Despite the smoky aroma that instantly fills your nostrils upon stepping foot into Diamante’s Brooklyn Cigar Lounge, the atmosphere sets the mood; emotional response; sense of comfort; all culminating in the conclusion that this is more than simply a place to light a cigar. Although you most likely already know that vaping (Go to this site to find the most advanced vaporizer on the market) is the trend now, there are still people who want to buy cigars.
This is what owner David Diamante had in mind when he opened a small cigar parlour in Fort Greene, Brooklyn in 2009. “Brooklyn needed this,” explains David. “People here are very busy and they need a place to go where they can relax, hang out with friends, watch a football game… whatever, while enjoying a good cigar.”
But it is about more than simply wanting to meet David’s needs in Brooklyn. Not only is he an impressive tobacconist, he has family ties to the area dating back generations and he himself has a lifetime of memories of Brooklyn from his childhood to the present day. Oh, and he is also the voice of the Brooklyn Nets and game call for the team at the Barclays Center, only a few blocks away from his cigar room.
Sure, David Diamante was “Brooklyn” long before the Nets, and his cigar lounge opened long before the Barclays Center, but the location, decor, and atmosphere are also very intentional. “Exactly what it should be for Brooklyn,” he said. “Close to transportation (The Lafayette Ave. “C” subway station is literally steps away while Fulton St., Pacific St., and Atlantic Ave./Barclays Center are nearby and the Long Island Atlantic Railroad Terminal can even bring smokers from the eastern suburbs and Queens.), it is in Brownstone, and it is a lazy ‘L’ (the layout of the lounge itself). It’s not too big to be impersonal and not too small to be uncomfortable. That’s right. The setting and layout make it a really inviting and homely environment that’s conducive to private conversation and general socializing.
He further explained that cigar smoking differs from smoking in several ways, the first being that people smoke cigars as a hobby, not a habit. “People smoke cigars for three reasons: conversation, contemplation and celebration. This cigar lounge is the ideal place where you can do all of that.”
He was very surprised by the lounge’s appeal amongst female customers. “When I first opened, I envisioned this place to be a kind of men’s cave,” he recalls, “but more and more women were coming and it was great.” Wednesdays are now Ladies’ Night at Diamante’s and he even hosts “Cigars and Stilettos” nights which further attract local businesswomen to the lounge. “These are strong decision-making women in New York City,” she said. “They came dressed professionally complete with stiletto heels, all for networking, chatting and smoking. It’s a party atmosphere.”
While everyone seems to be welcome at Diamante’s, the lounge offers membership incentives. For an annual fee, members get their own humidified lockers on site and are notified of special offers and events all year long. The cigar lounge doesn’t serve food or drinks, but rather a BYOB atmosphere as per NYC laws. Diamante’s does have flat screen televisions and reading material, but the real focus is on cigars.
David sells a selection of the world’s finest cigars in addition to his own exclusive blends. Diamante cigars are David’s preferred tobacco blend and rolled in his own facility in the Dominican Republic, but the only place you can purchase them is in his cigar lounge in Brooklyn.
With people finding more reasons to discover Brooklyn in last few years, Diamante’s Brooklyn Cigar Lounge is also a fantastic little find. Next time you are in Brooklyn, stop by for a smoke. The lounge is located at 108 South Oxford St., Brooklyn or visit www.brooklyncigarlounge.com
