Foundation Cigar Lounge Opens Outside Atlanta
Connecticut-based Foundation Cigar Co. has made its first foray into the branded lounge business. The relatively young company, founded in 2015 by Nicholas Melillo, the former factory-head of Drew Estate, has teamed up with the Ligero Tobacco House outside of Atlanta to create the first-ever Foundation Cigar Co. lounge.
“The shop has a very clean and modern feel, which is complemented by the amazing woodwork on the inside and outside of the walk-in humidor,” said Melillo, on choosing to open the lounge at Ligero. The Buford, Georgia tobacconist is owned by Adam Tirado, a long-time acquaintance of Melillo. Foundation's lounge opened earlier this month to coincide with the one-year anniversary of shop.
The decorum pays homage to the company’s brands, like El Güegüense and The Tabernacle, which are known for their nods to Nicaraguan and Ethiopian antiquity. The brand-inspired artwork that adorns the lounge mirrors this sentiment.
The humidor at Ligero Tobacco House now carries the entire portfolio of Foundation cigars. “The shop also carries Foundation Coffee, which we launched this year at the IPCPR,” says Melillo. “There are four blends, which pair with our cigars.”
Melillo also has plans to open a Foundation Humidor at Nicaragua’s Rancho Santana resort. This project will debut in 2018 and details are still forthcoming.
