| in the early 1990s, the premium cigar industry | | | | '60s television shows broadcasted—has its |
| rebounded after years of stale sales figures and | | | | own band, and another cigar bar in Glendale, |
| slackening consumer interest, it faced a new social | | | | California, has free appetizers. At Fumare (the |
| climate. More and more municipalities and states had | | | | Spanish word for "to smoke") in Reno, Nevada, |
| passed anti-smoking legislation throughout the | | | | patrons play poker, browse books, and watch sports |
| eighties, and this trend only continued through the | | | | on the flat-screen TV. And Shelly’s Back |
| 1990s and beyond. All of which meant that many of | | | | Room, in Washington, D.C., with its location close to |
| those new smokers found themselves unable to | | | | the heart of the nation’s governmental |
| enjoy their new hobby over a fancy restaurant meal, | | | | processes, offers a chance to eavesdrop on the |
| at the movies, at some bars, or sometimes (as in the | | | | corridors of power. |
| case of the new, ultra-restrictive British smoking | | | | Other cigar bars are actually cigar stores with |
| laws) anywhere outdoors at all. | | | | substantial added-in lounges—similar to |
| Thankfully for smokers, cigar bars sprung up | | | | coffee-roasting foundries where coffee is also |
| throughout the country as a way to offer premium | | | | served, or breweries that offer excellent bars. For |
| cigar smokers the chance to enjoy the rich taste of | | | | example, at The Tobacco Shop in Hartford, |
| cigar smoke in the company of folks with similar | | | | Connecticut, you find some hard-to-find cigars and |
| interests. Many of the new anti-smoking laws make | | | | pipe products. Signature Cigars in Rockville, Maryland, |
| exceptions for establishments that cater directly to | | | | offers free coffee to smoking customers. |
| smokers—though, often, in these cases, the | | | | These establishments are traditionally |
| smoke-permitting establishments must also install | | | | male-dominated, according to stereotypes, but as |
| air-filtration systems and various other gadgets that | | | | with many once-well-established facts about cigar |
| ensure maximum air purity (for those inside) and | | | | smoking, this one has been subject to some revision |
| minimum leakage (for the non-smokers outside). | | | | in the years since the mid-1990s cigar boom. Premium |
| Thus, cigar bars represent an important site for the | | | | cigar makers noticed an uptick in the number of |
| new generation of cigar smokers. Often, | | | | female cigar smokers during that period, and stars |
| they’re the only place in town where a | | | | like Jennifer Garner and Demi Moore trumpeted their |
| person’s love of cigars can be shared in a | | | | love of cigars on the cover of magazines such as |
| like-minded, social atmosphere. So it's no wonder that | | | | Cigar Aficionado. In this new climate, it's no surprise |
| cigar bars, like cigar specialty shops, cigar clubs, and | | | | to find women frequenting cigar bars as well. |
| cigar magazines, became an important part of the | | | | Photographer Danuta Otfinowski offers, on her |
| new cigar culture that blossomed during the 1990s. | | | | website, a photo essay devoted to the women who |
| The range of amenities offered varies with the bar. | | | | patronize New York City’s cigar bars. She |
| Some high-end cigar bars offer for-rent | | | | writes, “Cigars have been a smoky symbol of |
| humidor-lockers—such as Club Macanudo in | | | | male power for many years, but the post-feminist |
| New York—or books for sale, such as the two | | | | 90's are witnessing the resurgence of the stogie |
| Bar and Books stores in New York City (at Hudson | | | | among both men and women.” The photos |
| and at Lexington). At Azucar Cigar Lounge in Corona, | | | | are available at |
| California, you find plasma television sets and walk-in | | | | With cigars continuing to enjoy steady growth in |
| humidors. Many cigar bars double as, in effect, | | | | popularity, and those restrictive anti-smoking laws |
| high-end sports bars; they're classy places in which to | | | | seemingly not about to go anywhere, the importance |
| sit in leather furniture while watching the Knicks | | | | of cigar bars will likely continue to grow. But there's |
| game. | | | | nothing new about that—tobacco has had a |
| Other cigar bars offer the same amenities and | | | | social dimension for nearly as long as it's been |
| entertainment options as other kinds of bars. Burbank | | | | smoked. Smoking in ancient tribal societies was, after |
| Bar and Grill in Burbank, California—the same | | | | all, often a social, celebratory activity, and perhaps |
| "beautiful downtown Burbank" from which so many | | | | cigar bars recover some of that ancient camaraderie. |