Roanoke soon will have a cigar lounge inside The 206 brewery and food hall on Oak Street. Called J. Merrill Cigar Lounge, it’s named after the owner’s father.

The details

Owner Lee Youngblood said she chose Roanoke because there isn’t another cigar lounge in the city limits. The closest one is 11 miles away in Fort Worth. “With the growth in Roanoke and surrounding areas, we thought this would be a perfect location serving several neighboring towns,” Youngblood said. Youngblood decided to locate the lounge inside The 206 building so her customers would have access to the restaurants located inside and they can have their choice of several different menu items. They can order drinks from Soulfire Brewery, which is also on the premises.

A closer look

General Manager Marcus Evans, who has more than a decade of experience in the cigar industry, said the lounge will be split up into two areas: one for the general public and one for members.


“We will have a members-only lounge with a humidor and personal lockers along with a public access lounge and a large patio open to both the members and the public,” Evans said. “We will also have a mixology bar, so we will be serving cocktails and pours carrying upscale whiskey, bourbon and tequila.”

Evans said that at any given time, they will have more than 50 different brands of cigars and cigar accessories available for purchase as well as pipe tobacco products.

“We want to create an atmosphere that is relaxing but also offer trained staff to help with the cigar pairings,” Youngblood said.