Hidden Gems: Meet Will Lovelady of Stix N Smoke Cigars

Today we’d like to introduce you to Will Lovelady.  

Will, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I only got into cigars in the summer of 2017. Went to my first cigar lounge with an old friend while out of town for a convention. He is a cigar aficionado so he helped me pair a great cigar with our bourbon selection for the night. We sat in this elegant, industrial-themed lounge with dim lighting, leather and wood features, and a walk-in humidor that was the size of the entire back wall of the lounge – wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling. We spent what felt like hours, sharing and talking about life, friendship, divorce, love, parenthood, brotherhood, career, everything under the Sun. 

From then on out, anytime I went out of town, I would find a local cigar lounge to recapture that kinship and camaraderie. I found that the cigar community is a wonderful brother/sisterhood. You have people from all walks of life with dynamic backgrounds, life experiences, and economic status all coming together and bound by the common thread of cigars – the leaf. 

Being in a big town, in a small city, I struggled to find a place that gave me that same vibe so I started researching what it would take to start a brick-n-mortar cigar lounge. After diving into the financials of it all, I was not in a position to make such a huge investment to really make it what I wanted it to be. After about a month or so, a friend of mine in St. Louis who I shared my vision, was at a wedding reception and told me about a guy that drove up in a jeep hauling a trailer. He pulled out a 10×10 tent and some leather barrel chairs and sold cigars out of the trailer. I thought it was amazing as I had never seen or heard of anything like this so I looked them up online and then began searching for mobile cigar lounges and found others with the same mobile in various places around the country. I thought to myself, “I can do this”. So, I researched the industry, priced out how to get it started, worked with a group that helps people get businesses started (CO. STARTERS), found a trailer on Facebook Marketplace, and was off to the races. By the summer of 2018, I booked my first event. 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Early on, one of my first obstacles was figuring out who/how to get products wholesale. I didn’t have any connections in the industry so I began to network and reach out to friends who were able to connect me with people in the industry willing and able to assist me in my endeavors. Through persistence and building relationships, I was able to establish a healthy portfolio of wholesale and distribution accounts to buy from and provide my clients with some of the rarest, exclusive, and boutique cigars in the industry. 

My current challenge is breaking into the wedding industry. I’m hoping to become a primary partner and featured offering for wedding and event planners with clientele that want to enhance their memorable day with a cigar experience. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Established in 2018, Stix N Smoke Cigars is the first mobile cigar lounge in West Tennessee, a member of the Jackson Chamber of Commerce, the only Limited Cigar Association (LCA) retailer in Jackson, TN, and a designated donation center for Cigars for Warriors. Stix N Smoke Cigars is a mobile cigar lounge ready to provide you amazing service so call or go to our website and book us for your next event – (731) 388-9040 or stixnsmokecigars.com. You can go online to purchase from our full inventory of cigars, accessories, and merchandise for shipment, delivery, or pickup. Also, follow us on Facebook and Instagram for pop-up times and locations @stixnsmoke. 

Cigars are a celebrated, storied luxury. Finding a well-kept, quality, a premium cigar can be hard and because of no-smoking laws, finding a place to enjoy a cigar is even harder. Stix N Smoke Cigars seeks to remedy this with our mobile cigar lounge. The lounge is an atmosphere and experience unlike any other—rich in relaxation, personality, and uniqueness. The mobile lounge can stand on its own or serve as an elegant enhancement to any celebration, reception, fundraiser, or occasion. It’s a comfortable space to sit back, smoke, and spend time with friends. 

Our great, premium selection includes small-batch boutique brands and new LCA cigars every first Friday of the month. These exclusive, limited-edition cigars are as rich and complex as the stories behind them. 

What do you think about happiness?
Nothing makes me happier than connecting with my clients. It always brings me back to that summer night in 2017 when I first fell in love with cigars and the cigar community. I truly believe It’s bigger than cigars. I am passionate about providing a comfortable place to enjoy shared passions, ideas, and kinships with a great cigar. The Stix N Smoke Cigars creates an environment that allows you to foster deep connections through sharing your authentic self in a unique cigar lounge atmosphere with personalized service and premium products. 

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.stixnsmokecigars.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stixnsmoke/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stixnsmoke
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/stixnsmoke
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbE9gi_MGa62QaCiUW021Yg
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/stix-n-smoke-cigars-jackson?osq=stix+n+smoke+cigars
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/stixnsmoke/