Editorial
Front Page - Friday, December 3, 2010
Burns Tobacconist works to be a bright spot in a dim economy
David Laprad
A Burns Tobacconist customer lights his cigar with a torch. Burns offers over 1,000 varieties of cigars, many of which are hard to acquire, as well as a selection of smoking accessories.
- David Laprad
One man asks another, “How many cigars do you smoke a day?”
“One,” the second man replies.
“Bull.”
“After another!”
The two men laugh and take deep drags from their cigars. As they exhale, big puffs of white smoke drift toward the ceiling and fill the cigar shop with a rich, mellow aroma. The gentlemen ease back in barbershop chairs and turn their attention toward ESPN, occasionally offering their opinion on pro sports but steering clear of conversation about work or family.
Matt Allen, manager of Burns Tobacconist, says the idea is to relax and have fun.
“Our customers leave their baggage at the door. We’re all busy. We all have jobs, wives and kids. We all go, go, go all day, and then get up the next morning to do it again. This place makes you stop for 30 minutes and rest.”
From blue-collar workers to the well heeled, everybody needs a break from the stress of everyday life, Allen says. When former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani stopped by while in Chattanooga to give a speech at the recently held Zig Ziglar motivational seminar, one patron tried to bring up politics. The others quickly shut him down.
“Rudy is a down-to-earth guy. He just wanted to hang out and enjoy a cigar,” Allen says.
During his visit, Giuliani told Allen he considers Burns Tobacconist one of the best cigar stores he’d ever visited. It’s easy to understand why. Located in the Chattanooga Billiard Club Banquet and Conference Center, Burns offers over 1,000 brands of cigars, many of which are hard to find. From Ashton, to La Gloria Cubana, to Romeo y Julieta Vintage, the shop has a reputation for carrying the best hand rolled smokes in the world. Burns even has the distinction of being one of only 100 White Label Davidoff suppliers in the U.S.
“We pride ourselves in being a boutique tobacconist, which means the cigars we carry aren’t mass produced. The people who make them take their time making their product, so they’re superior in every way. Some of them are very difficult to get your hands on,” Allen says.
Burns takes care of its product, too, Allen says, storing its inventory of over 100,000 sticks in two walk-in humidors, which keep the humidity where it needs to be to keep the cigars fresh.
The store also offers a full line of accessories, Allen says in reference to Burns’ selection of cutters, torches and portable humidors.
“If you want to get into cigar smoking like you would golf, we have the equipment,” he says.
A person doesn’t need to be a wealthy politician to enjoy a good smoke, either, Allen says. Rather, cigar smoking crosses all boundaries. Customers at Burns range from white collar businessmen to blue collar cops, and men in their twenties to retirees. Women also shop at Burns. A poster of a magazine cover of Claudia Schiffer holding a cigar lets the store’s male customers know ladies can partake as well.
“Cigars aren’t just for men. We have several women who come in on Friday and Saturday nights. They like to get together with the men, have a good time and be themselves,” Allen says.
While people from all walks of life smoke cigars, the industry is considered a niche business. It’s also a luxury, since no one has to smoke. As a result, the economic crunch has hit many cigar shops hard. Allen says friends of his in Atlanta and Florida have shut down, and some of his customers have quit smoking.
“We’ve had business owners who were buying like crazy one day, and the next day, they had to stop,” Allen says.
Despite these challenges, Burns this year is up 20 percent over 2009. Allen attributes the boon to good customer relations.
“More than anything else, we’re a family. The cigar is a bonus. A big part of our success is the regulars we’ve gotten to know. They’re good people. This is the worst time economically I’ve seen, but we’ve taken care of each other,” he says.
Allen says many of his
customers have cut back on smoking, but are still indulg-
ing occasionally.
“Take it one day at a time and reward yourself when you can. These days, if you still have a job and a family at the end of the week, you have something to celebrate.”
Burns opened its doors in the mid ’90s after owner Phillip Windham had his first cigar and fell in love. Today, it’s thriving when similar establishments are going up in smoke, due in no small part to the hard work and passion of its staff. Customers can rest assured Burns will be around for many years to come, offering them one incredible cigar.
After another.
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