For the moment, Christofer and me are implementing a completely different cigar idea for Cooz bar.

Before, cigars were sold with a hefty price surcharge like in all bars [not only in Dubai]. The cigar prices were around 80% higher, than the prices in retail outlets, like the Casa del Habanos JBR.

The reason is obvious: P&L management. If you want to sell something in the hotel, it has to contribute the overall profit and loss equation.

For cigarettes, which are dirt-cheap in Dubai, a hefty price surcharge would not be a big problem. Though for premium cigars, with much higher prices it doesn’t make necessary a lot of sence; one has to be absolutely ignorant, to that much of money.

Think about to spend over AED 80.00 for a cigar you can have for around AED 45.00!

So the first step was, to decrease the prices. Now one can buy in the bar a cigar, which is barely more expensive as in a shop.

Another step: I wanted to improve the portfolio. For me it is boring, only to have the asking brands and products. Romeo y Julieta, Montecristo and Cohiba - brands which are in the last two cases hopelessly innately overpriced!

To shift the attention to less popular brands and smaller as more diverse shapes and sizes will suit the concerned smoker more. Besides, we boosted the whole selection for around 200%!

Above points are already implemented. Further points wait still realized:

Training of course is ongoing. Not only hard theory; Chris and me are trying to infect the team, with the cigar-virus. That they understand the fascination and the culture, instead only focus merely on sales.

A further component are completely new service standards, including new tools.

This means, that we will create a cigar service tray, which can be brought to the guest.

The guest then, has the choice between cut and light his/her cigar himself or let the service do a service ritual.

Last but not least: a cigar menu.

Though this will be covered in the next post!