Casablanca Cigar Bar Asheville, NC

[deadidunn]

On my honeymoon, I talked my wife into hanging out at Casablanca Cigar Bar in Asheville, NC. Although due to Covid, the bar was shut down for alcohol, but the coffee was good. Service was excellent. Although slightly busy, my personal service was great and i witnessed the only worker going to great lengths to ensure his patrons were comfortable and taken care of. There was a large humidor with a large selection of cigars. At the time they only had 3 pipes and a small assortment of pipe tobaccos. Their Facebook page has alerted me since then that they have a larger, more affordable assortment of pipes and tobaccos to choose from. It was truly an enjoyable experience and should be a point of interest to anyone in the area.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I have yet to visit them. I almost always stop in at B&B when up that way, but I will check out Casablanca next time. Thanks!!

A honeymoon in the middle of all of this... Mazel Tov!!!

 

[deadidunn]

Thank you!

 

[mso489]

Asheville is a distinctive place. A friend or two eventually felt isolated moving to the mountains in the 1970's, but the place has developed a lot since then. Good to hear pipe smokers have a place to go.

 

[CoffeeAndBourbon]

I will have to check that out. My son is in school in Cullowhee so we will be up there a few times this year.

 

[mso489]

Ever the optimist ... well usually ... I'll take this as an omen that a new generation or two has taken an interest in pipes. Asheville is a place that could happen.

 

[rushx9]

Before covid I went to Asheville monthly for ...supplies... yeah, supplies from Asheville, that's why... I've even moved there and back a couple times in the last couple decades. Definitely my favorite city, despite/because all of its idiosyncrasies. I'll have to check out this Casablanca. Do you know if there's any connection to the old Bonnie's Lil Corner, formerly directly across from the Vance monument? They used to stay stocked with nice cigars, but moved from the corner spot to Tunnel Rd many years ago.

 

[rushx9]

Ever the optimist ... well usually ... I'll take this as an omen that a new generation or two has taken an interest in pipes. Asheville is a place that could happen.

I first picked up a pipe when I went away to college in Asheville back in '99. A cob and some RYO. That wasn't too bad, but a bit harsh. Then a tobacconist in my home town told me I needed to try some "real pipe tobacco" and sold me a pouch of cherry flavored napalm. Took me 20 years to pick it up again.
Back then everyone called Asheville the San Francisco of the east. Now it's more like a Portlandia of the south?. I'm sure when pipe smoking was at its lowest low in terms of popularity, there was always a gang of Asheville weirdos still about it! Hell, they've had hookah bars for over 20 years, and alternative "pipe shops" have been part of the scenery since the 70s.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I first picked up a pipe when I went away to college in Asheville back in '99. A cob and some RYO. That wasn't too bad, but a bit harsh. Then a tobacconist in my home town told me I needed to try some "real pipe tobacco" and sold me a pouch of cherry flavored napalm. Took me 20 years to pick it up again.

Your fist experiences in pipesmoking sound a lot like mine, except the timing... and the 20 year lag.
Asheville is my wife's town... or at least Mars Hill is. She is a Lunsford, so when we go up there we end up playing a lot of bluegrass with her family. I love that city.

Your hair shows how careful you have been in this time of covid. Mine had gotten a bit shaggy too, till my daughter cut it the other day.

 

[rushx9]

Asheville is my wife's town... or at least Mars Hill is. She is a Lunsford, so when we go up there we end up playing a lot of bluegrass with her family. I love that city.

That's awesome that your wife is kin to Bascom. I've played more than a few rounds of Good Ole Mountain Dew at the Moonshiners Reunion, Green Acres Music Hall, and plenty of other late night festival picking sessions.
I too come from a bluegrass/Appalachian folk music family. Earl Scruggs was born and raised here in Shelby, and my great uncle Dan played with him and took lessons from the same originators of the three finger banjo style that Earl made famous. My dad, Roger Padgett, was a member of Acoustic Syndicate and has played with most all of the bluegrass and new grass greats. I've had the honor of sharing the stage with Vassar Clements, Sam Bush, Curtis Burch, John Cowan, Doc Watson, Jack Lawrence, Vince Gill, The Steep Canyon Rangers, The Dillards and many more while touring with Evergreen and sitting in with dad's various projects.
But for the last several years my only gigs in Asheville have been playing funk and hip-hop bass, turntables and mono-synth with my previous projects; The Isaac Haze and The Haze Collective, or sitting in on Turntable Tuesday/Funk Jam at The One Stop/Asheville Music Hall.
I've really just recently started picking mandolin and banjo regularly again after a long hiatus from grass/folk music. Just feels like the right time.

 

[instymp]

We moved to the west coast of FL in Jan after being in business in Asheville for 36 years. Got too wierd for me, aint the place it used to be, everyone moved there & changed it so it was like where they came from.
Bought from B&B even when it was further north on Merrimon & Bruce & his wife ran the place, called Bruces Pipe shop I believe.
Bruces son took it over & is a great guy. His Mom & Dad were the best kind of people you could ever meet.
(He didn't fall far from the tree)

 

[rushx9]

We moved to the west coast of FL in Jan after being in business in Asheville for 36 years.

What business? If I may ask...

 

[instymp]

Printing business.

 

[deadidunn]

Before covid I went to Asheville monthly for ...supplies... yeah, supplies from Asheville, that's why... I've even moved there and back a couple times in the last couple decades. Definitely my favorite city, despite/because all of its idiosyncrasies. I'll have to check out this Casablanca. Do you know if there's any connection to the old Bonnie's Lil Corner, formerly directly across from the Vance monument? They used to stay stocked with nice cigars, but moved from the corner spot to Tunnel Rd many years ago.

No sir, I don't know if there's a connection or not. It was my first and only visit to Asheville. I would love to return one day. I had also made a visit to B&B; I would've liked to stayed and smoked a bit, but we had other plans to continue on.