Whorsquini

I'd say moderation is key as with most things. It is definitely a good idea to eat before you smoke or have a small snack while you smoke, but nothing too heavy during a smoke. I've never had a problem with having a couple of beers while using my hookah, but I guess everybody is different. The only time I ever get sick is when I fail to acclimate my Tangiers, which is pretty often for when I'm using Tangiers.

QUOTE (Plain Old Me @ Mar 31 2008, 04:49 AM) Anyone know how to make a ceramic housing for an element? Seems like that would be ideal, but rather hard to implement... I am going to do some calculations and work out a triac circuit soon to control the temp of the heating elements. Will let you know what I come up with. In my research of this issue I found this Chinese product that got a good Youtube review from a user on another forum(shhhhh). Sorry If I'm repeating anything, as I am only partway through this thread.

QUOTE (hookah hippie @ Sep 18 2009, 11:48 PM) chips and salsa hummus and pita something thats simple and not really messy I'm a big fan of the hummus and pita myself.

QUOTE (ivana @ Sep 14 2009, 11:42 PM) Hello I am opening a hookah lounge and am unsure of which location to pick- First one is only $900/month rent. Older building, will need some work Second is $2000/month rent. New building, will need cosmetic work. Both are in the same area. Do hookah lounge patrons want a newer building? Or is it all the same to you as well as the hookahs are prepared well, good food, and they are decorated to be a comfortable atmosphere? Im not sure what hookah lounges make typically, so i vote for the $900/month rent to be on the safe side. My partner feels we should go for the more upscale building, thinking if we aim high, we will make more. What would you do? Thanks Hi! It sees we're both opening a hookah lounge at the same time? Where are you from if you don't mind my asking? We can probably help each other out with advice and issues about getting started (Assuming we're not from the same town! haha).

Thanks everyone! The Middle Eastern restaurant should be able to supply plenty of sweets, so this will work out well!

What are the best eats when smoking? I know a lot of people probably don't eat anything while smoking, but I would like to know becasue I'm in the process of opening a small lounge in northeast-PA (The Crimson Lion). I'm probably going to set up a deal with the nearby Middle Eastern restaurant and carry some of their smaller foods like hummus and tabouli as well as their baked goods and other bagged snacks. In addition I'm going to have unique organic sodas, floats, tea, and gourmet coffee. I'm going to get pre-prepared stuff becasue I'm pretty sure that the smoking law's restriction to food being under 20% of sales only applies to stuff I make in the lounge...

QUOTE (mjdx88 @ Jul 30 2009, 12:23 AM) Please keep us updated...I will sttop by when I come up to check out the Lionshead Brewery I'll do my best. Look me up on Facebook and become a fan, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wilkes-Barre...02818833?ref=ts

QUOTE (Tom16689 @ Jul 29 2009, 04:04 PM) I have relatives in the poconos, so I'd definitely come check it out. Would you be selling tobacco too by any chance? I'll only be selling shisha at first, but I'm definitely open to expanding to tobacco and cigars eventually.

QUOTE (jezter6 @ Jul 29 2009, 03:21 PM) Man I miss the ol' W-B PA. I went to wilkes. My roommate went to Kings. Where's your lounge going to be? Oh - and if my ex wife comes in your lounge -- please promptly stick a hookah stem in her behind and tell her to GTFO. KTHXBAI! Hahaha! I plan on signing the lease tomorrow at the place across from the old Roche car dealership (It's gone now and there's a small King's parking lot) on the corner of Main and North Street. It's also right across from the new dorm construction. I can't make any promises on the ex though. Sorry.

QUOTE (Zinite @ Jul 29 2009, 12:30 PM) How well do you know hookahs? The main problem I have with lounges is that they don't care about the hookahs. I'd pay $10 or more for a good session if the water was changed out before each use, the stem was rinsed out before each use, the hoses were assigned flavors, so that when I order mint, I get a hose that's been used with mint, and when I order berry, I get a hose that's been used with berry, etc. Also, teach your employees how to use the damn coals. 3 quick lights on a small bowl will ruin it for everyone. When I first told my mother that I bought a hookah, she was put off because she had been to a lounge at one point and she took one pull and it burned her throat. That type of experience is likely to make you not have repeat business. /end rant Best of luck, this forum is a wonderful resource for casual users and lounge owners alike. Thanks for the rant. I know enough to only use natural coals and have them going on a hotplate so customers don't have to wait very long (rotating the burning coals is also a good idea, which improves employee-customer interaction). I also know to change the water and clean everything. However, the assigning hoses to flavors is something I did not consider. Thanks for your input!

QUOTE (giant ninja robot @ Jul 29 2009, 12:47 PM) ATMOSPHEREEEEE!!!!! The thing that will keep me from frequenting a place is a shoddy and plain atmosphere. Hookah is all about a sensory experience so I would recommend really going for the gusto with the interior design. Set yourself apart so that people want to come bcak and see you for a unique and cool experience. Absolutely, I definitely plan on focusing on atmosphere. I'll also have a lot of help from people who know what they're doing. Thanks.

Hi everyone. I'm going to be opening a hookah lounge in early September called The Crimson Lion. I live in Wilkes-Barre PA (Northeast PA) and I'm opening the lounge right off of a college campus (there's also another one 2 miles away). The total student population will be around 5,000 and I'll have around 1,450 square feet of space. Smoking laws prohibit me form selling food that would amount to over 20% of revenue, but the place I'm leasing is divided into two areas, so i could serve food on one side and have smoking on the other. This is a small startup so if I average 15 session a day (2 people per hookah $10 a session) I make out OK. I'll also be selling coffee (I guarantee the best in the area), bagged snacks (food will come later if I can get around the law with the other side of my store), and unique soft-drinks. I don't plan on serving alcohol becasue of the license cost and hassle, and I'm considering letting people order food at first where I will pay for delivery if they spend so much in my store. I'll also be using the same vendor in NC as Mushrat (BTW, can I get the same shisha supplies as he does [http://www.hookahbliss.com/?page_id=5] or does he get specialty stock in addition to the NC vendor?). Does anyone have any advice on things I may be missing or any ideas to add to it? So far my startup is only costing me $15k and I have the money in place.

QUOTE (newjacksm @ Jun 29 2009, 11:28 AM) the only one that i know of that closest to "north east" is south smoke... Thank you, I'll be looking into it.

Pendragon

I'm going to be opening a hookah bar in North-East PA off of my old college's campus (Wilkes-Barre - near Scranton), anyone know of any nearby vendors?