New Grand River Cigar introduces cigar lounge to Grand Rapids

With its leather chairs, a walk-in humidor and hundreds of cigars, Grand River Cigar could be West Michigan's first classic cigar lounge. With an eye to creating an atmosphere where cigar enthusiasts can relax and enjoy a good smoke, owners Robin and Tina Day and Charlie Rossi hope to give cigar enthusiasts a unique experience in one of the few public places where smoking is legal.

"Charlie and I used to hang out and have a drink and a cigar and talk about our woes," says Robin Day. "When the law changed and you couldn't smoke in public, we decided to open our own cigar store."

Day has spent the past 25 years working for retail giants Lowe's, Michael's and Jo-Ann Fabrics, but says this is his first foray as an entrepreneur.

The focal point of the shop (131 S. Division Avenue, Grand Rapids) is the walk-in humidor -- a 16-ft. wide by 8.5-ft. deep by 9-ft. tall state-of-the-art cigar vault -- which sports an all-mahogany exterior case and a Spanish cedar interior. Day says the special cedar not only absorbs excess moisture, but releases it into the humidor when needed to keep the cigars perfect.

"We have 20 different cigar brands coming in, including Arturo Fuente, Ashton, Avo, Camacho, Montecristo, Gurkha and H. Upmann," says Day. "Most of the cigars we carry are hand rolled. The differences between them are like the differences between wines -- each cigar has a different flavor based on the climate and soil where the tobacco is grown."

Folks can enjoy a soft drink or coffee, catch a television show, peruse a periodical or tap into the worldwide web while at the shop, or simply listen to the selection of jazz from the '30s, '40s and '50s compiled by Vertigo Music, located next door.

Cigar aficionados can also rent a cigar locker where they can store their cigars in a climate-controlled environment.

Store hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Mon. - Sat.

Source: Robin Day, Grand River Cigar
Writer: Deborah Johnson Wood, Development News Editor