Howard said Good Smaug is still a “vape” shop first, catering to customers who use electronic cigarettes and the flavored liquid that is vaporized in the e-cigarettes. The alcohol is secondary for most, she said.
“We don’t have a huge selection of liquor, nothing overly fancy,” Howard said. Good Smaug has four beers on tap and a handful of bottled beers, and a “basic selection of liquor,” she said.
The response so far — the shop obtained its alcohol license on New Year’s Eve — has been positive, Howard said.
“Customers like to come in, test vapes, have a couple of beers, buy their (e-cigarette) juice and go home,” she said.
Ohio’s smoking ban is limited to tobacco products and does not cover e-cigarettes, which were developed in China and entered the U.S. market in 2007. Since then, sales and popularity have jumped.
Advocates and retailers say e-cigarettes can ease the craving for nicotine without the user inhaling tar and other harmful chemicals found in tobacco. But public health officials are concerned that nicotine is being delivered in a form that may lure children and adolescents, and they’ve expressed concern about the long-term health effects of e-cigarettes. Ohio bans the sale of e-cigarettes to minors.
Howard and her husband both used e-cigarettes to kick a tobacco-cigarette habit. But their decision to apply for a liquor license stemmed in part from increasing regulatory oversight of e-cigarettes and their liquid. The couple spent time and money renovating the space that houses Good Smaug, and want to take steps to protect their investment, Howard said.
“Vaping is coming under serious attack, and no one knows its future,” Howard said. “There’s a lot of misinformation out there, and cities and counties are now getting involved in regulation.”
Good Smaug's hours are 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday (no alcohol is served on Sundays). For more information, go to the Good Smaug web site or call (937) 427-7664.
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