CANTON CIGAR COMPANY lighting upHISTORIC CANTON

If making the old new again is the idea behind the Mill on Etowah, then it is the perfect place for the Canton Cigar Company. Nothing at all like your grandfather’s wood-paneled, smoke-choked cigar room at a gentlemen’s club of old, the Canton Cigar Company is cozy without being stuffy and is no longer strictly the domain of men.

“We have something for everybody,” says general manager Destiny Williams, who also created the establishment’s craft cocktail menu to include drinks that appeal to every taste. “It’s just a nice spot to be able to hang out and socialize. You don’t even have to smoke a cigar.”

But if being assured you don’t have to enjoy a cigar while at a cigar store might seem unusual, Destiny says that’s the point.

“We are pet friendly, you can bring food in, and we have fresh air intake and a smoke eater system,” she says. “We also have a huge glass garage door that we can open up to our covered patio—everyone is welcome, and we don’t want anyone to feel intimated.”

For those who do like cigars, the Canton Cigar Company might easily become your new home away from home. The glass-fronted humidor has hundreds of cigars to choose from, in flavors ranging from mild to bold, including some fruit-flavored options, and for a variety of prices.

“If you’re new to cigars or have had a few before but are not sure what you might want to try next, we can help,” explains Destiny. “Whether you want to explore some different flavor profiles, or you know you want a highend, full-flavored Monte Cristo, you’ll find both —and everything in between—in our humidor.”

To make the experience even more appealing, in addition to the selection of cigars, the Canton Cigar Company also offers an array of craft cocktails at its beautifully appointed bar, including a wide selection of bourbons.

“I wanted our drink offerings to be as unique as everything else, so I designed a cocktail menu that also has something for everyone,” says Destiny. “We have a drink with rose petals that I developed with our female patrons in mind, but we also have a smoked Old Fashion we light on fire, or we can help you pair the perfect bourbon for your cigar. It’s a very satisfying experience.”

Ultimately, as any cigar aficionado will tell you, it is the experience that counts, the leisurely and relaxing experience of enjoying a good cigar with a good drink in good company. That’s likely why, in the short six months Canton Cigar Company has been open, it’s been garnering rave reviews.

“I think what people like is being able to enjoy something unique close to home in Canton and in a distinctive setting like the Mill,” Destiny says. “So I want to invite anyone, and everyone, just to come out and have the experience and be in a really cool part of historic Canton.”