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| Joyce Larkin, posing inside her mobile Lashes and Mustashes lounge. (Photo courtesy of Jon Strayhorn for Media Arts Collective: www.mediaartscollective.com.) |
Joyce Larkins traveled to the Qcity from Atlanta for CIAA weekend, and she brought her 34-foot cigar hospitality suite along with her.
Larkins owns Lashes and Mustashes, an upscale, portable cigar lounge company and licensed tobacco retailer.
The lounge — a silver 1986 Airstream motorhome equipped with music, flat screen TVs, hardwood floors, an exhaust system, and leather sofas — will be set up in the parking lot outside of the Blake Hotel (555 South McDowell Street) all weekend.
“Everything we do is cigar-lifestyle focused,” said Larkins. “I want people in here to enjoy the experience.”
The cigar enthusiast said the idea for her mobile lounge came as the result of several smoking restrictions that have been enforced in recent years.
“They have eliminated a lot of really nice places where we can go and enjoy cigars,” she said. “It was very important for me to be able to enjoy cigars in a luxurious environment, and so I decided to come up with a portable lounge that I can take wherever we live, work and play. We provide a portable cigar experience for non-smoking venues.”
When Larkins and a friend came up with the name Lashes and Mustashes (not mustaches), Larkins said she wanted something catchy and clever that reflected the fact that women smoke cigars as well.
Lashes and Mustashes officially launched in August 2010, and Larkins said the reception has been phenomenal.
“We won best cigar bar in Atlanta Uptown magazine, and we were just selected as a 2012 Best of Weddings [award] by The Knot magazine, which was huge,” she said.
“We don’t sell alcohol,” explained Larkins. “But when we host guests, we often provide a complimentary spirit for our guests to enjoy with their cigars. On average, we offer your single malt scotches, your blended scotches, bourbons, cognac as well as some of your port wines. We always focus on providing the total cigar experience for our guests.”
Thursday through Saturday, Lashes and Mustashes will host three four-hour tasting events starting at 2 p.m. each day. Guests will receive two mid-range cigars and an open bar stocked with lager beer, import wine, specialty cognacs, sipping rums, and single malt scotches. Prices start at $40 and go up to $100 per guest, depending on which bar you select. Advance tickets can be purchased at TicketDerby.com (search Lashes and Mustashes). They can also be purchased on site.
To read more about the company and the services provided or to inquire about renting the “land yacht” for your next event, stop by this weekend or pay a visit to www.lashesandmustashes.com.
