'Vapor Lounge' Serving E-Cigarettes, Coffee Nearby

The North Side will soon be home to a rather unique new business called Smoque, a vapor lounge where customers can relax and enjoy electronic cigarette flavors and even a cup of coffee.

Formerly a T-Mobile store, Smoque will fill the roughly 600-square-foot space in next door Lake View near the corner of North Broadway and West Surf streets. Business partners Jared Yucht and Ari Goldstein are taking over the space together, saying the new vapor lounge will be unlike anything in the area.

However, while the new space will sell both nicotine and non-nicotine infused flavors, Yucht is hesitant to reference e-cigarettes.

“I hate the word cigarette, because that’s the last thing I want to be associated with because they’re stinky, ashy and just generally awful,” Yucht said. “We’re trying to make an environment that will be very comfortable for people to come in and try something new. It’s not just for quitting smoking, but also for enjoyment. It ends up being a lot of fun and you get into it.”

The lounge will have four or five seating areas, Yucht says, and serve upwards of 30 different flavors. That’s combined with the retail portion of the store where customers can try out new products and flavors, and a deal with local coffee roaster Bowtruss to start serving up fresh brew.

However, Yucht says Smoque isn’t planned to be similar to a hookah lounge. The business partners plan to mix their own flavors in-house, and unlike a hookah lounge, customers can request a nicotine-free blend while avoiding the second-hand smoke.

“I smoked for 20-plus years, and it’s gross,” Yucht said. “Everyone who smokes wants to quit smoking. …With this, there’s absolutely zero second-hand smoke. It’s kind of weird when you do it for the first time, but the next thing you know, you’re totally comfortable.”

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Because Smoque doesn’t sell tobacco, Yucht says only a regular Chicago business license was needed, and he hasn’t received any push-back from the community regarding the unique business idea.

Yucht says he and his business partner signed the lease around Jan. 15, and construction crews are already started demolition inside. They plan to open the store around the third week in March.

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