In a boost for locals and visitors to one of the Caribbean’s busiest cruise ports, St Thomas will soon be home to a brand-new cigar lounge. 

It’s called The Pelican Shop, and it will be set in St Thomas’ A.H. Riise Mall in downtown Charlotte Amalie. 

The Pelican Shop is set to open in January 2020, according to Akil Petersen, its founder.  

The lounge will manufacture its own handmade cigars from Honduras, with members-only services like plush seating and private lockers. 

And yes, cigars can be enjoyed inside the lounge. 

“I have visited some of the best rated cigar lounges from around the world, handpicking my favorite elements and unique touches that make this long standing tradition and exclusivity of cigar lounges appealing,” said Petersen told Caribbean Journal. “The atmosphere and vibe of the Pelican Shop will make it the most interesting cigar lounge in the Caribbean and I dare say, the world.”

It will join a small club of cigar spots in the USVI, most notably the speakeasy cigar bar in downtown Christiansted, St Croix.

— CJ