The Wooden Indian Expeditions

[Smoked!]

Is That a Fact? #8 Not all Cigar Store Indians are created equal. The original European “Virginian” statues, or “Virginie Men”, were often depicted as black men adorned with feathered headdresses and wearing kilts made of tobacco leaves. Few European sculptors had ever seen a Native American. The American made Cigar Store Indians were clothed in fringed buckskins, draped with blankets, and decorated with feathered headdresses. They were sometimes shown holding a tomahawk, a spear, or a bow and arrows. Most of these "generic" statues rarely resembled members of any particular American Indian tribe. (cigarstoreindian dot com) Very few were crafted in Terra-cotta.

[Smoked!]

The Yin and Yang of Treasure Coast Cigar Shops:

Here comes a special Two-fer Thursday Edition of TWIE. I stopped by a couple shops on the Treasure Coast over the past several days. Some I liked and some I did not. Keep in mind the theme of the TWIE. These are just my personal impressions. They are sometimes based on a single visit to the shop in focus. They’re not all going to be good, but I’ll try to be respectful. Guys and Gals, I call ‘em like I see ‘em.




Shop: Tobacco Emporium – Ft. Pierce, FL

Location: Deep in the recently redeveloped heart of downtown Ft. Pierce, FL, on Orange Avenue, just east of the new courthouse.




Wooden Indian: Sort of… The Emporium has an Indian sculpture made of Terra-cotta clay that was gifted to the owner by a friend. His name is Chief Phil. Here he is:




Atmosphere: This is a very cozy store. The owner, Dede Wilson, packs a lot of variety into a compact space. You can pick out a smoke, choose a chair, and get caught up on all the local news. T.E. is the information hub on this side of town.

Service: Dede is the real deal. She is very active in community events ranging from beer tastings to theatre after-parties, which she hosts in the garden behind the shop. If there is an event or a happening downtown, Dede is in the mix. Plus, she’s really cute.

Walk-in: The humidor is a little tight, but conditions are good and selection is fair.




Cigars: You may not find every brand or the exact vitola you prefer, but you’ll find something you like. It’s not bad for a small location.

Local Attractions: There are tons of small antique shops and locally owned restaurants downtown. The shop shares a service area and small courtyard with the Sunrise Theatre. (That’s the venue where Ron “Tater Salad” White was scheduled to appear before he was detained by the Mounties in Vero Beach. Cue banjo music...) Dede’s plan is to host theatre after-parties, poker tournaments, and other events in the courtyard behind the shop during the upcoming season (Jan - May.)

Two blocks east of the shop is a city park and marina situated on the Indian River. Dock your yacht in the marina, drop the wifey off on antique row, grab a cigar from Tobacco Emporium, and head down the street to the park. You may not be allowed to light up in the park, but I doubt anyone would complain. Here are a couple photos of the park, the river, and the bridge to Hutchinson Island.







Summary: You have to get down here and say hello to Dede. Did I mention she’s really cute? I like the shop and the location. Add it to your list of places to visit when you plan to go downtown for an event.



One more photo. This is a recovered ship’s cannon found on the reef just off the coast. Historians claim the vessel was lost in a storm. I blame pirates! Arrrrgh! (couldn’t resist…)






Disclaimer and Full Disclosure:
Do not smoke too much; it is bad for you. I have the utmost respect for our Native American brothers. They never wear metallic armor. Ice cream is good. Sometimes I use Stay-Puft marshmallows in hot cocoa. I have no financial interest or ownership interest in any cigar shop, store, retailer, wholesaler, distributor, manufacturer, packager, shipper, stevedore, roller, farmer, harvester, or tobacco farm land lease holder, nor do I receive any other benefit, explicit or implied, from the inclusion of or review of any establishment herein named, referred to, or otherwise described. One guy did give me a free cigar. I watch the Big Bang Theory on CBS. We should have more old-school pirates. I think Wooden Indians are cool.

[Smoked!]

Shop: Smokin Premiums

Location: Stuart, FL – in Historic Downtown.




Wooden Indian: I think the Cigar Store Indian is the absolute best feature of this shop. He is made of resin, but the features and design all conform to the expected conventions for this type of art. He is a respectful representation of the honored Native American symbol. This one has what looks like a panther hide draped over his shoulders. It is clearly different than the Chief at Smoke Inn PSL which had an otter hide… or weasel. I have no idea what the Chief was doing in New Orleans collecting beads.







Atmosphere: Smokin Premiums is literally a Mom & Pop shop. It fits into the Old Stuart Downtown theme quite well. All the buildings and shops date back to the early 1920’s. It is in a great setting across the street from the famed Lyric Theatre (circa 1926.) There is much cigar related memorabilia and a few unusual items to see if you should choose to visit.

Service: For my money and interest, a local shop is all about service. If you choose not to differentiate yourself from other merchants and internet outlets by presenting a reasonably tolerable personality, then I probably will not be particularly interested in patronizing your establishment. I did not feel welcome. “Mom” greeted me when I arrived, but it was not a friendly, “Hello.” It was more of a formal: “What do you want?” Not good.

Walk-in: There is a small walk-in at the rear of the shop and humidified cabinets line the walls.

Merchandise: There are plenty of items for purchase ranging from cigars to cabinet humidors. Sorry, no inside photos.

Local Attractions: Downtown Stuart has undergone many renovations since the early 1920’s. It’s worth a stop if you like the “revitalized downtown theme.” One of the cool original landmarks is the Lyric Theatre which is across the street from this shop. Check out the marquis:




Summary: This shop has tremendous potential. I like Stuart.

Stuart History – Wiki.pedia
In 1832, pirate Pedro Gilbert who often used a sandbar off the coast as a lure to unsuspecting prey, chased and caught a US merchant ship named “Mexican.” Although he attempted to burn the ship and kill the crew, they survived to report the incident, ultimately resulting in the capture and subsequent execution of Gilbert and his crew. The bar from which he lured his intended booty is named "Gilbert's Bar" on nautical charts.

The Treasure Coast area that became Stuart was first settled by non-Native Americans in 1870. In 1875, a United States Lifesaving Station was established on Hutchinson Island, near Stuart. Today, the station is known as Gilbert's Bar House of Refuge and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

From 1893-1895, the area was called Potsdam. This name was chosen by Otto Stypmann, a local landowner originally from Potsdam, Germany. Stypmann, with his brother Ernest, owned the land that would become downtown Stuart. Potsdam was renamed Stuart in 1895, after the establishment of the Florida East Coast Railway, in honor of Homer Hine Stuart, Jr., another local landowner.


Disclaimer and Full Disclosure:
Do not smoke too much; it is bad for you. I have the utmost respect for our Native American brothers. They never wear metallic armor. Ice cream is good. Sometimes I use Stay-Puft marshmallows in hot cocoa. I have no financial interest or ownership interest in any cigar shop, store, retailer, wholesaler, distributor, manufacturer, packager, shipper, stevedore, roller, farmer, harvester, or tobacco farm land lease holder, nor do I receive any other benefit, explicit or implied, from the inclusion of or review of any establishment herein named, referred to, or otherwise described. One guy did give me a free cigar. I watch the Big Bang Theory on CBS. We should have more old-school pirates. The most common commodity in this country is unrealized potential. I think Wooden Indians are cool.

[Smoked!]

I'm on the road this week, so here's a look at a cool little shop just down the road from the Ft. Lauderdale Airport. It seemed appropriate. Enjoy!

Episode #11 - Stix Cigar Lounge, Dania Beach, FL

Shop: Stix Cigar Lounge

Location: Stix is in a renovated storefront situated in the middle of antique row on US 1 at Dania Beach Boulevard. It is five minutes south of Ft. Lauderdale International Airport and two blocks from the Dania Jai-Alai gaming facility. Dania Beach is one of the oldest communities in South Florida.



Wooden Indian: The owners pay homage to the tradition of the Cigar Store Indian by including a chieftain in the mural painted on the main wall near the rear parking entrance. Since they’re in the middle of the antique and art shop district, they took advantage of the local talent to create an eye-catching exhibit. It’s actually a pretty cool piece of work. Look:







Atmosphere: The shop has a laid back feel. The clientèle are mostly retired or seasonal residents. It is operated by two brothers and their partner, so it has a little family flavor. During the cool season they host events for cigar manufacturers. (There is an LFD event coming up in November ’09.) The space is divided into separate areas. You could easily host a gathering or friendly poker game in the middle room.


Service: These guys know which end of the cigar to light. They have been around the block a couple times and probably have an answer for any cigar related questions you may pose. I liked the relaxed environment.

Walk-in: You can see the humidor cabinets in the photo below. It’s a wall unit that stretches about 18 feet opposite the bar seating area. There are three double-doors that open to the reach-in display, which is both humidity and temperature controlled.





Cigars: All the usual suspects have been rounded up for your inspection. The stock appears to be in excellent condition and is ready to smoke right out of the case.

Additional offerings: You can see the humidors and some of the smaller accessories in the display below. There are more small items on display in the center room. You can see those in the background of the above lounge photo.




Additional amenities: You can see for yourself the seating area. Stix offers free Wi-Fi, T.V., and a decent cup of Java. They have not yet pursued a liquor license, but it remains a possibility for future development.




Summary: This is definitely worth a trip. If you’re a local, get down there and sign up for event notices. If you’re taking a break from gaming at the fronton down the road, or have some time to spare before a flight out of FLL, then stop in and light one up with the guys at Stix.

Disclaimer and Full Disclosure:
Do not smoke too much; it is bad for you. I have the utmost respect for our Native American brothers. They never wear metallic armor. Ice cream is good. Sometimes I use Stay-Puft marshmallows in hot cocoa. I have no financial interest or ownership interest in any cigar shop, store, retailer, wholesaler, distributor, manufacturer, packager, shipper, stevedore, roller, farmer, harvester, or tobacco farm land lease holder, nor do I receive any other benefit, explicit or implied, from the inclusion of or review of any establishment herein named, referred to, or otherwise described. One guy did give me a free cigar. I watch the Big Bang Theory on CBS. We should have more old-school pirates. The most common commodity in this country is unrealized potential. I think Wooden Indians are cool.

[Smoked!]

Is that a fact? #9 – Smoked! has been all over the map recently and has spent way too much time in local cigar shops taking photos and chatting with the natives. That’s a fact, according to my girl… There are a ton of these episodes coming. Stay tuned!

[Smoked!]

Shop: Bogies & Stogies – Port Saint Lucie, FL

Location: You can find this cigar friendly bar near the river in Fabulous Port Saint Lucie, FL, on PSL Blvd. and Westmoreland Blvd.





Wooden Indian: Uh, no. But as an interesting aside, the property is located on a stretch of the Saint Lucie River that was featured in the Amazonian boat chase scene in the James Bond movie Moonraker. Roger Moore could play the Cigar Store Indian.






Atmosphere: This is a local watering hole with a small walk-in. A group of regulars holds the place together between events. The atmosphere was very relaxed when I made my visit. Near the back of the space is a seating area and walk-in humidor. (There are only a few photos since there were customers in the bar.)

Walk-in: B&S’s humidor is about the size of a large walk-in closet. Clearly, cigars are not the focus of the establishment. They have a decent selection and it appears to be reasonably well maintained.










Summary: Bogies and Stogies Bar is in a convenient location for residents on the east side of town or for golfers on their way to the Club Med courses just down the road. They don’t have the inventory for retail trade since their focus is on the bar and related events, but you’ll find something smokeable.

Disclaimer and Full Disclosure:
Do not smoke too much; it is bad for you. I have the utmost respect for our Native American brothers. They never wear metallic armor. Ice cream is good. Sometimes I use Stay-Puft marshmallows in hot cocoa. I have no financial interest or ownership interest in any cigar shop, store, retailer, wholesaler, distributor, manufacturer, packager, shipper, stevedore, roller, farmer, harvester, or tobacco farm land lease holder, nor do I receive any other benefit, explicit or implied, from the inclusion of or review of any establishment herein named, referred to, or otherwise described. One guy did give me a free cigar. I watch the Big Bang Theory on CBS. We should have more old-school pirates… Arrrrgh. The most common commodity in this country is unrealized potential. I think Wooden Indians are cool.

[Smoked!]

Shop: 19th Hole Cigar Club – Port Saint Lucie, FL

Location: The 19th Hole Cigar Club is located at the intersection of Westmoreland and Morningside in the plaza on the southeast corner. Look for the 19th Hole Cigar Club flag. It is close to the river and about a mile from the previous episode location. This is a very new store and is still in the process of stocking up and getting established.




Wooden Indian: Nope. No sign of any Indians, wooden or otherwise. I wonder what the arch-villain in Moonraker would look like as a cigar store Indian. Hmmmm….



…. Not so good, as it turns out. Sorry, Mr. Richard Kiel (aka, “Jaws”, the famed James Bond film henchman from Moonraker.) I’m so very, very sorry.

Atmosphere: Steve Powell is the owner and founder of the 19th Hole Cigar Club. He literally built the shop and the humidor. You can see his handiwork in the photos below. My impression is that his plans to retire to Florida did not initially include owning a cigar store. Mostly, he likes to fish. He also likes to share good fish tales with his friends while smoking one of his favorite cigars. Ask him to tell you about the riff-raff society. I hear there are some expert cougar hunters in their number…

Lounge: You can see the layout in the photos. There are seating areas in front and toward the rear of the store. This place has great potential for a club meeting place or for private poker games (just for fun, though). It has a very large parking lot that could be used for outdoor events and activities. There is always a wicked-good pot of coffee waiting for you at the club. You can also hang out and watch fishing shows on Versus all day with Steve.




Walk-in: This is a very large walk-in, lined with cedar panels and fully humidified. I smoked an R&J HR with the owner right off the shelf. It may have been a little over-humidified, but it was very good. There’s a decent selection on hand, but it is not yet fully stocked. If you don’t see what you need, it can be obtained on short order.









Additional offerings: Steve, being a pillar of the community and Grand Pubah of the Riff-Raff Society, has many community connections. One of his associates is a highly skilled woodworking craftsperson. She’s also an Army Veteran and a motorcycle enthusiast. I think her desktop humidors may be the best value for the dollar I have yet seen. They are all custom hand-crafted from solid wood with Spanish cedar lining. This is no veneer job, either. The box exterior is 3/8” solid wood with an equally thick Spanish cedar interior wall. Take a close look at the photos below and look at the dimensions, hardware, and seal. These things will last forever. He told me she will custom build any size box to your specs. If you’re in the market for a display quality humidor, be sure to compare these to your other options. Check out the finished work:



This giant one is ~155.




Summary: I like this location. Steve’s personality makes the place work. I highly recommend it to locals and to those headed out to the golf course just down the block. This could develop into a great local spot. Stop in an pick up a couple smokes.

ETA = The 19th Hole Club is no longer in business. I wish Steve the best of luck in his future endeavors.



Disclaimer and Full Disclosure:
Do not smoke too much; it is bad for you. I have the utmost respect for our Native American brothers. They never wear metallic armor. Ice cream is good. Sometimes I use Stay-Puft marshmallows in hot cocoa. I have no financial interest or ownership interest in any cigar shop, store, retailer, wholesaler, distributor, manufacturer, packager, shipper, stevedore, roller, farmer, harvester, or tobacco farm land lease holder, nor do I receive any other benefit, explicit or implied, from the inclusion of or review of any establishment herein named, referred to, or otherwise described. One guy did give me a free cigar. I watch the Big Bang Theory on CBS. We should have more old-school pirates… Arrrrgh. The most common commodity in this country is unrealized potential. I think Wooden Indians are cool.