How to Smoke a Hookah Pipe
Head to a local lounge, also known as a shisha cafe, in your area. Use your neighborhood yellow pages or an online hookah lounge directory to find a location near you.
Select a flavor or combination of flavors for your hookah.
Flavored molasses or honey is added to the tobaco in the hookah pipe. You can choose from a variety of flavors–fruit flavors, such as apple, banana and strawberry, as well as chocolate and coffee are very popular.
Hookah bars are a popular destination for college students and others looking to relax in a low-key environment and escape the typical club scene. While hookah bars draw plenty of smokers, many of their patrons are non-smokers who simply enjoy imbibing from time to time or sitting in an aroma-filled room. Though hookah smoking uses tobaco.
it is a significantly different experience than smoking a cigarette. For one, smokers draw from a hookah, which is a smoking apparatus filled with water and shisha, which is toacco mixed with various flavors. Depending on the smoking laws in your state, starting a hookah bar in a college town could prove to be extremely lucrative.
Scout out potential locations for your hookah lounge. Look for high-visibility locations with adequate ventilation and enough square-footage to accommodate large college-aged crowds. Hookah smokers tend to gather in groups of about three to four. Look to accommodate at least 30 people. Review the utility fees for each locale to help you narrow down your options. Secure a locale with enough square-footage to accommodate any additional options you may want to provide, such as a bar, espresso bar, cafe or cigar lounge.
Become a hookah smoker or seek the advice of someone who is. You’ll need to know which hookahs and shisha provide the best flavor and burn, how each hookah draws and the best charcoal to use. Additionally, visit lounges around your region to get ideas for décor, food and beverages, and entertainment to include in your hookah bar.
Invest in barista training, if serving espresso. For the coffee lover, nothing beats great espresso. And many smokers also drink coffee. Don’t overlook the financial advantage that comes with being known for serving great coffee. You might woo new customers from one side of the business to the other this way. It is well worth it to invest in solid training or hire a trained barista, though. Contact the American Barista & Coffee School for information on barista training.
Design your lounge to project a relaxing atmosphere. Bohemian or Middle Eastern décor are popular in hookah bars. Outfit your lounge with curtains, sofas, bean bags, tables, chairs and art that will reinforce your theme. Implement warm lighting and music. Consider implementing entertainment such as live music, a DJ, open-mic nights, belly dancers, cards, or arcade games.
Purchase 10 to 20 hookahs, depending on the size of your location, keeping in mind that three to four customers will rent a hookah for at least 45 minutes. Offer a good selection of shisha, without overdoing it; you don’t want to run the risk of having a less than popular shisha that ultimately dries out. About 10 to 15 flavors is a good selection. Additionally, you’ll need to secure suppliers for your coffee, food and beverages for your café and espresso bar. Retail options are also available for exploration.
Use a disposable mouthpiece. For hygiene reason, using a disposable mouthpiece in public hookah lounges is recommended.Breathe deep breaths for the first few hits from the hookah pipe in order to allow the smoke to flow in the hookah and the charcoal to heat thoroughly.
Put ice in the base of your hookah to get the water very cold before smoking. This makes for a smoother smoking experience.Smoke it like a cigar. If the smoke feels too strong for you, puff like a cigar rather than completely inhaling the smoke.
Do not hand the pipe directly to another person. It is hookah etiquette to set the hookah pipe back on the table and let the next person pick it up when they are ready to smoke. Relax and enjoy the company and atmosphere at the hookah lounge.
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