Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur or an experienced owner looking for new ideas, learning from other successful businesses can be a game-changer.
That’s why we’re using this blog to spotlight Tobacco Town, a thriving tobacco shop and cigar lounge located in Trenton, Michigan.
Corey Grant, Tobacco Town’s owner, purchased the business in 2020. He was entirely new to retail — but he’s been able to create a unique customer experience, curate the perfect selection of fine cigars and pipe tobacco, and set up processes to stay organized and profitable.
Let’s look at three ways that Corey and his general manager, Ed Caster, have turned Tobacco Town into their neighborhood’s go-to cigar lounge.
“What makes us unique is the culture we create,” Corey said when we asked him what’s special about his business. His goal is to create a space where customers can enjoy a fine cigar or pipe with their friends.
To create Tobacco Town’s clubhouse atmosphere, he invested in two entertainment options: a pool table and a golf simulator.
These activities set his lounge apart from others in the area — and they also encourage customers to stay longer and spend more during each visit.
Offering entertainment options can set your business apart from other lounges and bars in the area, increase the amount of time and money customers spend during each visit, and make your lounge the perfect venue for bachelor parties and other celebrations.
Don’t have the space for a pool table or cash for a golf simulator? Don’t worry. Here are a few more ideas to inspire you:
Make sure to advertise your lounge’s entertainment options on your Google Business Profile and on social media! Include high-quality photos of your space, making sure to highlight these unique elements.
Tobacco Town specializes in fine cigars and pipe tobacco, which means that their humidors are home to thousands of product SKUs. At first, this included individual cigars and full boxes of the same brand, making things even more confusing.
Corey quickly realized that manually counting cigars and maintaining careful paper records would be a nightmare, so he decided to invest in a point of sale (POS) system with built-in inventory management tools.
This lets him track inventory by the carton and pack, see his stock levels in real time, and save time through automated purchase order creation. Cigars POS, his POS system, even lets him print custom barcode labels for individual cigars — allowing him to receive new inventory, label it, and display it on the sales floor within minutes.
Old-school inventory management methods are slow and error-prone. If you still manually count inventory or rely on a cluttered spreadsheet, it’s time to make the switch.
Look for a modern, tobacco shop-specific POS solution that includes these powerful inventory management features:
These features save you hours per week and make it easier to keep your customers’ favorite smokes in stock.
Related Read: 5 Best Tobacco POS Solutions [Updated for 2025]
Corey understands that Tobacco Town’s success depends on his customers’ loyalty.
He uses a loyalty program to reward them every time they stop by his lounge and make a purchase. They can even enter their phone number at the checkout counter’s customer-facing screen, making it easier for them to see their rewards points growing.
Since Tobacco Town’s loyalty program is managed through their POS system, they also collect customers’ contact information effortlessly. This lets them use email and SMS marketing to stay in touch, letting their community know about upcoming events and limited-time discounts.
Marketing is critical for cigar lounge success, but with so many other responsibilities on your plate, it can fall through the cracks.
That’s why we recommend using a POS system with integrated marketing features. Cigars POS includes a built-in customer loyalty program, integrated email and SMS messaging, and flexible promotions like kit-building and mix and match deals.
These features boost customer satisfaction and increase retention — all without the hassle of setting up complicated marketing campaigns.
Bonus Resource: The Complete Guide to Cigar Lounge Marketing
Wherever you are in your small business journey, we hope you feel inspired by Tobacco Town’s success story.
You’ve got some new ideas — now all you need is the right tools to bring them to life. Cigars POS, our all-in-one solution specifically designed for cigar lounges and smoke shops, includes everything you need to manage inventory, market your business, monitor your financial health, and even prevent underage tobacco sales.
Plus, our team of tobacco industry experts is available 24/7 to help you solve problems and achieve your goals.
See why Tobacco Town trusts us with their business by scheduling your live, personalized demo today.