Grand Cathedral Cigars is the coolest place to smoke in Tampa Bay

Grand Cathedral Cigars held its grand opening party in late May, but seems to have somehow escaped widespread notice, despite stories in the Tampa Bay Times and Creative Loafing.

On Saturday afternoon, a small crowd occupied about half of the barstools and comfortable chairs in the renovated 114-year-old First Congregational Church on Florida Avenue in Tampa Heights.

My take: I hope it stays that way. In fact, I thought twice about even mentioning this gem-of-a-bar that will become a destination for Cigar City visitors, whether they're connoisseurs or prefer the $4 Arturo Fuente Curly Heads like me.

• Its owners spared no expense in remodeling the long-empty church house.
• From the giant walk-in humidor with a top-shelf selection to the members-only lounge ($2,500 a year for Gold, $5,000 for Platinum) to the stained-glass windows, this enormous, classy establishment feels like both a local hangout and the place you bring your bad-ass boss when she lands at TPA.

Mark my words: This is a game-changer for the region.