Staying ahead of the curve is always a challenge

Nation's Restaurant News, Feb 10, 1997 by Mark Hamstra

These days it is not uncommon to see a woman puffing a stogie after a meal in a restaurant. It is highly uncommon, however, to see anyone -- male or female -- buying a cigar from a vending-machine humidor.

In fact, one of the few places -- if not the only place -- in the country where one can witness such a sight is The Long Island Brewing Co. The independent brewpub in Jericho, N.Y., recently became the test site for a device that dispenses cigars from a climate-controlled environment at the touch of button and the insertion of a $5 bill.

Being on the cutting edge is nothing new to LIBC owners Thane Gevas and David Glicker. Theirs was among the first restaurants in the area to brew their own beer, and they also were quick to ride the flow of specialty coffee into the mainstream, having installed an upscale coffee bar on the second floor of their brewpub before Starbucks blanketed the Northeast.

"We don't want to wait until the trend is already out there," Gevas said at a luncheon hosted for the unveiling of the vending humidor. "We want to stay ahead of the curve."

With more and more casual-themed chains zeroing in on Long Island as a battle ground for expansion, Gevas and Glicker hope that their own upscale menu and trend-beating endeavors help them retain their share of the area's dining dollars.

Their competitive edge, however, has proved to be only half of the proverbial double-edged sword. Being among the first to capitalize on an emerging trend gives the LIBC a useful marketing tool, but backing up that vision with an operational infrastructure always poses a challenge.

When Gevas first began converting the former nightclub into a combination brewery and restaurant -- when most people in the area probably never had even been to a brewpub -- he found that it was a lot more complicated than simply piecing together some tanks and piping. Even after investigating the brewpub scene in California and Colorado, where the trend already was firmly established, Gevas said the lack of other brewpubs in the Northeast and the unique operating conditions in the region made it a less-than-smooth transition.

Having modeled his brewing operation after the setups he'd seen in California, Gevas learned through trial and error that he had to recalibrate his machinery to handle the colder temperatures in New York. And, with a lack of other operators in the area brewing their own beer, there was no local-talent pool of people with brewing expertise available to tap into.

Now that the LIBC is the first establishment in the nation to house a vending humidor -- according to the makers of the machine -- Gevas and Glicker are prepared to face whatever challenges that might bring.

"Is there a downside to having cigar smoke in the building? Will it be detriment to our fine-dining business?" Glicker wondered. "We don't know yet," but, he added, if the humidor continues to be as popular as it was during its first week of testing. he probably will install a special ventilation system to circulate smoky air out of the bar area. The main dining room already is partially partitioned from the bar area where the humidor is placed.

For now, the humidor has been a relatively hassle-free way to help satisfy the restaurant's cigar-smoking patrons and has reinforced customers, perceptions that the LIBC is at the forefront of cultural inclinations. "Customers have been in awe of it," Glicker said. "Baby Boomers have grown up on vending machines. We're used to getting satisfaction from vending machines."

Glicker and Gevas are hoping that the expense of installing a new ventilation system will be offset the relative ease with which they can keep their customers supplied with quality cigars. Having derive some success from hosting cigar dinners and cigar-and-beer events, Glicker and Gevas see the humidor as providing an opportunity to become more cigar-friendly without having to deal with the intricacies of maintaining a cigar inventory themselves. The humidor's manufacturer, which hopes to expand its patent-pending invention to other locations, is responsible for keeping the device stocked with product.

The oak-encased machine, which is similar in size and appearance to a grandfather clock, fits neatly under the staircase that leads up to the coffee bar and outdoor dining area. It holds 210 items -- including some multicigar-sampler boxes -- with cigars priced from $5 to $10, and it operates with standard electricity and water sources to maintain a constant 70-degree temperature and 70-percent level of humidity.

An LCD monitor gives customers information about the types of cigars available, and a phone attached to the side allows patrons to have a box of their favorite cigars delivered to their homes or offices.

"It's one less thing to worry about," Glicker said, referring to his not having to maintain a cigar inventory. Then he added a cautionary note: "As long as the machine is working properly."