West Seattle business: WS Smoke Company open; sign next door

(Photos by Katie Meyer for WSB)
West Seattle Smoke Company is open for business in The Junction, albeit in “soft open” mode. Thanks to Brian Presser at TouchTech Systems in The Junction for the original tip late yesterday; WSB contributor Katie Meyer was finally able to confirm this afternoon that the store’s open for business. That’s owner Umar Kahn behind the counter, above. Katie reports that he decided to do a “soft open” with the store, he says, despite the cigars having been held up until next week when the tempered glass for the humidor cabinets near the front door arrives. (He joked that he and the other new business owners on that side of the block have all been able to commiserate with each other about contractor delays, licensing/permit turnaround times, etc.) Asked what the hours will be, Umar wrote down his initial plan for us and said that he’ll see how things go for a while and modify hours if need be to what the neighborhood seems to want: Monday-Thursday, 10 am-9 pm; Friday-Saturday, 10 am-10 pm; Sunday, 10 am-6 pm.

Once the tempered glass is installed in the cabinets up front, the custom humidity control can be put into place and the cabinets are expected to store more than 100 boxes of quality cigars from the Dominican Republic and Brazil, among other countries. The West Seattle Smoke Company website says they’ll have a grand opening concurrent with neighboring A Terrible Beauty, whose sign went up this week:

…but no opening date announced THERE yet.

20 Replies to "West Seattle business: WS Smoke Company open; sign next door"

  • J May 27, 2011 (5:12 pm)

    And World No Tobacco Day is just around the corner, on May 31!

    http://whqlibdoc.who.int/hq/2011/WHO_NMH_TFI_11.1_eng.pdf

    From the WHO:

    No consumer product kills as many people and as needlessly as does tobacco. It killed 100 million people in the 20th century. Unless we act, it could kill up to 1 billion people in the 21st. All of these deaths will have been entirely preventable

    I wish Mr. Kahn well–in another business.

  • arbor heights mom May 27, 2011 (5:26 pm)

    Amen to that. this is a product, that when used as directed, kills 50% of its users.

    Sorry to see this in the Junction.

    Similar sentiments for Mr. Kahn — anything but tobacco, please. And please don’t start smoking!

  • cj May 27, 2011 (6:06 pm)

    As long as people are not smoking outside on the side walk all the time I’m ok with it. Each to their own poison as long as they keep it to them selves. I wish the smoke shop the best of luck.

  • Herman May 27, 2011 (8:37 pm)

    People still smoke?

  • Mitch May 27, 2011 (9:08 pm)

    Not to profile, god forbid, but there are many Asian and Middle Eastern cultures where smoking is simply part of life, particularly for guys. So while it’s easy to think of Umar as a pariah, as I’m inclined to, he’s probably just another hard working immigrant businessman trying to provide a good product or service to his customers, but who doesn’t understand that smoking has a very limited future in Seattle. My wish for him is that he live long and prosper, and that all of my enemies become customers.

  • Neighborly May 28, 2011 (12:13 am)

    Yuk! Please, bar patrons, don’t smoke cigars on the sidewalk in the junction.

  • S May 28, 2011 (7:34 am)

    Hopefully the number of smokers will continue to decrease in this country and worldwide. I’ve never been a smoker, and do not enjoy second-hand smoke.

  • Seattle Smoke May 28, 2011 (9:06 am)

    This store also sells pipes, grinders and other accessories to help the medical marijuana community. He’s doing a great service. And last I heard, tobacco is still a legal product.

  • duder May 28, 2011 (9:36 am)

    they sell bongs there too?! sweet!

  • jojo May 28, 2011 (9:58 am)

    You complainers just need to get a life. Cigar smoking on the sidewalks of the junction will not hurt you. If someone wants to smoke so what no one is making you smoke.I for one welcome a new business like this, but am not surprised so many sissy want to be liberals are crying, that is what they always do. Try being a real liberal and accept things that you may not appreciate yourself. We all deserve a spot in West Seattle.

  • foy boy May 28, 2011 (12:31 pm)

    J think of it as population control. And cars kill another 50 grand a year just in the US. Another forum of population control. Sudies prove that somkers will die long before they start collecting SS. This in the long run saves money. And keeps SS alittle stronger. Also this is America the land of the free and home of the brave. Wa home of the nanny state.

  • Chris May 28, 2011 (6:47 pm)

    What about all the restaurants and overweight people? I mean, if you want to judge, what about heart disease, diabetes, and what about bars and drinking and the associated health issues from that? Glass houses folks.

  • sun*e May 28, 2011 (9:31 pm)

    Like I said before – Dang! Just when I thought the Junction was getting some great improvements made and some new decent businesses coming in… guess that’s all up in smoke now that we have a tacky smoke shop! YUCK! :(

  • visitor May 29, 2011 (12:51 am)

    hypocritical much? Alcohol causes more death and misery than any other substance known to man, but when someone opens a bar, it’s nothing but high-fivin’ kudos. Some poor working stiff opens a smoke shop (still legal in the USA, and everywhere else in the world – for males, anyway) and the behavior police are ready to demonize him….. if you want to find a villain, look to the tobacco industry, the Madison Avenue ad agencies that glamorized smoking….. not the hard-working gentleman who’s proud of his shop.

  • Estd1973 May 29, 2011 (1:10 am)

    The Girl Scouts also peddle a harmful toxic product on street corners and storefronts everywhere – tax free I might add – and I don’t see anyone going after their heads.

  • Jesus May 29, 2011 (9:42 am)

    West Seattle people are so hypocritical.

  • Jeff May 29, 2011 (9:56 am)

    Umar, welcome to the neighborhood. When I smoke my cigar on the junction sidewalk, I would like to invite the hypocritical ones to walk on the other side of the street.

  • Spank May 29, 2011 (11:12 am)

    Wow, I moved to west seattle for the laid back, non uptight seattlite lifestyle 11 years ago…wat happened?? Best of luck Umar and west seattle smoke.

  • A neighbor June 7, 2011 (8:01 pm)

    I am very happy to have you in the neighborhood! Can’t wait to buy me a pipe!

  • Seattle Smoke June 9, 2011 (10:37 am)

    This place rocks! Friendliest smoke shop around, and great prices too!

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