Part of my job is to scour the internet for new cigar-related products, and most days there isn’t anything of note, but sometimes you stumble upon something truly unique and cool. Today, that was Cigar Park, a vintage airstream cigar lounge.
This mobile lounge is the brainchild of cigar lovers Steven Casalino and Frank Elardi. You may recognize Casalino’s name as the maker of CigarzUp, a specially designed cigar cradle attachable to a bottle.
“After doing a ton of events promoting my product CigarzUp, I wanted to stand out and be unique other than just having an ordinary table and tent setup,” says Casalino. “I started modifying a 1978 Cushman Scooter to take to events and sell my product from, and then the opportunity to buy an airstream came about, so I purchased one.”
Casalino remembers sitting inside the airstream while smoking a cigar and wondering what to do with it. That is when the idea to create a cigar lounge popped into his head. Prior to redesigning the airstream, Casalino had built and designed car and home interiors, and now he was adding a 30-foot land yacht to his resume.
“I thought this was going to be [a] fun challenge,” says Casalino. “I reached out to a buddy of mine from my hometown of Brooklyn [New York] who also happens to be my only cigar smoking friend. I told him about my idea, and immediately he wanted in. So, Frank and I gutted it to the bones and custom designed and built every square inch ourselves in only three months’ time.”
So how does it work? First you book the Cigar Park for a minimum of three hours. Then you choose a cigar package that will meet any budget. They offer a package that allows for guests to choose any cigars included in their package, or the person renting the Cigar Park can choose to have the guests purchase each cigar individually without a package. Casalino can also remove all their cigars and feature one brand or cigar company exclusively.
“In most cases, we can provide just about any premium cigar selection they request,” says Casalino. “Our humidor holds about 30-plus boxes of premium cigars.”
And if you get thirsty, they offer coffee, expresso, sparking and flat waters, iced coffee and soft drinks, and even bottle service.
“And there’s always something to eat!” Casalino adds.
The Cigar Park comfortably seats 12 guests inside and has additional seating outside as well as a dominos table. They have crisp air conditioning to keep guests comfortable in the Florida heat, a top-of-the-line ventilation system, custom-made humidor, Bose surround sound, 42-inch smart TVs, custom lighting, a coffee bar, and a merchandising display case.
“All the comforts of a modern cigar lounge, only better!” Casalino says.
I, for one, cannot wait to try this out.
The Cigar Park South launched in mid-March in Florida, and a replica, Cigar Park North, will launch in South Jersey in mid-June and will be run by Elardi.
Contact Elardi for New Jersey bookings at (908) 910-7939 or Casalino for Florida bookings at (954) 232-8867. You can also email them at info@cigar-park.com.
For more info, visit cigar-park.com.
One of the most unique features inside the airstream is a fire hydrant, so I asked Casalino how he possibly came by such an exclusive item.
I’ve had this fire hydrant since I was 17; it came straight from the streets of Brooklyn. I stumbled across it while driving around with a few friends. It was lying on the side of the road in front of Nellie Bly (If you’re from Brooklyn, you’ll know Nellie Bly).
I jammed on the brakes and backed the car up. My friends had no idea what I was about to do, but I got out of the car, opened the trunk, and tried lifting it … Holy shit! It must have weighed 200 pounds. No exaggeration. But I was determined to take it. My friends thought I was crazy and helped me get it in the trunk. The car immediately dropped to the ground.
That fire hydrant has been everything from a bank to a secret stash spot for the last 37 years, and now it finally has a purpose. It looks so cool in the airstream!
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