Charleston's Indio Cigar Factory

Some refer to this shop on the square in Charleston as a "man cave." Customers come in for the masculine atmosphere and to meet up with friends. They come in for the cigars, card playing, and relaxation. But, for others, it is an education.

"The most unique thing about my shop is you can see how a cigar is made from start to finish," said Marvin Mirick, owner of Indio Cigar Factory. "You also get the benefit of my vast knowledge of cigars, tobacco and Marlboro trends in the industry."

Indio Cigar Factory was established in June 2006, but opened at its doors at its current location, 503 Seventh St., Charleston, in July 2007.

Mirick said he's rolled at least 10,000 cigars since first opening his business in the garage of his Charleston home.

He estimated he spent at least three or four months learning how to properly roll a cigar.

"After mastering the craft of cigar rolling, I needed a place to sell and smoke my cigars. Opening a smoke shop just seemed like a logical thing to do," said Mirick.

The establishment features leather recliners and loveseats, a widescreen television, and a poker table.

"Some of my customers have referred to my store as a 'man cave', since it is very male-oriented," he said.

Mirick, an avid golfer, said he was a Copenhagen chewing tobacco user, and wanted to quit. But, he found that without the tobacco, his golf game wasn't the same.

"I couldn't golf. Someone suggested I try a cigar on the golf course. And it actually helped my golf game," said Mirick. "Then on vacation, while golfing in Puerto Vallarta, I found the Puerto Vallarta Cigar Factory. When I walked in there, I knew then, this is what I wanted to do."

While it was some years later, the dream came to fruition.

Mirick said customers enjoy the atmosphere, which is very laid back, with a Mexican/Cuban feel.

His wife, Gena, said the shop offers things like: free Wi-Fi Internet connection, iPod base to play music, DVD player, chess board, dart board, snack foods, sodas and plenty of room to relax.

Sometimes live music is offered, also.

Pictures, some autographed, of musicians and sports figures line the walls, such as: Tony Romo, Jeff Gossett, Tony Stewart, Bobby Allison, and entertainers such as Jackie Lawson, The Boat Drunks, Charlie Daniels, and Clint Black.

"There is seating where we can talk and solve all the world's problems," he said.

The cigar factory also has an upstairs hookah lounge where the younger crowd hangs out. It offers a private room where customers can smoke and read a book or magazine, he said.

Mirick said he doesn't sell tobacco leaves for people to roll their own cigars, and the shop is not a place to buy drug paraphernalia.

Learning and experiencing different cigars is only a part of what Indio Cigar Factory offers. He sells cutters, humidors, lighters, cigarettes, pipes and pipe tobacco, as well.

Cigar prices range from $2.50 each up to $20 each at his shop. The average price for a premium Robusto is $6 each.

His customer base includes college students, professors, doctors, and retired workers.

Another unique aspect is a wide supply of hookah products and services, he said. Hookah is a Middle Eastern tradition that involves smoking tobacco through an instrument that may have one or more stems.

The hookah uses a combination of foreign tobaccos, honey molasses and dried fruit. The smoke is filtered through ice-cold water to make the smoke cool and soothing.

The practice has become more popular in the U.S. since soldiers have returned home and were exposed to hookah in other parts of the world.

Mirick explained that a cigar contains three parts: filler, binder leaf, and cappa leaf or a final cover.

Making a cigar - in the most simple terms - involves several steps and plenty of time. First, he selects the filler leaves, such as Ligero, Viso, or Secco. Next, Mirick uses the full leaves and twists the leaves until he reaches the desired ring size (diameter) of the cigar.

The leaves are wrapped in a binder leaf and placed in a cigar mold. Next, it is pressed for several hours to maintain its shape. The tobacco leaves are then wrapped in its final leaf covering. Finally, the cigar goes into the humidor where its rests for at least a month or two.

"About 60 percent of the flavor comes from the wrapper leaf. Also, the majority of the cost comes from that leaf," he said.

"All leaves are different. Right now, the best leaves are coming out of Nicaragua. These are hard to get. The big cigar manufacturers get the better picks of leaves," Mirick said.

Mirick said his walk-in humidor holds about 2,000 cigars. It is lined with Spanish cedar, and is kept at 70 percent humidity and 70 degrees.

"This allows our cigars to age properly and remain at their optimal smoking status, which is extremely important when it comes to the quality of a cigar," he said.

In the humidor the flavors mesh nicely together. He doesn't want to sell over-powering cigars, so the first-time cigar smoker will enjoy the product, Mirick said.

"Although half of my sells come from my hand rolls, we do carry a vast variety of well known cigars from all around the world. Some of the most common ones are Montecristo, Cohibas, Acids, Perdomos, Olivas, and Punches. The flavors range from mild to full body. Depending on the customer's taste and experience, I can recommend the right cigar to try," he said.

The shop is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday; and 2 p.m. to midnight, Saturday. Customers must be 18 to enter.

The cigar factory is open on Sundays during football season and for special events for members only. Cigar Club members must be 21. Signage warning about health risks associated with tobacco use is posted at the shop.

"Many people are not aware that in addition to the 6.75 percent sales tax, another 18 percent tobacco tax is tacked on, so a total of 24.75 percent of tobacco sales goes directly to the state of Illinois," he said.

Indio Cigar Factory is staffed by Mirick, his wife, Gena, and their children, Jordan and Jackie.