Roswell, Ga. Could Get Newly Licensed Cigar Lounges

A new crop of cigar lounges could be coming to the Atlanta suburb of Roswell after the city council approved the first reading of an ordinance that would create a new definition in the city code for cigar lounges, which would allow them to apply for an on-site alcohol consumption.

In order to qualify as a cigar lounge, an establishment must be a retail establishment that derives over 51 percent of its total gross sales from handmade cigars and more than 70 percent of its total gross sales from handmade cigars and other cigar related products. They would be prohibited from selling or allowing the use of vape products, including electronic smoking devices, component parts or e-liquids; cigarettes, unrolled tobacco, hookah products or machine rolled tobacco products.

To allow for on-premises alcohol consumption, the lounge would also need to have a maximum capacity of 40 persons, must be located more than 100 yards from another cigar lounge, must have a filtration system exceeding 98 percent efficiency and must meet all the state’s requirements regarding indoor smoking. Additionally, they would need to be subject to the same operating hours as liquor stores and would need to be a minimum distance from residentially zoned areas.

The ordinance is currently slated for a second reading and vote on March 9, and if approved and signed into law, would go into effect immediately.

Roswell is home to approximately 95,000 residents and is located just over 20 miles north of downtown Atlanta.