Nolan’s Tobacco has been a gathering spot for cigar aficionados to puff away and pass the time for nearly 38 years in downtown Traverse City. Now -- after a legislative battle waged by owner Mike Nolan -- they can do it with a sip of scotch.

Nolan’s Cigar Bar opened its doors in late January directly behind the shop at 336 E. Front Street. The opening marks the culmination of the fight Nolan (at right in the photo) led to save his and other tobacco specialty stores and cigar bars.

“It’s frustrating when outside forces attempt to change the rule in the middle of the game,” says Nolan, who with a small group of other concerned owners organized the Michigan Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailer’s Association in 2007 when it saw the statewide smoking ban coming. Nolan was named president and the group hired a lobbyist and got to work.

Smoking was banned in all public spaces including workplaces, restaurants and bars after the Dr. Ron Davis Law went into effect May 1, 2010. Though some have described the cigar smoking allowance as a “loophole” in the law, Nolan says that is not the case.

“It is a carved out legal exemption to get the votes to pass the Ron Davis Law,” he says. “The republican-controlled House and Senate were having trouble getting enough votes for the smoking ban. We negotiated the right to serve food and alcohol in places where cigar smoking is allowed, and they got the votes for the ban.”

Nolan's is the only business in Traverse City with a cigar bar exemption (some 100 exist throughout Michigan and all had to be in business prior to 2009). At least seven of those throughout the state also have liquor licenses.

The number of cigar bars is also fixed. The liquor licenses can be transferred or sold, but there are no new ones.

Nolan says he would’ve built the cigar bar in 2009 had banks been lending. He also says if he didn’t do it, someone else would have.

“Someone from downstate was going to take [the license] and move up here … in fact, someone was looking around,” he says. “I also believe [cigar bars] are the future of the business.”

Nolan, who is 64, figures he will work for another three or four years. His plan is to sell the business to longtime employees, Andy Hyde and Ben Wyckoff.

While a cigar bar evokes images of low light, leather and thick haze, Nolan’s has invested in a state-of-the-art air filtration system that keeps the bar virtually smoke-free.Nonetheless, the air is thick with the smell of cigar tobacco.

“We don’t put any pretense on it,” says Nolan. “It’s a smoking bar.”

Nolan’s Cigar Bar is open Monday through Saturday, 2pm until midnight.