If you have ever been to Culebra Cigar Co. near Ontario Mills, the man with the vision behind that great place (one of the best cigar smoking environments in the area until they stopped fixing their a/c in my opinion) is the same man behind Hemingway, and he's brought his seasoned knowledge and natural talent for hospitality, as well as a great staff to Arcadia where many great and manly conversations will be held in comfy chairs while puffing good tobacco.
The Nitty-Gritty:
-CIGARS: They have a decent selection in the newly expanded humidor, a number of boutique blends as well as some old faithfuls. You will likely find something you haven't seen elsewhere in this humidor, as well as a comfortable go-to.
-CHAIRS: Yes, you can smoke inside. There are 21 seats, and they are not all in one giant circle like some kind of awkward smoke-filled AA meeting. They are in various groups around the room, making this a great place to puff a cigar while writing your great American novel in the back corner, or with a few friends to chat about sports ball or something.
-AIR: Air conditioning is great and they have to powerful smoke eaters in the ceiling that keep the environment from turning into a gray haze.
-BATHROOM: There is a bathroom, and it is clean
-PARKING: There is ample parking in the back, a huge free parking lot.
-PRICES: Prices are fairly typical of California, but they have a membership service that drastically reduces the prices and is well worth it if you are planning on becoming a regular (you should).
-EVENTS: you should follow them on social media and sign up for emails because Matt and the crew threw one awesome grand opening at this place and you won't want to miss what future events Hemingway has in store.
-STAFF: This is kind of rare for cigar shops, but the staff is not one awkward dude who looks like he wishes you would just leave. It's a mixture of friendly and charismatic men and women (that's right actual women in a cigar shop with sparkling smiles and great customer services skills). I would say the staff is one of the standout features of Hemingway, which is saying a lot because this shop has a lot going for it. It's such a common issue in cigar shops for whoever is behind the counter to just be naturally horrible at customer service.
TV: There is one TV which is generally only used for special events, key sports events, etc. The place is not dominated by TV or loud music, which I appreciate. You can concentrate on your work or your conversation.
DRINKS: They have soda, sparkling water, energy drinks, as well as coffee. You can BYO if you want the other stuff.
LOCAL FOOD ETC.: There are a lot of great little shops along the same road and around the corner. I recommend Matt Denny's to eat, an excellent classic restaurant with a massive menu and a moose up on the wall.
In summation, if you are on Google searching that perfect cigar shop in the area to escape to or stop by while on a trip, dude, you found the one. You will forever remember this moment--the moment after you found Hemingway Cigar, your new home to where you discovered a brand of cigar that became your new favorite, where you gather with the brothers of the leaf, and escape the craziness of every day life. read more