Xikar Cigar Lounge Opens In South Florida
A glowing blue Xikar sign adorns the wall of a new cigar shop in Pembroke Pines, Florida. The cigar accessory maker has teamed up with Aficionado's Premium Cigars & Wine to create a Xikar Lounge inside of the retailer’s latest store. The stylish smoking area opened to the public this summer.
While the lounge and location are new, Aficionado's Premium Cigars & Wine is a familiar name for Pembroke Pines residents. Owned by mother-and-son team Elena and Armando Artamendi, Aficionado’s has been serving South Florida smokers for nearly 30 years.
“We’ve been around since 1996. Our previous location was very close to here. We moved to a new 3,700 square-foot store in June,” Armando Artamendi told Cigar Aficionado.
The Xikar Lounge fills most of the new space, according to Artamendi. He says it measures about 2,800 square feet and features a wine and coffee bar, 84 private lockers, a walk-in wine room and a Xikar-branded conference room. The lounge is outfitted with plush couches and chairs, 13 big screen TV’s and retail shelves lined with products from Xikar’s parent company Quality Importers Trading Co.
Quality Importers’ portfolio of brands is vast. In addition to Xikar, the company owns Palió, Cigar Caddy, Humidor Supreme, Stinky ashtrays and more.
Along with the range of cigar accessories, Aficionado’s new location boasts a sprawling walk-in humidor. Artamendi says it measures around 900 square feet. Inside, the shelves are stocked with cigars from Padrón, Arturo Fuente, A.J. Fernandez, Drew Estate, Oliva and Tatuaje. “We carry all the big-name brands,” he says.
As part of the Xikar Lounge experience, Artamendi says he has La Pistolina wine for sale, available both by the bottle and by the glass. La Pistolina is a wine brand founded by Quality Importers CEO Michael Giordano. La Pistolina signage is prominently displayed inside Aficionado’s wine room.
“Pairing our Xikar products with La Pistolina wines and Aficionado’s curated cigar selection creates a truly elevated experience for enthusiasts looking to relax and indulge in the finer things,” Michael Giordano said in a statement.
Quality Importers confirms there is only one Xikar Lounge in the world, and it’s located at Aficionado’s. Previously, there was a Xikar Lounge at the BB&T Center (now called the Amerant Bank Arena), home of the Florida Panthers. That lounge is now closed.
Xikar Lounge at Aficionado’s Premium Cigars & Wine
12588 Pines Blvd., Suite 102-103
Pembroke Pines, FL 33027
Hours: Monday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to midnight
