| You've probably seen a hookah. Most children | | | | of age, as well. Production of hookah shisha |
| who grew up in the United States have almost | | | | is at an all-time high and major |
| certainly seen a hookah. But, like most | | | | manufacturers are creating more and more |
| people, you've likely forgotten what one | | | | flavors to be consumed by customers |
| looks like and what they're used for. Think | | | | worldwide. Flavors include everything from |
| back. Recall the tale of a girl named Alice | | | | fruity apples and oranges to regional |
| who seemingly stranded in a strange, | | | | favorites like bubble gum and vanilla. In |
| imaginative world. In Lewis Carroll's story, | | | | all, there are more than 50 different flavors |
| Alice in Wonderland, Alice stumbles upon an | | | | to choose from and more are being added all |
| arrogant and inquisitive caterpillar. | | | | the time. The precise mixture of ingredients |
| Perched atop a giant mushroom, and smoking | | | | has also yielded a tobacco with flavor that |
| what appears to be a strange musical | | | | lasts longer. In fact, one person can smoke |
| instrument, the caterpillar asks Alice a | | | | can smoke a bowl of tobacco for nearly an |
| quite memorable question-- "Who are YOU?" | | | | hour without having to change the tobacco. |
| The musical instrument is not really a | | | | |
| musical instrument at all. It is, in fact, a | | | | |
| hookah and this hookah-smoking caterpillar is | | | | |
| how most children get their first glimpse of | | | | A small number of entrepreneurs have |
| this curiously strange smoking device. | | | | recognized the potential of the hookah and |
| | | | have begun to open bars and cafes that are |
| | | | specifically-tailored toward the rental and |
| | | | sales of hookahs. In just a short period of |
| When Lewis Carroll wrote the story of Alice | | | | time, they've proven that there is some |
| in 1865, hookahs had been in existence and in | | | | serious money to be made in the hookah |
| use for several centuries. Though never | | | | service industry for those willing to venture |
| really popular in European countries, the | | | | into seemingly unchartered territories. Most |
| hookah was and is still very popular in | | | | surprising is the low initial investment |
| Eastern cultures like Egypt and India. So, | | | | required to open a hookah establishment. For |
| how is it that this mysterious thing called | | | | most locations, as little as 10 to 15 hookahs |
| hookah has never seen its day in Europe or, | | | | per 1,000 square feet of customer seating |
| in more recent times, the United States? | | | | area is sufficient and will virtually |
| Perhaps the time is upon us! | | | | guarantee that there are enough hookahs to go |
| | | | around. When purchased in larger lots, the |
| | | | cost of each hookah can run anywhere from $20 |
| | | | to $80 dollars and some wholesalers will even |
| In the past, cigars have been the 'gourmet | | | | provide the hookahs for free if the bar or |
| smoke' for those wishing to break out of the | | | | cafe agrees to purchase their hookah tobacco |
| conventional, cigarette-smoking mold. | | | | from the company. Rental fees for hookahs |
| Crafted from higher-grade tobaccos and | | | | run anywhere from $10 in a hookah cafe to $25 |
| hand-rolled in exotic lands, cigars have | | | | in hookah bars! Of course, the rental plan |
| become a true contender to the | | | | is entirely up to the business owner and |
| additive-infused cigarettes of modern day. | | | | usually includes a single bowl of hookah |
| Cigars have become so popular, in fact, that | | | | shisha to smoke. Lower-priced refills of |
| they have cropped up an entire industry that | | | | hookah tobacco encourage customers to stick |
| is based around their existence. Cigar and | | | | around and socialize in the intimate |
| specialty tobacco shops are evidence of the | | | | environment. Most customers do not smoke by |
| profit to be made from selling tobacco in a | | | | themselves, opting instead for groups of 3 to |
| different form factor than that of the | | | | 4 people. This will reduce the longevity of |
| cigarette. In addition to cigar shops, cigar | | | | each bowl of tobacco and increase the number |
| bars have proven that smoking-tailored | | | | of refills purchased by each group. |
| establishments can be both | | | | |
| socially-acceptable and huge profit centers | | | | |
| for their owners. It is society's acceptance | | | | |
| of the cigar bar that makes hookah bars and | | | | Before you can begin renting hookahs, you |
| hookah cafes a possibility! | | | | must first check with local, state and |
| | | | federal governments to ensure that you will |
| | | | not be breaking any laws or regulations. For |
| | | | most areas, a tobacco sales tax permit or |
| There is no doubt that the tobacco industry | | | | license is all that is required to begin |
| has seen better days and, from the aftermath | | | | renting hookahs. Of course, this is |
| of the Big Tobacco lawsuits, it's a wonder | | | | supplemental to the typical state sales tax |
| that these companies are still around. Did | | | | permit or license. You will also need to |
| you know that there are over 600 | | | | check local zoning requirements and determine |
| legally-allowed additives that tobacco | | | | the best location for your bar or cafe. |
| companies can add to their cigarettes? | | | | There are a number of wholesalers available |
| That's an amazing cocktail of chemicals that | | | | to get your cafe or bar up and running in the |
| cigarette smokers are putting into their | | | | shortest amount of time possible. It is |
| bodies every time they choose to light up! | | | | recommended that you opt for customer service |
| In comparison, today's hookah tobacco, | | | | and support over pennies saved, as it is |
| commonly referred to as shisha (pronounced: | | | | often difficult to find companies that are |
| shee-shuh), is comprised only of a handful of | | | | in-tune with the American way of doing |
| natural ingredients. These ingredients are | | | | business. |
| typically tobacco, all-natural glycerin or | | | | |
| honey, sugar and natural flavorings. That's | | | | |
| 596 additives short of what could be in a | | | | |
| normal, run-of-the-pack cigarette! It's | | | | In addition to hookahs, you will need to |
| facts like these that bring most people to | | | | choose between a bar or cafe concept. Cafes |
| believe that hookah smoking is a less-harmful | | | | are generally easier to open and require a |
| alternative to smoking cigarettes. | | | | minimal amount of additional capital. The |
| Unfortunately, no major study has been | | | | largest expenditure will be the espresso |
| performed to evaluate the health effects of | | | | machine and this will run anywhere from |
| smoking hookah. So, we'll have to wait for a | | | | $2,000 to $14,000 depending upon the brand, |
| definitive answer to that question. | | | | model and, if used, the age of the machine. |
| | | | If you plan the cafe route, it is recommended |
| | | | that you pick up a copy of "Start and Run a |
| | | | Coffee Bar" (Matzen & Harrison, Self Counsel |
| When the Turkish invented the hookah | | | | Press 2002). Although not hookah-oriented, |
| centuries ago, they did so with one goal in | | | | it's filled with the ins-and-outs of running |
| mind. Up to that time, tobacco had been | | | | a cafe and what is required to operate all of |
| smoked in pipes that are reminiscent of | | | | the various cafe machines. If you want to |
| American Indian peace pipes. When smoking | | | | open a hookah bar that serves alcoholic |
| from these pipes, the smoke was at a | | | | beverages, it is definitely recommended that |
| temperature very close to the burning tobacco | | | | you open near a college or university campus. |
| itself. Someone came up with the idea of | | | | This will give you a steady flow of new, |
| filtering the smoke through water to cool the | | | | fresh bodies that will save your bar from |
| smoke to an enjoyable temperature. The | | | | going stale with the locals. The hookah bar |
| simplicity of the hookah made it an instant | | | | concept, when coupled with college towns, has |
| hit and has been a major reason why hookahs | | | | proven to be the most successful and |
| are still prevalent in so many Eastern | | | | profitable hookah business ventures. There |
| cultures. Though not originally planned when | | | | are, of course, caveats to opening a bar of |
| the hookah was invented, the water that the | | | | any type. You will have to cut through |
| smoke passes through actually acts as a | | | | significantly more 'red tape' but the payoff |
| natural filter that helps filter tar and | | | | should definitely be worth the time and |
| other impurities created when tobacco is | | | | effort. Hookah bars are one of the fastest |
| smoked. Many years after the hookah was | | | | growing concepts for college towns and offer |
| invented, someone would accidentally drop | | | | a fresh, new environment for 20-somethings to |
| their tobacco into some molasses, thus paving | | | | hang out. |
| the way for modern hookah shisha. It was the | | | | |
| addition of molasses, now substituted by | | | | |
| all-natural glycerin, which slowed the rate | | | | |
| at which the tobacco burned and actually made | | | | As you can see, hookahs have edged their way |
| it possible to heat the tobacco rather than | | | | into the European and American lifestyle. |
| burning it. Heating tobacco results in | | | | The cigar bars of yesteryear have paved the |
| greater flavor potential and lowers the | | | | way for a unique opportunity for the |
| amount of nicotine that is released while | | | | entrepreneurs of today. Hookah cafes and |
| smoking. | | | | hookah bars stand to make millions by |
| | | | providing the public with something that |
| | | | they've been looking for and haven't been |
| | | | able to find in the countless other cafes and |
| The hookahs of today, while being modernized | | | | bars. Hookahs bring back the social, |
| and updated, have remained true to their | | | | intimate gatherings of friends that have long |
| creator's initial goal. Traditionally made | | | | been lost to the hustle and bustle of modern |
| of glass and brass, hookahs are now being | | | | life. Oh, and who knows? Your hookah bar or |
| produced of materials such as acrylic, | | | | cafe could be the next big thing!Ethan Frost |
| crystal and steel. Also, the once | | | | is a hookah evangelist and managing editor |
| hand-crafted art has transformed into a | | | | for Hookah Hoopla!, the Web's premier hookah |
| full-blown industry that is selling record | | | | news site. |
| numbers of hookahs. Hookah shisha has come | | | | |