Harrison Thorp
Monday, July 6, 2015 6:58 am
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ROCHESTER - When Rob Cyr was looking to quit smoking he tried everything from the gum to the patch to cold turkey. Nothing worked.
Then he joined the vape community.
"I got it and started vaping on a Friday," he said recently. "Then I smoked four cigarettes on Saturday, and three Sunday, and then I said to myself, 'Hey, I can do this.'"
"The vaping was satisfying me," he said. "I had one more cigarette about three weeks later and I was like, 'Boy is this dirty' and that was my last cigarette."
Now a year later Cyr and his son, Christian, are trying to build their own vape community in Rochester. It's called Granite State Vapor, and its headquarters are at 42 South Main St. in downtown Rochester.
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| A typical startup vape cigarette, which includes three components: the battery, the vessel holding the vapor liquid and the mouthpiece. (Lebanon Voice/Harrison Thorp photo) |
Vape cigarettes produce exponentially more smoke than regular electronic cigarettes and provide smokers a much more satiating experience, Cyr said.
"You can get anything you want, from the feel of a mild ultra light to a throat kick like in a Camel nonfilter," Cyr said, adding you can also adjust your nicotine, battery and air levels to accommodate any taste or preference.
Speaking of taste, Cyr said there are all kinds to choose from, including traditional tobacco tastes to fruity ones to one called, "drunken waffle."
Cyr likes green apple.
"Going in it tastes like tobacco, but exhaling it has an aftertaste of green apple."
He said people trying to quit smoking will always go for the traditional tobacco flavors, while younger patrons will try the fruity options. Right now he has customers from 18 to75, he said.
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| The vapor in liquid from. This batch is from Granite State Vapor's own lab in Colebrook. (Courtesy photo) |
He said a good vape startup will cost about $60 and a typical supply of vape that will last a pack a day smoker might cost $3. The lounge will also soon be selling vape cigars and pipes.
Granite State Vapor already has a growing clientele after opening last month.
Cyr said there could be anywhere from three to thirty in their vape lounge any given evening, and he knows of at least five people who came in the first week he was open, began vaping and quit smoking altogether.
Cyr, who is from Gilmanton Iron Works, said the lounge is open every day from noon to 10 p.m.
"We want this to be a hangout spot where you come in, maybe try a new flavor and maybe do some cloud chasing,"
"Cloud chasing" is when you see how much "smoke" you can fill the room with.
"Veteran smokers cringe because they think it's going to smell gross, but there's nothing to it, it's just vapor," Cyr said.
"You see and think it will bother you, but it doesn't," he said.
Another store in Laconia is also in the works.
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