The following interview is with Megan Gordon at Buffalo Cigars, a new enterprise that is opening in Downtown Buffalo at 500 Main Street:
Did this business start off as a cigar club?
Buffalo Cigars’ core business is as a cigar retailer, with locations in Orchard Park, Amherst, and at 500 Main Street Downtown. Each store includes a lounge area for patrons to relax while enjoying their cigars. In early 2018, the 2nd floor of the Amherst store was renovated into a full service bar and lounge, and the Buffalo Cigar Club (BCC), a private members-only cigar club, was born. After only 8 months in operation, BCC currently has more than 700 members. The new downtown location will feature a public cigar lounge in the back of the store, available to anyone who makes a purchase. This new lounge will feature big screen TVs, plush leather furniture, and free refreshments for guests, making it the perfect place for a relaxing lunch break or a spot to hang out and watch the game.
Who are the owner/s?
Glen Smith and Paul Eusanio
How long has it been around?
Our flagship location in Orchard Park opened April 2016. Transit Road location & upstairs Buffalo Cigar Club opened January 2018. Downtown location is anticipated to open in February 2019.
What does the cigar scene look like around Buffalo? And the nation? Who is smoking cigars? What’s the trend?
Despite many challenges set forth by the FDA and outdated social stigmas, cigars continue to gain in popularity and are becoming a highly sought after luxury item. A recent trend that we see personally is the popularity of cigar bars for weddings and other events. We offer a full-time cigar roller who can be hired to hand-roll cigars, and this is a really popular option especially among women. We’ve set up cigar stations all over Buffalo, from Hotel Lafayette to the Buffalo Club to Resurgence Brewing Co and everywhere in between.
What sort of cigars are hot these days?
Every year there is a trade show called IPCPR where tobacco products and accessories are showcased. Our store owners, Glen and Paul, attend every year to find the latest trends and hot products in the industry. This year has had some really interesting stuff and we’re excited to feature many of these products. General Cigars released the Cohiba Spectre, a $100 cigar made with 8 different types of tobacco from 5 different countries. Another hot manufacturer is AJ Fernandez, creator of popular cigars like the new Bellas Artes Maduro. He’s collaborated with other companies to create highly sought after cigars such as the Monte by Montecristo, H. Upmann Nicaragua, and Punch Diablo to name a few. We are thrilled to carry all of these brands and more!
What other products will you carry?
The new location will carry a similar selection to our other two stores… cigars, humidors, pipes, pipe tobacco, cutters, lighters and other accessories.
Will you be hosting events at the shop? If so, what sort of events?
We will host exclusive Meet & Greet events with people from the cigar industry and other special guests. These events are typically free to attend and allow guests a unique opportunity to learn more about a brand while enjoying special discounts. Notable guests that we’ve hosted at our stores include Rocky Patel, Sean Williams of Cohiba, Max Bichler of Rocky Patel, Alec Rubin of Alec Bradley, Jose Blanco of Blanco Cigars, Gaby Kafie of Kafie 1901 Cigars, and many others.
Anything else?
We are so excited to be part of Downtown Buffalo! This is a really exciting opportunity for us and we can’t wait to get going. We hope that this location will be a relaxing destination for the many business men and women in the area.
Buffalo Cigars | Coming soon to 500 Main Street | Facebook
Photo credits: Box-A-Product