Chris B. threw out a line with a suggestion that we all get together for the first time since the Michigan smoking law took effect, and Mark and I (Jeremy) bit…

So we met up at the “Corner Cigar Bar” (that’s a link to their FaceBook page with info) on Orchard Lake Road at Pontiac Trail in West Bloomfield, around 5pm or so on Thursday the 29th. We’d never been there, so we didn’t know what to expect… But we had a pretty darned good time.

As it turns out, they really aren’t even officially open yet, per se.  Kevin, our on-the-spot server/bartender/manager was as helpful as could be, given that the accommodations are still being brought in and set up as the days progress.  They started serving customers pretty much from the day they got the plush sofas in, about a month or two ago, and they plan to have an official Grand Opening someday soon.

As far as food service goes, it appears as though they started-and-stopped a couple times on food service plans, and at the time of this writing they don’t have any food service at all.  However, nobody objected to us having a pizza ordered in from two doors down!  It was great old-school pizza….

Now we know that the new cigar laws are just stupid, crazy, and hardly-enforceable.  Even the establishment owners are having a hard time figuring out exactly what to do.  This is why I think I’m developing a new philosophy:  I’m going to start going to cigar-dedicated places, and buy a cigar for the evening ON THE SPOT, as well as the usual drinks (and food if possible).  Folks, they need your patronage to survive, and due to the new laws, that includes tobacco sales.  Then, buy their liquor.  And, *if* they are able to figure out how to serve food (or proxy it for you), ask them and buy it from/through them.  So stop by, spend some money, encourage them… 😉

So we definitely plan to be back.  In fact, we all discussed doing our August gathering there as well…

Officially in attendance:  Mark, Ron, Jeremy, Baxxx, Jason, and Marc

Here’s an article I found about the place.

Here’s a link that Mark passed along about interpretation of the new law.