For those who wish to leave the house for an hour, enjoy a premium
hand-rolled cigar and escape life, look no further than Broad Street in
Schuylerville.
Badger's Cigar Den opened its doors last week under the hard work and dedication of owner Nate Gillie. It wasn't his intention to own a business but when the opportunity presented itself, Gillie said he couldn't pass up turning his hobby into his livelihood.
"Cigars have been my hobby since I turned 18. For most 18-year-olds, smoking a cigar is a right of passage. After high school I went right into the workforce so I had expendable income which allowed me to get into the culture," he said.
He added that he had previously worked for Park Lane Tobacconist and James and Son Tobacco and said he learned everything about cigars from very knowledgeable sources. At his own shop, Gillie said he wants it to be a social atmosphere and a place people can go to relax. Most importantly, he wants his customers to know that he is here to help them pick out the best cigars for their individual tastes.
"I'm going to focus on the one-on-one relationship between myself and my customers. I have the time and knowledge to help them. Sometimes people are intimidated when looking at the shelves or don't want to ask for help but that's not how I want to run the business," he said. "I want someone to come in, forget time and leave what happens in their day-to-day lives outside."
There are three typical types of customers, Gillie said, and he feels that he can direct all three to the perfect purchase. The first customer is the first-time cigar smoker. Maybe he or she has just turned 18 or someone wants to celebrate. The second type is the person who is buying cigars as a gift and lastly, the "hardcore smoker," Gillie said.
"Some people come in here thinking they have to spend a ton of money to get the best cigar, but it's really more about personal taste than cost," he said.
There are generally mild, medium and full-bodied cigars and the prices can range from just a few dollars upwards to $50. It's not about the price, however.
"If you enjoy a certain kind of cigar, then just enjoy it. Don't think too much about it," he said.
Currently, Gillie has more than 70 brands of premier cigars from all over the world. Prices range from $3 to $20. For customers who spend more than $50 at the den on a monthly basis, a complimentary Spanish cedar locker is provided for a personal space to store cigars.
"It's important to me to establish a trust between myself and the customers. Cigar dens are becoming rarer and ecommerce is beginning to hurt the business as a whole. My advice to cigar smokers is to find a private cigar shop and support it. You can't smoke cigars online," he said.
Gillie explained that in New York State there is a 46 percent tobacco tax added on top of an eight percent sales tax on cigars. When cigars are purchased online there isn't a state sales tax.
"The government wants to play up the health aspect but the American Dream is about the pursuit of happiness. It's not fair to restrict something that people enjoy," he said.
As for now, though, Gillie is focused on becoming a part of the community stating this is a great place for a husband to spend time while a wife is at the spa is only part of his mission.
"I want someone my age to feel comfortable coming in here and someone who is 80 years old to come in and feel comfortable and enjoy a nice cigar and conversation," he said. "I'm only 13 miles from Saratoga Springs; I want Badger's to be a destination."
Badger's Cigar Den is located at 102 Broad St., Schuylerville. Its hours of operation are Wednesday though Saturday, "noon to whenever," Sundays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and closed on Mondays and Tuesdays because Gillie "The Samoan" is resting.
"Cigars have been my hobby since I turned 18. For most 18-year-olds, smoking a cigar is a right of passage. After high school I went right into the workforce so I had expendable income which allowed me to get into the culture," he said.
He added that he had previously worked for Park Lane Tobacconist and James and Son Tobacco and said he learned everything about cigars from very knowledgeable sources. At his own shop, Gillie said he wants it to be a social atmosphere and a place people can go to relax. Most importantly, he wants his customers to know that he is here to help them pick out the best cigars for their individual tastes.
"I'm going to focus on the one-on-one relationship between myself and my customers. I have the time and knowledge to help them. Sometimes people are intimidated when looking at the shelves or don't want to ask for help but that's not how I want to run the business," he said. "I want someone to come in, forget time and leave what happens in their day-to-day lives outside."
There are three typical types of customers, Gillie said, and he feels that he can direct all three to the perfect purchase. The first customer is the first-time cigar smoker. Maybe he or she has just turned 18 or someone wants to celebrate. The second type is the person who is buying cigars as a gift and lastly, the "hardcore smoker," Gillie said.
"Some people come in here thinking they have to spend a ton of money to get the best cigar, but it's really more about personal taste than cost," he said.
There are generally mild, medium and full-bodied cigars and the prices can range from just a few dollars upwards to $50. It's not about the price, however.
"If you enjoy a certain kind of cigar, then just enjoy it. Don't think too much about it," he said.
Currently, Gillie has more than 70 brands of premier cigars from all over the world. Prices range from $3 to $20. For customers who spend more than $50 at the den on a monthly basis, a complimentary Spanish cedar locker is provided for a personal space to store cigars.
"It's important to me to establish a trust between myself and the customers. Cigar dens are becoming rarer and ecommerce is beginning to hurt the business as a whole. My advice to cigar smokers is to find a private cigar shop and support it. You can't smoke cigars online," he said.
Gillie explained that in New York State there is a 46 percent tobacco tax added on top of an eight percent sales tax on cigars. When cigars are purchased online there isn't a state sales tax.
"The government wants to play up the health aspect but the American Dream is about the pursuit of happiness. It's not fair to restrict something that people enjoy," he said.
As for now, though, Gillie is focused on becoming a part of the community stating this is a great place for a husband to spend time while a wife is at the spa is only part of his mission.
"I want someone my age to feel comfortable coming in here and someone who is 80 years old to come in and feel comfortable and enjoy a nice cigar and conversation," he said. "I'm only 13 miles from Saratoga Springs; I want Badger's to be a destination."
Badger's Cigar Den is located at 102 Broad St., Schuylerville. Its hours of operation are Wednesday though Saturday, "noon to whenever," Sundays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and closed on Mondays and Tuesdays because Gillie "The Samoan" is resting.
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Nate is one of the most professional, knowledgeable people in the cigar world that I've ever encountered. Nate takes the time to serve every one of his customers, just like he would a long-time friend looking for a great cigar. I'd suggest all cigar smokers in the capital region stop in to Badger's at some point!