New humidor at Joe's Place in Suttons Bay is believed to be the first in the county.

Climate controlled conditions inside Joe Barrera's
walk-in humidor keep his cigars in top condition.

One of Leelanau County’s most unusual businesses last week gained one of the county’s most unusual amenities – a walk-in humidor.

The Leelanau Cigar Company, also known as “Joe’s Place” on Front Street in the Village of Suttons Bay, now includes a 95-square-foot humidor for storing cigars. It’s believed to be the only walk-in humidor in the county.

Proprietor Joe Barrera said he and some of his loyal customers held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the humidor on New Year’s Eve. Occupying a portion of Barerra’s 1,000-square-foot cigar shop fronting the Suttons Bay marina, the humidor is lined with ceramic tiles and Spanish cedar on the walls and Brazilian black cherry wood on the floor.

A heating unit and humidifier keep the temperature inside the humidor at 70 degrees and the humidity at 70 percent.

“That’s the ideal temperature and humidity for storing cigars, and I’m very strict about maintaining it,” said Barerra. “I guess that comes from my background in quality control.”

Barerra, 58, retired as a quality control engineer for Delphi AC Spark Plugs in Flint in 2004. His wife Suza, who owns and operates the nearby “By the Bay Scrapbooking” store, also retired from the same company. They have three grown daughters who reside out of the state.

Barerra said he had been vacationing in Leelanau County for most of his life, when he and his wife bought a home in Leelanau Township in 2001. After retiring, he opened up the Leelanau Cigar Company on July 1, 2006. Previously, the space his store now occupies housed a marine supply store and a sporting goods store.

“The point of starting the Leelanau Cigar Company was not for me to make a fortune,” Barerra said. “I’m only doing this to supplement my retirement income and make some friends.”

On any given day, a half-dozen or so local “friends” can be found inside “Joe’s Place,” happily puffing on cigars, playing chess, gabbing, or listening to music. With couches, overstuffed chairs, a stereo, and lots of books and magazines, the store looks more like a living room than a store.

“Comfort is what it’s all about,” said Barerra.

Bob Pavelek (left) and Joe Barrera enjoy a cigar
and a game of chess at "Joe's Place" in Suttons Bay.

One of the “regulars” is 80-year old retiree Dick Cypher who lives nearby. Another frequent patron is 57 year-old Bob Pavelek, a professional musician and the principal horn player for the Traverse Symphony Orchestra.

“The camaraderie in a place like this is one of the things that attracts me,” Pavelek said. “I don’t allow smoking in my own home,” he added, “so this is definitely the best place to sit down and enjoy a great cigar.”

In addition to selling about a dozen different brands of cigars from around the world, Barerra sells his own, signature “Leelanau Cigar Company” cigar. Hand rolled by professional Cuban and Nicaraguan cigar rollers in California and Nevada, the cigars are infused with apple brandy from Leelanau County’s own Black Star Farms – just down the road in Bingham Township.

As a nod to his Hispanic heritage, Barerra uses a carved wooden “Cigar Store Pirate” figure named “Pancho” as his mascot and logo. Pancho sits proudly next to the chess table inside the store, a gift from one of Barerra’s daughters.

Barerra acknowledged that almost all of his customers are male.

“I happen to know there are a few closet cigar smokers out there who are ladies,” Barerra said, “but I won’t mention any names.”

Barerra said that a widow whose husband was a regular cigar smoker is now a regular visitor to Joe’s Place.

“She missed the odor, I guess,” Barerra said, “She says that whenever she comes here it brings back good memories of her husband.”

Lest anyone think that Joe’s Place promotes an unhealthy lifestyle, Barerra pointed out a number of distinctions between cigars and cigarettes.

“The actual nicotine level in cigars is much lower than cigarettes,” Barerra said. “And there is no inhaling going on here. The point of cigar smoking is not inhaling the smoke, it’s about enjoying the flavor, the aroma, how well the cigar is constructed and how well it draws.

The Leelanau Cigar Company also sells a line of cigar lighters, cutters and ashtrays. In addition the company is now offering some pipe tobacco and may add some pipes to the inventory as well.

Barerra said that in the coming year he hopes to expand his company’s marketing and distribution efforts and add online sales. The company’s website is located at www.leelanaucigar.com.