By Alex Robinson
Sir Gar NYC is not your grandfather’s cigar store.
Decked out with 10 big screen TVs, a plethora of comfy chairs and nonstop music, the new lounge, at 42-31 162nd St., seeks to cater to a younger generation of cigar lovers, said Stephen Pinto, who owns the new Flushing spot with his daughter Kristen.
“The idea is to make a place that’s comfortable,” Pinto said. “I like to call it the ultimate man cave. It’s like a fancy living room.”
Unlike many other cigar lounges, which try to play up a Cuban or Caribbean theme, Pinto said he tried to give his more of an industrial look.
The lounge has room for around 35 people to sit and enjoy cigars and encourages smokers to bring their own booze, too.
Customers can take advantage of a private room at the back of the lounge that has its own TV and chairs. Behind that is an outdoor deck with a projector for outside gatherings in the summer.
Humidor lockers are also offered for customers who want to leave their cigars at the lounge.
Pinto, who has been smoking cigars since he was a child, said he was drawn to the idea of starting his own cigar lounge as a number of the ones he has been to just are not comfortable.
The family-run operation boasts a state-of-the-art ventilation system that sucks up smoke so that customers don’t have to walk into a hazy fog when they enter the store.
“We want women coming in smelling like perfume and leaving smelling like perfume,” Pinto said.
The cigar aficionado, who also owns a used car dealership in Pennsylvania, said he was attracted to the Flushing location as it is easily accessible by public transportation and is a good midway point between Long Island and the rest of the city.
The lounge has 11 humidors and a stock of more than 10,000 cigars from Miami, the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. Pinto said he plans to eventually introduce his own house blended cigars.
Sir Gar NYC is also going to offer e-cigarettes, vapor cigars and a long list of accessories.
The lounge has a chef on staff, hosts events, holiday parties and also offers brunch on Sundays.
The Pintos, who run the lounge with help of general manager Anthony Gigante, had their soft opening a few weeks ago and said they already feel like they’ve built a small community.
“We’ve made so many new friends here already,” Kristen said.
The lounge held its grand opening last weekend.
Reach reporter Alex Robinson by e-mail at arobinson@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4566.
