Habanos S.A. is rolling out a pair of new retail concepts, with two of the first appearing in Italy in recent weeks.

The Habanos Lounge and Habanos Terrace projects are part of a new project that Habanos S.A. has introduced to all of its distributors worldwide, with the purpose to identify and promote high quality cigar smoking areas and stores that aren’t La Casa del Habano locations, yet merit a certain level of distinction due to their level of service and the offering of spirits and beverages for pairing. The Habanos Lounge distinction is reserved for indoor locations, while the Habanos Terrace designation is for outdoor locations.

The first Habanos Lounge was launched in May at Sisimbro, a historic tobacconist in the city center of Naples, Italy. The store has been a Habanos Specialist since 2001, and holds the title of the oldest walk-in humidor in Italy, according to Gonzalo Villalba Sánchez, vice president of Diadema S.p.A.

Sisimbro, which is run by Anita Sisimbro and her family, has been called “the reference for high level tobaccos” in the city by Sánchez. The store has two floors; the ground floor holds the main part of the shop, including some cigars and an assortment of luxury accessories. The lower floor is where one finds the larger walk-in humidor as well as the new Habanos Lounge, where patrons are able to enjoy their cigar with a selection of drinks.

A second Habanos Lounge was recently opened at Paris Alessandro, a Habanos Specialist location in Osio Sotto, Italy, approximately 25 miles northeast of Milan in the northern part of the country. This new Habanos Lounge was opened on June 16.

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Habanos S.A. has not yet released a formal statement about the new projects, with a representative saying an announcement is anticipated by the end of June.

Images courtesy of Diadema S.p.A.

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Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.