• Submitted by: manso
• Business and Economy
• 11 / 27 / 2010

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Havana Cigars - a smoker's haven. Published: Wednesday, November 24, 2010, 2:56 PM. Mark D. Stein. Havana Cigars in Great Kills offers its customers a place to enjoy a cigar and watch a sporting event. Anyone interested can become a member, giving them 10 percent off all items, as well as a personal locker for keeping their cigars fresh. (Staten Island Advance/Mark Stein)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - GREAT KILLS - A cigar in hand and football on television will likely force patrons of Havana Cigars, a new lounge in Great Kills, to allow everything else on their "to do" list to go up in smoke.

A customer gets sucked in immediately. Upon entering, those who savor their stogies are greeted by a spacious humidor on the left and a series of 60 oak lockers on the right.

Straight ahead, beyond the cashier's counter and two display cases filled with smoking accessories and humidors for the home, are five cozy brown couches and matching cherrywood tables. The ambiance almost demands that a customer take a
seat.

Five 50-inch flat-screen televisions are mounted above the seating area to cater to individual patrons' viewing pleasures.

"It looks more like a private club," said owner Matthew Maldonado, who runs the shop with Nicole Corso.

Havana Cigars opened in September. It packs a generous assortment of fresh cigars, ranging in price from $3 to $25 each. The shop also sells pipes and tobacco.

Hookah smoking is offered on site and can be savored in multiple flavors, including peppermint, graham cracker and rose.

Humidors can be had for as little as $50 or as much as $600."We have a pretty nice collection right now," the owner said, referring to his inventory.

Havana Cigars has a complex ventilation system that removes smoke from the premises while pumping in fresh air, he added.

"It's a nice atmosphere. A great place to hang out instead of going to the club," Maldonado said. "I don't think there's anything on the Island like this."

Membership is $500 each year per person, but it has its privileges. Members each have a humidor locker for cigars and they get 10 percent off items in the shop. In addition, the lounge hosts private parties.

About a quarter of the lockers are already occupied, said Maldonado.

"It's a prestigious thing. There's a lot of men's clubs that have this," he said.

Havana Cigars, located at 3937 Amboy Rd., is open daily at noon until 10 p.m. or later. For information, call 718-967-0001 or e-mail the shop at havanacigarlounge@....

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