Jerry Williams Jr., 45, of Hillsboro said he will soon open The Glass Brick Cigars and Spirits cigar lounge at 112 Mississippi Ave. in Crystal City next to the Port Authority office.
Williams, who also owns J Co. Holiday Lighting, said the business will feature comfortable seating; a 200-square-foot walk-in humidor with a large selection of cigars, including both fine cigars and local craft cigars; a bar area with a wide selection of bourbon and mixed drinks; and a poker room.
Williams said the building on Mississippi Avenue had been vacant for many years, and renovations for the new business began in fall 2022.
“This is a 100-year-old building that we’re in. We’ve exposed the brick inside and it looks amazing. We completely gutted it and rebuilt everything out,” Williams said. “We had to chip an inch of solid plaster and concrete off the original brick walls. We took all the floor up from the whole place.”
Williams said he installed a state-of-the-art humidification system that runs on highly filtered water to keep their cigars fresh. The lounge also will have a state-of-the-art smoke removal system and air cleaners to ensure the lounge has an enjoyable atmosphere, even for non-smokers who want to relax and have a drink. Williams also installed RGB lights, so the light color and brightness may be changed to fit different events or to change the atmosphere.
“We want to make the atmosphere relaxed. It’s not like a rocking bar. It’s a nice place to come to relax and enjoy a conversation with somebody you might not ever meet on the street. But in the cigar lounge, you have those unique one-on-one conversations with complete strangers. That’s what I really love the most about the cigar lounge.”
Williams said he is creating a back patio area where guests may play lawn games, like cornhole, when the weather is nice. He also plans to convert a 30-foot trailer into a mobile cigar lounge that may be taken events, such as fairs.
He said he couldn’t have opened The Glass Brick without the help of his wife, Adrienne, 45, who owns the recently opened Eclectic Treasures and Gallery in Festus.
While Williams has no plans to make food at the cigar lounge, he plans to have food truck days and different ticketed events where catered meals will be served. He also hopes to work with other local businesses in the area, such as restaurants and breweries, and sell their products as well.
“The Glass Brick would love to work with local businesses in town to cater to our customers food requirements,” Williams said.
He said he plans to hold some soft opening events at the lounge at the end of April to make sure the business is ready to fully open. One of the events will be a social media friends-only event, so those who are interested should follow The Glass Brick on social media.
Williams said the business will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Monday through Saturday and will be closed on Sundays. The lounge will be open to those 21 and older.
He said he thinks the cigar lounge will be a great addition to the area and will help build on the revitalization he has begun seeing in Crystal City, particularly on Mississippi Avenue, with the ongoing rehabilitation of the old Crystal Tavern just a few doors down.
“I really like the cobblestone street. I feel like Crystal City is growing. It’s moving in the right direction,” Williams said. “Us being here is going to help bring even more eyes to the street. And maybe other buildings on the street will get sold and somebody will put in a restaurant or something. It’s a good place to be right now.”