Question:
There is a place in New Orleans that used to be both - a fine cigar store and also served soda, coffees, and other items. It was great - niceplace to spend an afternoon, read the newspaper, meet people, and just have a good time. But it was sold, the cigar variety and quality plummeted, theemployees became just sales clerks, the people quit coming, and it's a ghost town now. Think about it....Whatever happened to the lovely Lisa? That was one of my favorite shops in the entire country... And I was only there once.

Answer: the previous owner, has moved to Savanah GA and was going to open somesort of holistic health spa. I hope she's doing well, she's a very niceperson.

She sold Cafe Havana to a doctor who knew nothing about cigars and even lessabout running a cigar store. He fired the employees and hired a group ofpierced-faced tattooed lesbians to work there. It's still looks the same,but the humidor is nearly empty and the stock is moldy and dusty.

The employees are about as friendly toward men as you'd expect them to be.They've chased away the regulars an the current customers are mostlytourists. The place used to be a wonderful open airy haven in the FrenchQuarter. Now it gves me the creeps when I remember how good it once was andhow dreadful it is now. If I had tried to sabotage the place I could nothave done a better job than the current owner has.

But there are still good cigar clubs here. And smoking cigars is fine justabout everywhere. I encourage anyone coming to visit New Orleans to contactme or Patrick Ashton (www.ashtonsbb.com) and we'll show you around.