A quiet room can change how we connect. That’s the spark behind our conversation with Leanne, the voice and vision of Smoke and Mirrors Cigar Lounge in downtown Fredericksburg—a grownup space with soft lighting, light jazz, and a heated, covered patio that invites you to slow down. We talk about why an adults-only lounge matters in a city full of great spots, and how thoughtful design choices can make a place feel both elevated and welcoming at the same time.
Leanne shares the family journey from Seattle to Fredericksburg and the decision to build the room they wanted but couldn’t find: zones for conversation, nooks for reading or remote work, premium cigars without the pretense, and a culture that meets newcomers with patience and good guidance. We unpack the biggest myths about cigar lounges—intimidating, exclusive, “for men only”—and replace them with a picture of diverse regulars, curious first-timers, and staff who ask simple questions to match people with the right cigar for their moment. You’ll hear how details like music volume, seating layout, and airflow turn smoking into a social ritual rather than a noisy scene.
We also dig into Leanne’s approach to building a local brand: start before perfect, trust your vision, and let relationships carry more weight than marketing hype. That philosophy shows up in everything from curated pairings to respectful service and events that feel organic. And when she’s not at the lounge, Leanne explores Fredericksburg’s wineries, distilleries, and restaurants, bringing back ideas that make the space better for the next visit.
If you’re curious about inclusive cigar culture, community-centered hospitality, and how to design an environment where adults can breathe, this conversation will hit home. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves local gems, and leave a quick review to help more neighbors find the show.
Leanne Cola
Smoke and Mirrors Cigar Lounge
hello@smcigarlounge.com
+1 540-818-2969
1411 Princess Anne St, Fredericksburg, VA, United States, Virginia
Episode Transcript
This is the Fredericksburg Neighbors
Podcast, the place where localbusinesses and neighbors come
together.
Here's your host, Dori Stewart.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Welcome back to another episode of the FXBG
Neighbors Podcast, where weshare the stories of our
favorite local brands.
I'm excited to introduce you tomy guest today.
We have Leanne Cola joining us,and she is with Smoke
and Mirrors Cigar Lounge.
Leanne, welcome to the podcast.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Thank you so much.
I'm happy to be here.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Well, I'm excited to dive into this and learn more
about you and your business.
So let's start there.
Share with us a little bitabout Smoke and Mirrors Cigar
Lounge.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
Sure.
Well, Smoke and Mirrors CigarLounge is a relaxed, grown-up
space in downtownFredericksburg.
It's where adults can unwind,enjoy premium cigars, catch a
game on one of our large screenTVs, settle into one of our
separate seating areas forconversation, or if you prefer
(01:07):
to be alone and maybe read abook or catch up on work because
we have Wi-Fi, free Wi-Fi.
We also have a beautiful patiospace.
It's covered and it has heat.
So it's comfortable year-round.
The atmosphere is smooth andunhurried.
We have soft lighting, lightjazz in the background, and it's
(01:30):
a vibe that feels both elevatedand welcoming.
We've intentionally created aspace where people can enjoy
themselves, connect, and justbreathe.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Very cool.
I love the concept so much, andit's something that is so
needed, especially in thedowntown Fredericksburg area.
And I know I've I've heard fromso many people how they love
the idea of having a spacethat's adults only.
You know, a lot of the wineriesand breweries, sometimes
(02:02):
there's a lot of kids runningaround, and people don't always
want that vibe.
So I love that you've createdthis cool adult vibe.
So that's awesome.
I love it.
So tell me a little bit aboutyou.
I'd love to learn yourbackground and your journey and
how this business came about.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
So my husband and I, along with my brother and his
wife, moved here from Seattle.
Um, we moved to theFredericksburg and King George
area.
And we really appreciated thecharacter and the charm of
Fredericksburg.
And as we settled in, werealized that our personal style
(02:44):
of uh socializing is morerelaxed and very adult.
And we wanted to enjoy like acalm, grown space and that you
can really have conversation andunwind.
So instead of trying to find aplace that fit our vibe, we
decided to create a space thatwe would like to come to.
(03:07):
Um, and that's how smoke andmirrors it started as a
reflection of how we like togather and connect.
And it's really been meaningfulto see that this atmosphere
that we created really resonatedwith so many other people too.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Yeah, yeah, I love that.
You found a need and youcouldn't find it, so you created
it on your own.
I love that so much.
So tell me, do you find thatthere are any myths or
misconceptions about yourbusiness?
Speaker 1 (03:38):
Well, absolutely.
I think that a lot of people,the biggest misconception is
that cigar lounges areintimidating or exclusive, um,
and that they're just for men,or that they're just for people
that know a lot about cigars.
And it's really quite theopposite here at Smoke and
(03:58):
Mirrors.
Our customers are incrediblydiverse: men, women, couples,
professionals, creatives, andpeople who are brand new to
cigars.
So we've worked really hard tocreate an environment where
anyone who enjoys goodconversation and good company
can feel at home.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
I love that.
That's awesome.
So someone who knows nothingabout cigars could come in and
you could give them a suggestionand they could fit right in.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
Absolutely.
That's the idea.
And our customers will jump inand help out too.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Oh, I love that.
That's fun.
I love it.
So tell me, you clearly areworking hard in your business.
So when you're not working,what are you doing for fun?
Speaker 1 (04:44):
When I'm not working, um, I love exploring the other
small businesses in the area.
Fredericksburg has a lot tooffer.
The wineries, the distilleries,the restaurants that make
Fredericksburg special.
We also like traveling andbringing inspiration back home
with us from other lounges andcultures that we experience.
(05:07):
And when we're not doing that,well, we're usually with friends
and family, sharing food,laughter, and of course,
enjoying a good cigar.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
I love that.
I love that.
So many hidden gems inFredericksburg.
There's so much to explore.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
I love it.
Okay, so if someone came to youand they also were um looking
for something, they saw a needthat wasn't being filled in the
community, and they wanted tostart their own business and
they came to you and asked foradvice, what would you tell
them?
Speaker 1 (05:43):
Hmm.
I'd say the biggest advicewould be to um wait for
everything to be perfect.
Um, it's never going to be.
Start with what you have.
Uh trust your vision and growas you go.
(06:04):
Build relationships, communityand connection will carry you
further than any marketingstrategy.
That would be my biggestadvice.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Yeah, yeah, such great advice.
It's a connections can take youso far.
I love it.
What is something that you wishthe listeners knew about Smoke
and Mirrors Cigar Lounge?
Speaker 1 (06:33):
That's sorry.
No problem.
Um okay.
That smoke and mirrors justisn't just about cigars, it's
about connection.
(06:53):
People come here and buildfriendships, network and unwind,
and just feel seen.
Everything from the music tothe seating layout, uh, to the
covered and heated patio is veryintentional.
It's designed to let peopleknow, slow down and enjoy
themselves.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
I love that.
So if the listeners want tocome visit, if they want to
connect with you, where can theyfind you?
We love to have you visit.
(07:53):
We're located at 1411 PrincessAnn Street in downtown
Fredericksburg.
You can follow us on Instagramand Facebook and at smoke and at
Smoke and Mirrors Cigar Lounge.
And we have a website which iswww.smcigarlounge.com.
(08:15):
Amazing, amazing.
Leanne, thank you so much forjoining me on the podcast today
and sharing Smoke and MirrorsCigar Lounge with us.
We'll have to check it out.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Thank you so much.
Really appreciate it.
It was fun being here.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
Thank you.
Speaker (08:31):
Thank you for listening to the Fredericksburg Neighbors
Podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go to FXBGNeighborsPodcast.com.
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