Defiance: TN Cigars

Silo Cigars Celebrates First Anniversary in Farragut, TN Oct. 15
FARRAGUT, Tennessee October 2, 2009 – Silo Cigars of 10947 Kingston Pike in Farragut, Tennessee will celebrate its first anniversary from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm on October 15 with a free, multi-faceted event featuring a visit from the legendary premium cigar maker Don ‘Pepin’ Garcia.
Garcia, a master tobacco blender born in Cuba, heads El Rey de los Habanos, Inc. based in Miami. Also known as Don Pepin Cigars, his firm is a major player in the ‘boutique’ brand arena.? All of the cigars made at his factories are of the Cuban style and are finished with a triple cap. In addition, every box is marked with the date of manufacture, a practice which is beginning to gain favor outside of Cuba, where it has always been done.
Garcia will be accompanied by Ren?, the master roller who taught Garcia to roll cigars. Ren? will be rolling cigars for celebration attendees.
Silo’s partners Paul Warner and Kevin Phillips also plan to have a small-batch bourbon tasting featuring Jim Beam Small Batch, Bakers, Booker’s, Rye 1 and Basil Harden bourbons. The small batch bourbons are being provided by Farragut Wine & Spirits of Kingston Pike while food for all will be provided by Oskie’s of W. End Ave., both in Farragut.
While Warner and Phillips will be offering discounts on all store goods, the Pepin cigar specials include buy three and get one free banded Pepin cigar. For the box buyer, Warner is offering a major box discount and a five-pack sampler of Robustos plus a freshly rolled cigar from Ren?, all of which is about a $70 value on free goods to Silo customers.
Throughout the event, raffles will be held for Pepin ashtrays, t-shirts, a Savoy humidor and more.
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Contact:
Kevin Phillips or Paul Warner
865/675-SILO (7456)
cigarsales@silocigars.com
www.silocigars.com
or
Tony Tortorici
678/493-0313
tony@tortoricipr.com

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Local restaurant to fight smoking ban for cigar room??

October 1, 2007
By: Yvette Martinez

A new era begins Monday in Tennessee. Smoking is now banned from most public places.
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The “Non-Smoker Protection Act” makes it illegal to light up in work places and restaurants.

Whan Gary Kalogeros built Peerless Restaurant on Parkside Drive, he wanted to build with a smoking ban in mind.

“We had heard other states had a smoking ban, and so what we decided to do was plan for it in the near future,” Kalogeros said.

With a ban looming, Kalogeros built a special place for cigar smokers to relaxe and enjoy dinner. The cigar room became an expensive investment.

“It’s a little more upscale,” Kalogeros said. “A steak and a cigar is a celebration thing, so that goes hand and hand with what we do.”

He wanted to make sure it would be a room that met state standards, sealing it off from the rest of the restaurant and his bar area.

“First of all, it’s a room with a dedicated ceiling, a dedicated HVAC system–which is air conditioning and heating and is specially engineered,” Kalogeros said. “It’s not intermingled with any of the bar pieces.”

The dining room has always been non-smoking, but almost a month ago, Kalgeros banned smoking from the bar.

The health department says that is not enough, and the cigar room will have to go too.

“Even if it is in an enclosed room that the smoke is evacuated somewhere else on a separate system, it still can not be allowed,” said Ronnie Nease. Nease is the Director of Environmental Health with the Knox County Health Department.

“I disagree with that,” Kalogeros said. “We planned for that. It’s been engineered architecturally. The state’s got a seal on it, so, I think they’re in for a little battle.”

Nease said health department inspectors will not start handing out fines immediately. They want to spend the first few months of the ban educating businesses on the new law.

“I think that it will take a while before everyone understands what the law says, and we’re here to help folks,” Nease said.

“Hopefully they’ll be a little more informed of what we have here which is special,” Kalogeros said.

The Health Department says another violation they’re seeing at most businesses is signs. The department said no smoking signs should already be posted on front doors of businesses throughout the state. The law also has a strict guideline on what those signs can be.