"We wanted to honor the history. All of it."
-- Steven Shlemon
Shlemon is membership coordinator for Grand Cathedral Cigars, a cigar shop and lounge built inside the 115-year-old renovated historic First Congregational Church building. It opened in January.
Located at 2201 N. Florida Ave. in Tampa Heights, the first floor boasts a full bar, outdoor patio, walk-in humidor, gift shop and lounge area. It’s open to the public Sundays through Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
The second through fourth floors include a sports bar, private cigar lockers, conference rooms and a private party room in the bell tower. Those are open 24 hours a day for members only.
The Fuente company, founded and headquartered in Tampa, are the most obvious local historic tobacco family with a presence at Grand Cathedral Cigars, but they are not the only one.
Read more at the Tampa Bay Times.