Club a safe haven for cigar aficionados

Recently reopened Diogenes one of two places in Santa Fe where patrons can smoke, drink

Tom Sharpe | The New Mexican

11/10/2008 - 11/11/08

George Gumerman, an anthropologist and former vice president of the Santa Fe Institute, drew on a pungent, dark, imported cigar in the plush den of Santa Fe's only cigar club.

"What I love about it is that it's a cross section of Santa Fe," he said. "There's legislators, lobbyist, artists, plumbers. It's not just a subset of Santa Fe."

Diogenes Club recently reopened in the former office of Connie Young Real Estate, 1413 Paseo de Peralta. Young has moved her office to the back of the all-adobe, Territorial-style compound with historic architectural details.

The club got started some 13 years ago in a building across Old Santa Fe Trail from Kaune's. Until January, it had shared a space with the Santa Fe Cigar Co., 510 Galisteo St., for about 10 years.

Rich Cafiero, a pharmacist and the club's president, said the remodeling of the club's new 1,100-square-foot space began in June. It officially opened three weeks ago.

Still to be finished are a state-of-the-art ventilation system, a game room and a walk-in humidor where members can keep their prized stogies.

Craig Pfeiffer, a plumber and member of the club's board of directors, said the humidor will be lined with Spanish cedar, which doesn't impart an odor or flavor to cigars.

"It's an amazing place because we all get along really well, and the reason is that we all really love cigars," Pfeiffer said. "We don't discriminate against cigarette smokers, but we just don't like the smell of cigarettes."

The bar sells beer for $4, wine for $7 to $8 per glass, and well drinks for $5 with call liquor ranging up to $25 for a high-end, single-malt Scotch. Single cigars go for $6 to $10. While the club has no food license, members occasionally have parties with catered meals. The club also has a small outdoor patio.

Bill Hon, head of the city Parking Division and vice president of the club, said Diogenes was grandfathered into the city's anti-smoking ordinance.

In 1999, the city banned smoking in restaurants but exempted full-service bars. In 2006, it banned smoking in bars, but exempted tobacco stores, cigar bars and up to 20 percent of rooms in hotels. Just last year, it banned food service in cigar bars and smoking on outdoor patios within 25 feet of where food and drink are served.

Now, besides Diogenes Club, the only other public place where you can legally light up while having a drink is the Humidor Lounge of the Rio Chama Steakhouse, 414 Old Santa Fe Trail.

Diogenes' hours are 4 to 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 2 to 8 p.m. Sundays during football season. The bar room includes a flat-screen television with cable.

Cafiero said the club has about 150 members who pay dues of $150 a year, and is looking to expand its membership. "It's been a little slow, but now people are starting to come in," he said. New members are usually recommended by current ones, but Cafiero said anyone is welcome to drop by and pick up an application. The phone number is 982-4427.

Contact Tom Sharpe at 986-3080 or tsharpe@sfnewmexican.com.