It's time for the Country Squire to grow and grow it will as it packs up and moves into the old Danny's location on Lakeland Drive later this year.
When the owners of Bonsai Japanese Steakhouse closed in May, Country Squire owner Jon David Cole saw an opportunity for Jackson's oldest cigar shop and purchased the building a few weeks later.
"We are excited we purchased the Bonsai building. Our shop has been bursting at the seams. It has really boomed over the last ten years. We've been needing more space for people to hang out, a bigger selection, and bigger space for events," said the Country Squire proprietor.
The building has been completely gutted and work on building the new edition of the Country Squire will begin later this month. Mr. Cole hopes to be open by Christmas but said it will open during the winter.
Mr. Cole intends to obtain a liquor license for the Country Squire. He said the legislature recently changed the law to allow cigar shops to sell liquor without offering food if they met specific size and capital requirements.
A covered outdoor patio will be built at the front of the building and wrap around the left side to the back of the building. The interior will have a "really nice retail showroom area", the "largest humidor in Jackson", and a cocktail lounge with plenty of seating. The expansion will allow Mr. Cole to offer more premium cigar lines.
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| Country Squire owner Jon David Cole |
The Country Squire will also offer a private member's lounge with 24/7 access. Members get a nice locker to store their cigars and a private bathroom. Other perks will be offered to them as well. The Country Squire owner said there will be outdoor events as well as bourbon tastings.
Mr. Cole provided more good news for cigar aficionados. The new store will be open on Sunday and close later than it does now.
Tomorrow will be the Country Squire's 55th anniversary of its opening. Mr. Cole said he bought the store nine years ago and worked at Country Squire fifteen years before the purchase. Luminaries such as Jerry Clower and Willie Morris frequented the store in years past.
What will be the Country Squire's new look? A coy Jon David Cole said he did not want to give it away.
16 comments:
I hope Mr. Cole, keeps the pole! Like Bonsai did for years.
He explained what is thought of as the stripper pole are actually support beams/poles. The stripper pole was removed a long time ago.
Congratulations to Mr. Cole. It's always nice to see a local business expand/grow. I obviously don't know much about the 'smoke shop' business, because I would have never thought that it would be that lucrative. Again, kudos to him!
Nice
Jon David is a super nice guy. Wish him nothing but the best. The liquor license will bring me in as a non-smoking customer.
Watching pros rolling cigars is incredibly satisfying. I gave up tobacco years ago. But watching these videos almost makes me want to restart. Rolling a Spaghetti Western Cheroot
Danny location & Bonsai steakhouse building. Are these the same? Not familiar with either. Anyone got an address of where the new place will be?
Sounds similar to the recently opened cigar and bar venue in The Rogue / Newk's building on I55. It's a cool place but the smell is awful. Cigar smell permeated our clothes and hair.
I’m trying to remember the name of the original owner of the Country Squire. Super nice guy. I bought several pipes from him in the early 1970’s.
As a frequent visitor to the Country Squire, I have to say this is a great thing. Jon David, Dominique, and the rest of the staff are awesome and the most knowledgeable tobacconists around. They’re also great people and it’s a place we can call our second home. If you haven’t been to the Country Squire, be sure to visit it!
A cigars really that much of a thing?
Congratulations to Jon David - expansion of an amazing existing business. Look forward to checking out these new digs (even though the old ones were quite welcoming and nice). Couldn't work out so good for anybody less deserving.
This is awesome. The Country Squire is one of the best things about Jackson. Happy to see their continued success in spite of the city
That would have been Jim Reeves! He and his wife opened The Squire in 1970. He died in 1981 and his wife ran the shop with her daughters until her death in 2012. She hired me years ago and roped me into the Squire family.
I love this.
John David and Dominique are fine tobacconists. This is great. Mississippi cigar culture is on the rise.
Support Cigar Rights of America.
Sounds like a bar with an outdoor entertainment area out that wraps around the front to the back and only VIPs will be allowed in through the special door.
At least get rid of that disruptive bar-thing near State and Meadowbrook first.
Is there nothing in the codes that stops bars and such out of established residential areas?
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