AS YOU step into Bogart’s Cigar Lounge, the door shuts in the face of whatever is weighing on you. The scent of rich, aged tobacco mingles with the lively hum of diverse voices engaged in captivating conversations. It’s a haven for the unconventional, the curious, and those seeking respite from the mundane. It’s where the warm embrace of camaraderie envelops you.
The air is thick with the heady aroma of fine cigars, the backdrop of stories waiting to be shared, and a gallery of lives with chapters written in tendrils of fragrant smoke. An eclectic crowd gathers, as varied as the leaves in a tobacco field, a melting pot of perspectives, generating great conversations that know no boundaries.
In a world that often feels divided, the simple act of sharing a cigar inspires discussions that open doors to understanding. So, as you settle into the plush comfort of a warm leather chair, prepare to have your preconceptions challenged, for Bogart’s Cigar Lounge is a celebration of the unexpected.
But how does a shared cigar invite conversation and relaxation? Gary Thomas, the owner, knows why it works for him.
“My dad smoked cigars. He never lit his cigar; he chewed on it. Everybody’s got that story. Everybody knows that’s what a lot of men did back in those days. They were too busy to worry about keeping it lit, so they chewed on them to get the nicotine out,” Thomas said.
Cigars could narrate Thomas’s life story. They were there when he rode the highs and lows of each new business venture. They were there when he and his wife, Peggy, retired to Tampa, Florida. And they were there when he lost his wife to COVID-19.
It was in Tampa, known as “Cigar City,” where Thomas acquired a wealth of stogey knowledge, which held more value than he realized at the time. Wanting to be closer to his adult children and grandchildren, he moved to Fayetteville following the loss of his wife.
“My son is a golfer, and we were sitting at the house one day, and he said, ‘Dad, you’ve got to do something. You’re gaining weight. You’re not exercising; you’re not doing anything,’” said Thomas, who agreed and asked for his son’s suggestions on better spending his time. The answer was to open a cigar shop.
“I said, ‘It’s a great idea.’ So that’s how Bogart’s started. And that’s how I ended up here,” said Thomas.
Named for the golden retriever who’d bring his cigars, Bogart’s name is another chapter in Thomas’s story. “Bogart would bring my cigar case and sit outside with me. Most people think we’re named after Humphrey Bogart, but he didn’t smoke cigars. He was a cigarette smoker,” he said.
Dispelling common misconceptions about the lounge, Thomas said, “It’s just a great place; it’s not a bar. There’s no bar in the building.” What is in the building sets the stage and atmosphere for story-swapping, relaxing, and making connections. Leather chairs throughout the building invite you to stay as long as you’d like. There’s a room with big screen TVs so you don’t miss that important game or network news, and darts or tabletop shuffleboard in the game room feeds your competitive spirit. When weather permits, the large patio out back is open. Every square inch of the place invites discussions and an exchange of ideas.
“We have those conversations, and nobody gets angry. It’s not a shouting, screaming match,” Thomas said. “It’s just a fun place to hang out. It’s become a destination place for a lot of people. You’re welcome to come in and stay for 10 minutes, two hours, or all day; we don’t care. That’s kind of the purpose of the place. You’ve got to experience it to really understand what I’m trying to say.”
While your first thoughts may be that Bogart’s Cigar Lounge is a “guys’ place,” Thomas sees firsthand that women enjoy the atmosphere and cigars, too. Thomas said, “We have a lot of women that come in, and they smoke cigars, believe it or not. We also have some little flavored boutique cigars for the ladies.”
In February, Bogart’s Cigar Lounge hosted live music by Piper & The Hard Times, the first-place winner in The Blues Foundation’s 2024 International Blues Challenge. Other live music events are to come.
The lounge is where the fragrance of camaraderie lingers long after the last cigar is extinguished. The world beyond may be waiting, but within Bogart’s Cigar Lounge, the stories continue to unfold, and the echoes of laughter and quiet conversation affirm the magic that happens when diverse souls come together over shared cigars and stories. GN
