Published October 5, 2007 10:52 am

Suntree cigar tavern branches out with poker tournaments

BY KENT MILLAY

Good service. Ashes Cigar Tavern manager Tara Leitha, center, serves Kolby Wells, left, and Shana Dolly, during a poker tournament game. Kent Millay, for FLORIDA TODAY

SUNTREE — Cigars aren’t the only hot thing at Ashes Cigar Tavern these days.

The game of poker is smokin’ there, as well.  “We want to be known as a place to relax,” said Stephen Ajhar, owner of Ashes. “Offering poker games is one way we try to make people feel at ease.”  Ashes has three days of Texas Hold’em tournaments weekly: 2 p.m. Saturday and 7 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday. Ajhar said it’s free to play, and no money is involved. However, players earn certificates which entitle them to play in one of three yearly tournaments, where they have a chance to win $5,000 toward a seat in a World Poker Tour event.

At Ashes, which has been open for nine months, professional dealers handle four tournaments each day. Players receive approximately $1,500 in chips to start, but Ajhar said with a grin, “If I give someone a ‘bad beat’ while I’m playing, I’ll give them a few extra chips.”  Tara Leitha, the bar manager, said, “That’s one of the cool things about playing poker here, if someone buys a beer we give them two more chips and for a cigar, it’s three chips.” 

Ajhar, originally from Miami, said it’s a great place for beginners to get started.  “There’s no pressure. Everyone helps each other and they just want to have some fun,” he said.  Dana Cooper, an Indialantic resident, agrees.  It’s a pleasurable experience,” she said.  Recently, 30 players represented Ashes at one of the three-yearly tournaments. Tracy Brewer of Suntree finished 18th in a field of 500. Mike Frith of Suntree won a poker table in a raffle and donated it to Ashes.

Ashes, is at the Boardwalk Plaza, 7720 N. Wickham Road, behind Crispers in Suntree.

The store is open from noon to 10 p.m. Tuesday; noon to midnight Wednesday through Saturday; and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday.

____________________________________________________________________________



BREVARD LIVE-May 2007

WHERE THE CIGAR BECOMES A SMOKE


“THE FINEST ASH IN TOWN”

Ashes Cigar Tavern is a laid back place made for cigar aficionados and their friends.  Owner Stephen Ajhar is a cigar smoker himself and said that he wants Ashes to be a place where smokers can hang out and have a good time.  It’s a real laid back place—you feel like you’ve just walked into a friend’s house for a friendly game of Texas Hold’em or to watch a football game.  The seating is comfortable and the new deck is great for the cooler evenings.

Ashes opened in November of 2006.  Cigars were a hobby of Stephen’s and he decided that opening a cigar tavern would be a great way to share his love for cigars. There is a large humidor with a selection for both aficionados and rookies. Some of the more unique cigars offered there range from the Padron Anniversary and, of course, Hemmingways. Ashes, also has over 40 imported beers and a selection of wines available at the bar as well as Cappuccinos.  Customers can also purchase smoking accessories like cigar liters, cutters, humidors, cigar jars and other items. And for those of you who are aficionados as well, you can join the Ashes cigar club, which has perks like discounts on all purchases and invitations to special events.

Ashes host Texas Hold’em tournaments every Wednesday and Thursday evenings at 7 PM and live music on Friday and Saturday nights, as well as a Ladies Night every Tuesday. Ashes, is located at 7720 North Wickham Road in the new strip mall behind Crisper’s. For more information on other events such as cigar and wine tastings, visit their website at AshesCigars.com.

Cigar Etiquette

Never light another’s cigar; the smoker will most likely draw in too hard, which is bad for a cigar, so offer them your lighter or matches to them.

Label on, or off -? That is a long standing debate that has no clear end in sight. Leaving it on allows people to see what you’re smoking,” Oh I see you smoke Davidoff, have you another?”  Removing the label takes a little practice. They are glued on, and you don’t want to tear the wrapper. You should smoke the cigar a bit to warm it up then carefully remove the band.

Smelling a cigar is frowned upon in most cigar stores. It is better to test its quality by lightly grasping it – but take care to not hold it too tightly or else you’ll crack it.

Ashes; don’t wait too long to knock them loose; you don’t want it to end up smudging your clothing, tablecloth or carpeting. Keep an eye out for a small crack in the ash then tap into an ashtray.

You don’t have to grind out your cigar in an ashtray because it will go out on its own very quickly. If you do, you could wind up releasing even more odors into the air.

Be considerate of non-smokers. When you find yourself in a non-smoking area, put out the cigar or move to a designated smoking area if asked. If you’re dining or relaxing in an establishment that allows cigar smoking, it is your privilege to continue; should a patron question your right, let the management handle it.