Southern Smoke Cigar Company

What Southern Smoke Cigar Company does

Southern Smoke Cigar Company, founded in 2020 and headquartered in Shreveport, Louisiana, operates a network of premium cigar lounges within casino and resort properties across Louisiana and Mississippi. The company's core offering combines curated humidor selections (featuring ultra-premium Gurkha blends), aged bourbon and Scotch pairings, and refined lounge environments with mahogany, leather, and fireplace amenities. Its portfolio comprises the flagship Southern Smoke Cigar Lounge in Shreveport, licensed Club Macanudo and Gurkha-branded lounges at Margaritaville Resort Casino Bossier City, L'Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles, and Hollywood Casino Gulf Coast, plus partner establishments M.A.'s Cigar Company and Havana Sports & Cigar Bar.

The company's business model centers on one-time retail sales of premium cigars and beverages, supplemented by a Toast Tab-based loyalty program at its flagship location and event-driven revenue from the annual Bayou Cigar Fest. Distribution is anchored in physical retail through company-owned and licensed-branded lounges inside high-traffic casino properties, with go-to-market powered by a strategic partnership with Penn Entertainment that positions the company for nationwide casino/resort venue expansion. Marketing relies on email newsletter sign-ups, organic social media, event programming, and cross-promotion through Penn Entertainment's casino marketing channels.

The target customer is the premium cigar aficionado — a high-income consumer seeking ultra-premium, limited-edition cigar experiences and sophisticated social environments for cigar consumption paired with quality spirits — alongside casino and resort guests at Penn Entertainment properties seeking upscale entertainment and smoking amenities. Strategic moats are primarily distribution-based (access to premier casino real estate via Penn Entertainment) and brand-based (licensed operation of world-renowned Club Macanudo and Gurkha concepts).

Name

Southern Smoke Cigar Company

Legal name

Southern Smoke Cigar Company

Website

https://sscigarco.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Southern Smoke Cigar Company is a Louisiana-based operator of premium cigar lounges inside casino and resort venues, offering curated Gurkha cigars, spirits pairings, and a loyalty program to high-income cigar enthusiasts and casino guests, with national expansion via a Penn Entertainment partnership.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cigar Lounge and Tobacco Retail

NAICS

Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224), Tobacco, Electronic Cigarette, and Other Smoking Supplies Retailers (459991)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Cigar Bars & Lounges (CRANACAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cigar & Premium Tobacco Retail (CRANADAB)

Keywords

• Premium cigar retail
• Cigar lounge hospitality
• Spirits pairings
• Tobacco retail
• Casino lounge operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Shreveport

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Cigar Lounge Retail Sales: Revenue generated from walk-in customers purchasing premium cigars in the company's lounges. Lounges feature curated humidors with premium selections including Gurkha ultra-premium blends.
2. Beverage Sales: Lounges offer aged bourbon, bold Scotch, and an extensive spirits selection for pairing with cigars, generating additional revenue per customer.
3. Loyalty Program: Toast Tab-based loyalty program where customers earn points, with sign-up incentives such as 50 bonus points.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Southern Smoke Cigar Company operates upscale cigar lounges within casino and resort properties, selling premium and ultra-premium cigars from curated humidors and offering aged bourbon, Scotch, and other spirits for pairing. The company runs its flagship lounge in Shreveport and licensed sub-brand lounges (Club Macanudo, Gurkha) inside Penn Entertainment and partner casino venues.

Product overview

Southern Smoke Cigar Company is a hospitality and lifestyle brand operating a network of premium cigar lounges and tobacco retail establishments. The company operates as a unified portfolio consisting of flagship locations (Southern Smoke Cigar Lounge in Shreveport) and sub-brand lounges (Club Macanudo at Margaritaville Resort Casino, Gurkha Lounges at L'Auberge and Hollywood Casino Gulf Coast). The company also maintains partnerships with established tobacco retailers (M.A.'s Cigar Company and Havana Sports & Cigar Bar). The brand centers on providing upscale cigar smoking experiences in casino and resort venues, with services including curated humidors, premium spirits pairings, loyalty programs, and special events such as the annual Bayou Cigar Festival. Through a strategic partnership with Penn Entertainment, the company is expanding into elite casino and resort venues nationwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Southern Smoke Cigar Lounge (Shreveport) The flagship cigar lounge in Shreveport, Louisiana, offering a curated humidor of premium cigars, premium spirits pairings, and a Toast Tab-based loyalty program in a refined Southern-themed setting. Targeted at adult cigar enthusiasts in the Shreveport area.
• Club Macanudo at Margaritaville Resort Casino Bossier City A premium cigar lounge located on the second floor of the Margaritaville Resort Casino in Bossier City, LA, operated under license from Club Macanudo. Serves as home of the annual Bayou Cigar Fest and caters to casino guests and cigar enthusiasts.
• Gurkha Cigar Lounge at L'Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles An upscale cigar lounge situated in the High Limit Salon at L'Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles, offering Gurkha ultra-premium cigars, aged bourbon, and Scotch selections in an elegant mahogany and leather setting with fireplace.
• Gurkha Cigar Lounge at Hollywood Casino Gulf Coast A cigar lounge located on the second floor of Hollywood Casino Gulf Coast in Mississippi, offering Gurkha and other premium cigar selections to casino guests.

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Penn EntertainmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership with Penn Entertainment enables Southern Smoke Cigar Company to expand into elite casino and resort venues nationwide. This alliance brings the company's signature blend of Southern charm and upscale sophistication to new markets through Penn's portfolio of gaming properties.
• Gurkha CigarscoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensing partnership to operate Gurkha Cigar Lounges at L'Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles and Hollywood Casino Gulf Coast. Gurkha is an ultra-premium cigar brand with heritage dating back to the 1800s, once smoked by nobility and world leaders, featuring rare, limited-edition blends in gold-leaf packaging.
• L'Auberge Casino Resort Lake CharlesflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHost venue for the Gurkha Cigar Lounge located in the High Limit Salon. The venue provides the physical location while Southern Smoke operates the lounge with mahogany, leather seating, and curated humidor.
• Margaritaville Resort Casino Bossier CityflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHost venue for Club Macanudo, the second U.S. outpost of this world-renowned cigar lounge brand. Located on the second floor of the resort casino, this lounge hosts the annual Bayou Cigar Fest.
• Club MacanudocoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensed operation of Club Macanudo cigar lounge at Margaritaville Resort Casino Bossier City, the second U.S. outlet of this world-renowned brand.
• M.A.'s Cigar CompanyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorListed partner retailer, described as Louisiana's oldest tobacco retailer.
• Havana Sports & Cigar BarminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorListed partner establishment featuring pool, drinks, and cigars.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Club Macanudo: The flagship New York cigar lounge brand that Southern Smoke licenses for its Bossier City location. Operates in the same premium cigar lounge + spirits pairing category and is the originator of the concept Southern Smoke is replicating.
• Casa de Montecristo: Operates a multi-state chain of upscale cigar lounges with curated humidors and on-premise spirits service. Directly comparable to Southern Smoke's premium lounge + retail format and brand-licensing-driven growth approach.
• Cigar Row Lounge: Regional cigar bar and retailer with membership and event programming. Comparable to Southern Smoke as a boutique cigar lounge operator with social/event components.
• Davidoff of Geneva: Global ultra-premium cigar brand with a network of branded lounges and retail shops featuring curated humidors and cigar/spirits hospitality — directly comparable to Southern Smoke's Gurkha-branded venues and upscale positioning.
• Tobacco Road: Premium cigar bar and retailer combining walk-in humidor sales with on-premise smoking hospitality and spirits. Closely matches Southern Smoke's flagship retail + lounge hybrid model.
• Stogies World Class Cigars: Multi-location premium cigar retailer and lounge operator with a walk-in humidor model and on-site smoking hospitality. Closely comparable to Southern Smoke's flagship Shreveport format and cigar/spirits pairing monetization.

Broad incumbents

• Famous Smoke Shop: Large multi-channel cigar retailer with retail lounges, e-commerce, and subscription services. Comparable as an established cigar retail incumbent operating at greater scale than Southern Smoke's regional footprint.
• Cigars International: One of the largest U.S. cigar and accessories retailers with both e-commerce and brick-and-mortar lounges. Comparable as a broad incumbent serving the same premium cigar consumer with overlapping retail and lounge offerings.

Others

• Penn Entertainment: Major U.S. casino and resort operator that is the core strategic partner enabling Southern Smoke's nationwide venue expansion. Comparable as the host-venue ecosystem and distribution channel that defines Southern Smoke's growth model.
• Gurkha Cigars: Ultra-premium cigar manufacturer that licenses the Gurkha Lounge concept to Southern Smoke. Directly comparable not as a competitor but as an enabling partner whose brand power underwrites Southern Smoke's licensed lounges.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/southernsmokecigarlounge
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/southern-smoke-cigar-co

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Southern Smoke Cigar Company