Oscar’s Cigar & Sports Lounge will open later this month at the Cali Center, 633 W. Main St., Palmyra.
Owners Steve and Amy Zechman have worked to combine two different spaces in the Cali Center into the 3,500-square-foot lounge. It will feature a walk-in humidor with over 2,000 cigar options, a main lounge area, at least six large TVs, and a VIP membership lounge.
“Steve has been an avid cigar lover for years,” Amy Zechman said. “About a year ago we were considering the purchase of an existing cigar lounge, but it wasn’t the right fit. We decided to do something more local, and look for a site where we grew up.”
Oscar’s Cigar & Sports Lounge is part of an ongoing trend in the United States. According to research from IBISWorld, there are 3,016 cigar lounges businesses in the U.S. as of 2023, an increase of 2.9% from 2022. Additionally, the number of businesses in the cigar lounges industry in the U.S. has grown 2.9% per year on average over the five years between 2018 and 2023.
Amy said the lounge will feature comfy leather seating and the ambiance of a refined club. It will also be BYOB, with sodas, juice, and other items available to purchase for cocktails.
“I want this to be a place where women can come in and enjoy being there as well as men. Although we won’t serve alcohol, there is a bar so gentlemen and women can enjoy their BYOB beverage and a cigar,” Amy explained.
She added that the cigar lounge has a state-of-the-art air filtration system so people can fully enjoy the facility. In the future, Oscar’s plans to host special events for sporting events such as boxing and football games. A Ladies Night will be held once a week, and live entertainment is also planned.
Steve Zechman said the name “Oscar’s Cigar & Sports Lounge” pays homage to Oscar Hammerstein — a German immigrant who initially worked in a cigar factory, then climbed the ladder to become a cigar maker. He also founded The United States Tobacco Journal, and is the owner of about 80 patents – mostly related to cigar making. Hammerstein is also the grandfather of lyricist, librettist and theatrical producer Oscar Hammerstein II.
“We wanted something that had that ‘cigar vibe’ name. Oscar was it — not only was Oscar Hammerstein the inventor of the first mass production cigar roller, but Oscar was the name of our little 16-year-old dog that passed away last year,” Steve explained.
He said the lounge will have a wide range of brands from “some high-end sticks like, My Father The Judge, Arturo Fuente Don Carlos, Ashton Estate Sungrown as well as boutique cigars like the Montecristo White Series, and everything in between.” For those who are not sure which cigar they might enjoy, staff will be on-hand to provide recommendations.
Oscar’s guests will also have access to a golf simulator. “The golf simulator is for the use of our guests in the lounge — it’s not the focus of the lounge,” Amy stressed.
Hours have not yet been set for the main portion of the cigar lounge, but VIP membership includes 24/7 access to the VIP lounge with a key fob. The VIP membership program also offers a free humidor locker (when available), two free cigars of the owner’s choice per month, discounted golf simulator rates, and other perks.
For more information on Oscar’s Cigar & Sports Lounge, visit oscarscigarlounge.com or its Facebook page.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article suggested that Oscar’s would be breaking ground locally as a place where you can enjoy a drink and a cigar at the same time. In fact there are a couple other places already operating where you can do that today, including Guillotine Cigar Lounge in Hummelstown and ASH Cigar and Whiskey Bar in Lebanon. We sincerely regret the error.
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