A Visit to W. Curtis Draper and Shelly’s Back Room in Washington D.C.s

Circumstances were such that I found myself on a bus to our nations capital yesterday. My wife wanted to attend the women’s march, I have no problem with that, I think women are great, although I think it sucks that there are so many agendas and negativity distracting from the intent of the whole thing. I can do without people in my face with political agendas and crowds, I’m really uncomfortable in crowds. So, since this whole event was happening around the White House, and W. Curtis Draper’s shop is literally catty corner from the White House. I get the impression that it’s been there for a while, probably since 1887 or so. I figured I’d pop in there and smoke a few cigars. It was freezing cold and rainy too. W. Curtis Draper is a beautiful tobacconist shop, well appointed, plenty of selection, cigars, pipes, humidors, accessories, the works. The staff was attentive, and the shop was clean and smoke free. Yes, smoke free. I come to find that sometime last September the landlord decided that smoking would no longer be permitted in the shop! Apparently the building changed owners and the feeling is that this is a ploy to try to drive them out to be able to lease the space for more money. This threw a monkey wrench into my plans, and I was barely able to thaw my toes. Naturally, I bought cigars anyway, Fratello’s DMV Maryland selection, and worked on my alternative plan. 

A few blocks away was Shelly’s Back Room, I’ve been there once many years ago. It’s a classic D.C. Cigar location. Here’s where I have to be very careful not to offend any of my “alternate lifestyle” readers with anything that might be perceived as bigotry or intolerance. I thought it was funny. Like i said, I hadn’t been to this establishment in many years, so when I walked in, being alone, a very white-bread, middle-aged married guy, I noticed that just about everyone in the place looked like the biker in the Village People. What did I just walk into? I’m weighing my comfort levels…outside freezing rain in a huge crowd or inside with a cigar with men who obviously aren’t going to bother me if they know I’m not into what they are into. I know I stick out like a sore thumb but I’m the only one who seems to notice, so I get seated in a corner and order a coffee and a cigar. My next decision is what cigar to smoke. Now, I’m grossly overpaying for a cigar, I understand I’m in a cigar bar and this is how things are, but the practical side of me, the side who knows what cigars cost and has many cigars at home and doesn’t “need” to buy a cigar struggles with over paying. It’s an illness. Looking at the menu I’m deciding which $9 cigar is going to give me $17 worth of pleasure, if that makes any sense. I can’t take chances on a mediocre cigar here, in my mind, the cigar I choose has to be an absolute winner. I have to say, I made the right choice, and they do have a very good cigar selection. I went with the E.P. Carillo Dusk, in the 6″ x 60 Solidos size. I would never pay $17 for this in a shop, but it was worth every penny to smoke under these circumstances. My wife joined me soon after, having grown weary of the march, and made some inquiries about what might be happening there that particular day. She will pretty much ask anyone anything, where I tend to be more reserved. She asked a gentleman wearing a full leather policeman’s uniform and apparently there was something called the Mid Atlantic Leather convention or something like that happening in town and they had their cigar social there. This was confirmed by a Canadian friend, so this must be fairly well known among those who know such things. While I sat there in jeans and a cotton shirt, with the only leather being suede Vans, everyone else was decked out in leather shirts, vests, jackets, pants, kilts, the works. I would not want to be in the hotel where this gathering was happening! There was nobody wearing chaps, before anyone asks, it was a cigar bar, they kept it classy. White-bread me found it odd though, and I’m glad I didn’t wear my leather jacket. We did eat while there also, the patty melt I had was very good, and the food prices are surprisingly reasonable.  I wouldn’t have traded the experience though, who else is going to have that cigar bar story to tell? If you’re in D.C., Shelly’s is a great place to go for a bite and a cigar! They have a bar too! 

That’s all I got today, the weather was lousy and I didn’t take many pictures, especially at Shelly’s. As much as I wanted to, I wanted to respect everyone’s privacy. I kept waiting to run into someone I knew…that would have been awkward…anyway, until the next time, 

CigarCraig