Onlinehumidor.com

[b][u]Chicago[/u][/b]

Jack Schwartz Importer: 141 West Jackson Blvd.
Toll-Free: (888) 733-5225
Local: (312) 782-7898
Nice little shop located in the Chicago Board of Trade.  It has been around since 1921.  The current owner, Billy O'Hara is a great guy to deal with.  Between the window seating and chairs on the retail floor, max seating is probably around 6.

Iwan Ries & Co.: 19 South Wabash Avenue (2nd Floor)
(800) 621-1457
Landmark shop founded in 1857.  Seating area has a TV and can sit 4-6 people.  Probably won't work for people in town on business as they close at 5:30 M-F.

Up Down Tobacco: 1550 North Wells Street
(800) 587-3696
Owned by Diana Silvius and has been around since the early 1960s.  Seating inside and outside is available (sorry, don't recall if there is a TV or not)

Burning Leaf Cigars: 1648 N. Damen
(773) 486-1643
A small shop located in the part of Chicago known as Bucktown.  The shop has seating for four with a TV.  There are plenty of bars and restaurants within walking distance and it has a "local neighborhood" feel to it. 

Since Illinois is going smoke-free on January 1, 2008, many restaurants have already started to phase out cigar smoking.  You can still smoke at Mike Ditka's Restaurant at the Tremont Hotel, 100 East Chestnut, (312) 587-8989, at the bar in Morton's of Chicago, 1050 North State Street, (312) 266-4820 and at the back half of the bar at the Chicago Chop House, 60 West Ontario Street, (312) 787-7100.

[b][i]Chicago Suburbs[/i][/b]

Burning Leaf Cigars:13327 Route 59 Suite 600, Plainfield
(815) 609-5080
The owner has two shops outside of Chicago, both located in Plainfield, Illinois.  This is the larger and more cigar-friendly of the two.  It has a lounge area with four leather chairs and foot stools and a big screen TV.

Belicoso Cigar Lounge:15443 94th Ave., Orland Park, Illinois
(708) 226-9060
This cigar store has a huge walk-in humidor and very comfortable leather chairs for 7 and bar tables/stools to seat at least 4 more people.  There are also two plasma TVs and outdoor seating. 

Restaurants outside Chicago:

Fox And Hound Smokehouse and Tavern - 1416 N. Roselle Road Schaumburg, IL 60195.  (847) 884-6821  Lots of TVs, pool tables and some leather chairs to relax in and fire one up.

Sullivan's of Naperville - 244 South Main Street Naperville, IL 60540.  (630) 305-0230 Cigar smoking is allowed in the bar area.  They have several TVs and outdoor seating.  On Sunday afternoon, certain bar food and drinks are 1/2 off.  The restaurant is located near the River Walk and is in the heart of downtown Naperville.

You also might want to check out Shoeless Joe's, out by O'Hare.  We had a pretty good sized herf there

I gotta agree- Billy O'Hara is a great guy! And the same with Iwan Ries- Two of the best shops around! Great places to go and hide from work

:nana:

In Downers Grove, right off the Metra tracks, a shop opened called The Humidor.  It is operated by Sam, the owner of the Stogie's in Hinsdale.  They have a seating area in the back for smoking.

In Naperville, off of Route 59 by Tommy Nevin's, a lounge opened called Smoke the Experience.  It has a small walk-in humidor, but two lounges for smoking (one private).  Theater-style seating, a 50 and 60 inch plasma, two Golden Tee machines, darts and the lounge is open until 10 Sun-Th and I think 11 on Friday and Saturday.

Rumor has it that some customers of Bull and Bear in Naperville are going to open a lounge in a free-standing building in downtown Naperville right next to Jimmy's Bar and Grill. 

Cigar King in Skokie is a pretty friendly place. Lots of seating huge screen TV's and a great selection of cigars and accessories.

Stogies in Hanover Park has a huge walk-in humidor with a nice selection, plus a very spacious lounge with plenty of seating.

La Vita in St. Charles has a good lounge, a private room you can rent out, and a good-sized humidor with a decent selection.

Update: Smoke the Experience in Naperville has closed up shop.

Bull and Bear in Naperville is a friendly as well...

Felt as if I was @ my local and that doesn't happen all the time... very nice people!

Coming to Chicago Nov 18-21 and looking to have a smoke on the Friday afternoon with a friend?

CB

Wow, can't believe there's been no mention of Casa in Countryside.......one of the largest B&M's in the US and from what I was told, the only elevator in the US that you can smoke in!  Private lounge downstairs is insane, too.

[url=http://casademontecristo-chicago.com/index.html]http://casademontecristo-chicago.com/index.html[/url]

Favorite spot in the area is hands-down the Burning Leaf in Plainfield.......was just there again yesterday morning/afternoon.


Jeff L.