78 TOBACCO BUSINESS | SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER | 22 the employees and overseeing the training. If he saw a straw on the floor, he would freak out, and he wanted those working in the humidor to be perfect— knowledgeable on liquor, spirits and cigars, and always buttoned up. His desire for everything to be perfect grew to be a hindrance and ultimately prevented him from enjoying his time at Burn. It was at this point when he realized something had to change. “Finally, we got some good general managers. It took a long time to get managers. That’s the most difficult thing: to get great staff, educated staff and good managers. I finally got a great director of operations; his name is Stephen Drenth. He used to work for the Columbia Restaurant Group in Tampa, and he managed a number of their restaurants. He’s really lifted a big burden off my back.” Being able to concentrate on what he loves, which is conceptualizing and design, and having others like Drenth on staff that can focus on the daily operations and other tasks has helped Patel expand his empire into new categories. He’s most proud of the experience he and his staff have built around the Burn by Rocky Patel brand. He’s able to check off many of the boxes on his original wish list for Burn. As a brand, Burn by Rocky Patel is not your father’s cigar lounge. Instead, it’s a hip, cool and exciting venue that’s beautifully designed and has great music. Burn also appeals to a wide audience. People in their 20s and up pack each location every day, women love Burn because of its design and amenities, and even non-smokers feel at home at Burn by Rocky Patel. “The overall experience that you get when you come here is that it’s fun, and it’s something that is upbeat. It’s not a bunch of old people sitting around smoking and telling stories,” says Patel. Although itmay surprisemany, Patel is especially focusedon thosepatrons that aren’t cigar smokers. He recognizes that by creating a memorable experience for each customer, he also has the opportunity to help build the next generation of cigar smokers within each Burn location. There’s always a customer that comes into Burn that has never smoked a cigar before, but they become curious after seeing people of all backgrounds, genders and ages taking part in the cigar lifestyle while in Burn. This is why each staff member is trained to help these curious customers find a suitable cigar if they’re interested in lighting up. Those new to cigar smoking are typically led to a mild, creamy, smooth cigar. The interaction doesn’t end with the transaction. The customer is then educated by the Burn staff member to help ensure their smoking experience goes well. “We teach them how to cut a cigar, how to light a cigar and how to enjoy a cigar. Once they learn that, they come back over time, and they want to keep coming back because [Burn is] a cool place. They then graduate frommild to medium, and then ultimately frommedium to full,” Patel explains. Therein lies perhaps the most important role Burn plays in Rocky Patel’s overall business: Because Patel’s premium cigars are all prominently featured within each Burn venue, Burn by Rocky Patel helps introduce new customers to Patel’s cigar brand. Burn by Rocky Patel also serves as a manifestation of everything Patel has worked hard to establish within his namesake brand. “If you look at our brand positioning from our advertising campaigns, social media campaigns and our packaging, overall the look is pretty hip. After launching the inaugural Burn by Rocky Patel in Naples, Florida, new locations opened in additional cities including Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis and Oklahoma City.
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