BIG NEWS CONCERNING THE TOBACCO MERCHANT AT BOWER PARKWAY!

Big things are happening at the Tobacco Merchant on Bower Parkway. Paul is selling the business. The sale should be finalized in 2 weeks. The new owner is making huge changes right away! The first priority is to fully stock the humidor. That's a good thing! At the same time they will be making a slight change to the humidor. The front-most corner of the humidor will come out which will slightly shorten the overal humidor. This is being done to make a little more room in the counter area. The front counter is coming out entirely and a full bar is being built. They already have a large cooler which will hold beer and wine. They will now be seving beer and wine which should really help business. What better way to keep a customer in the shop for a couple hours than to put a beer in his hand! This should greatly help the cigar sales. I have long thought this was a good idea. There is a similar set-up at Lite Um Up Cigars on Hardscrabble Road. (I was there on Saturday for a Cusano event and the place was packed!)

The above changes will take place immediately. Here are some other changes that will take place shortly thereafter:

The little glassed in room at the front, across from the humidor, is coming out. This will be an additional sitting area with new tv. The original sitting area will be reconfigured and a new tv will be installed there also. Some of the walls may have to be removed and reinstalled to make the necessary changes. The only wall that is a load bearing wall is the wall that runs down the center of the shop, adjacent to the humidor. Paul's office will be changed out to make room for a pool table. I'm not sure if walls will have to be moved to accomodate this but I imagine they will.

Those are the changes I am aware of at this point. As things change I'll pass them on to you. These changes definitely sound like good ones and I very much look forward to the new shop.

Oh, by the way, for the first year (minimum) the name will remain the same; The Tobacco Merchant. Paul will continue to own the other Tobacco Merchant in the northeast side of town, off Sparkleberry Road and Two Notch.