Charlotte\u00a0cigar & whiskey brand expands through \u201cWhiskgars Cigar & Co.\u201d in Gastonia with plans to rebrand.<\/p>\n
Menagerie Hospitality Group<\/a> announces the expansion of The Vintage<\/a>, Charlotte\u2019s premier membership whiskey and cigar lounge, by acquiring Gastonia\u2019s staple cigar spot, \u201cWhiskgars Cigar & Co.<\/a>,\u201d at 190 W. Main Ave. For the short term, the Vintage team will operate Whiskgars in its current capacity, leveraging the gorgeous space and amazing team; rebranding to The Vintage Gastonia is a mid-term goal.<\/p>\n The Hibberts family founded Whiskgars in 2021, housed in a 90-year-old historical building, breaking the space into a dual lounge layout: a 3,000 sq. ft. non-smoking cocktail bar area and a private 2,500 sq. ft. smoking lounge with a VIP room, walk-in humidor and lockers equipped with two separate HVAC units to cut down smoke migration.<\/p>\n Similar to The Vintage Charlotte, the Gastonia lounge serves craft cocktails made by expert bartenders and elevated shareables like charcuterie boards and seasonal tapas plates with hopes to expand the food menu in the lounge\u2019s larger kitchen. The Vintage Gastonia is<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span>an extension of the Charlotte lounge, and the team plans on making only minimal changes, including adding a back patio so members can listen to live performances at the Rotary Centennial Pavilion, and will continue perks that Whiskgars regulars have come to\u00a0love like live weekly local music.<\/p>\n \u201cThe location emulates everything that The Vintage stands for, from the luxurious leather couches and chairs to the 36-foot granite bar. We felt a calling to continue the previous owner, Jacob Hibbert\u2019s dream and honor all the work and effort he has put in to make a place for the whiskey and cigar community,\u201d said Dan Weiss, President of Menagerie Hospitality Group. \u201cGastonia is also the perfect place for our growth for many reasons. We will offer reciprocating membership benefits so guests can visit either spot to have a variety<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span>of experiences, and because we\u2019ll be operating in a new county, there is less competition for top-tier spirits – we\u2019ll be able to snag some really cool stuff for our Gastonia guests to enjoy, spirits that have been too hard to come by in Charlotte.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe project and final development of the Whiskgars concept was a dream come true. I believe the cigar and whiskey experience has brought tremendous growth to the downtown area and Gastonia as a whole,\u201d said Jacob Hibberts, the previous owner of Whiskgars. \u201cI truly appreciate all of the support from our members and the greater Gaston community, and I am confident that Dan Weiss and his team are more than capable of continuing and improving Whiskgars going forward!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve had an eye on Gastonia for a while because the market is growing so fast. We are really looking forward to embedding ourselves in the community and welcome Whiskgars guests to stop in and meet our team soon. It is our goal to manage a smooth transition, ensuring a lovely guest experience without disruption,\u201d said Ben Torres, VP of Operations for the Menagerie Group.<\/p>\n