Visit The Arboretum to escape the afternoon rush hour on Mopac at Heroes and Legacies. This is probably the most elaborate smoke shop in town. It carries cigars, pipes, pipe tobacco, personal humidors, air purifiers, pipe and cigar tools, fine pens, soaps, lighters and other elegant gifts. There are two walk-in humidors, one for regular cigars and the other for more top-of-the-line products. Membership in the Havana Lounge Club gets you a private cigar locker, as well as access to the elegant paneled club room, with numerous satellite televisions, a conference room and high-speed Internet access.
See how it's all done from loose leaves to the finished product at Bobalu Cigar Company. This store is in the heart of the Sixth Street entertainment district and is best-known for having on-site cigar rollers, one of whom usually sits in the front window rolling for the crowds outside. You can hire a roller for an event or take a seven-day rolling class and learn how to do it yourself. The store stocks only the company's house brand of cigars, but you can get them with personalized labels.
Flee the anti-smoking hysteria of downtown at Palacio Fine Cigars. The owners are well-informed and eager to educate you on the cigar lifestyle. The humidor is well- and diversely stocked and there is a cigar lounge available for members that includes private lockers and wireless Internet access.
Head to Pipe World if you're a no-fuss smoker. This store was a mainstay of Northcross Mall for years before moving across the street. There's also a location in Round Rock, Texas. There's a well-stocked humidor and an extensive array of pipe tobaccos, both factory-packed and freshly mixed, as well a pipes, gifts, gaming sets, artwork and other collectibles.
Pop in to 4th Street Tobacco (formerly Ruta Maya Tobacco) if you're in the Warehouse District and need some smokes or a break from the noise and music. Originally, this shop was located inside a coffee house called Ruta Maya. That business moved to South Austin and a new coffee house called Halcyon opened in its place, though the smoke shop kept the original name for a time. Then the Ruta Maya coffee house started its own cigar bar. Confused yet? Well either way, 4th Street has a nice selection of foreign and domestic cigarettes and a nice walk-in humidor.
Stock up on water pipes, imported cigarettes, rolling papers and other smoker's paraphernalia at Planet K, Oat Willie's or Gas Pipe. To some, these stores are time capsules hearkening back to Austin's freaky past, while to others, they are bastions of endangered personal freedoms. Planet K has six Austin locations, while Oat Willie's and Gas Pipe have two.
