why” is about community. Does any community “need” a cigar lounge? The answer to that, in my opinion, is yes. But why?
The cigar is the great equalizer. There is no class division, political divide, or sports rivalry that the cigar cannot transcend. Freddy understands that and he fosters that idea through how he interacts with his customers. From how inviting the lounge is, to how he stocks his humidor, to how he offers memberships (membership is NOT required to purchase or use the lounge facilities) is all done with the customers and the community in mind. Freddy wants to get to know his customers and for his customers to get to know him and his staff.
Freddy wants every potential patron to feel welcomed and invited in the lounge. The lounge is area is well lit and well ventilated. With four tv’s in the cigar lounge area, there are enough screens to accommodate everyone’s tastes. Freddy’s vision for Habano Cigar Lounge Davenport includes over 100 milkshakes, a hookah and cigarette area, a members only area, and a place for the community to come together and find some common ground over their appreciation of the tobacco leaf.
Freddy gets it. Not only does he understand cigars and tobacco, but he understands how to bring people together. And in today’s current environment of divisive politics, social media blurbs, and our fast-paced lifestyles this is no easy thing. The cigar forces us to slow down, take stock of our lives, and notice those who are around us. Freddy and his staff at Habano Cigar Lounge Davenport have purposely created an environment that facilitates just that.