Famous Smoke Shop Gets Restaurant Approval

Cigar lovers will now have a place to kick back and enjoy a smoke, a glass of wine and a meal all in one location.

“A place for cigar smokers to enjoy a meal and a cigar and we’re going to be able to attract cigar smokers from quite a wide range area, outside of Northampton County, which is going to bring in other business and other revenue for this area as well,” said Arthur Zaretsky, owner of Famous Smoke Shop.  “This has kind of been a dream for me.”

On Thursday, the Forks Township Board of Supervisors approved Famous Smoke Shop’s conditional use application and a liquor license transfer, opening the door for a 60,000-square-foot warehouse and restaurant. As part of the conditions, no one under the age of 18 will be allowed service or entry into the restaurant portion of the business. The state Liquor Control Board still has to approve the liquor license transfer.

Plans include a $1.2 million, 3,664 square foot restaurant and bar featuring an additional 1,024 square foot outdoor patio for seating and full kitchen at 90 Mort Drive.  The hope is to have a capacity of 60 seats inside, 24 seats outside and an 11-seat bar. There will also be a special area for smoking only. And there will be about 190 parking spots for the nearly 4,700-square-foot restaurant.

 “It is going to be a full restaurant like any other restaurant like you’d go into,” said Zaretsky.  “We’ll be the only place in Lehigh Valley like this. It’s not going to be a sports bar, it’s going to be a restaurant.”

Plans also include music nights with acoustic guitars and piano and private parties with cigar and liquor vendors that would include dinners.

Construction on the property has already begun. Last year, the business was given approval to begin construction on a warehouse facility. Then in June 2010, Zaretsky decided to expand those plans to include a restaurant. The hope, Zaretsky said, is to open the first week of this coming June.

Famous Smoke Shop already has a retail store and warehouse at 1100 Conroy Place. But according to Zaretsky, the business has outgrown that facility with booming online and retail sales. That facility, which has been open since 2000, is about 23,000 square feet and has 78 employees and will continue to operate.