The Smoke Pit Specializes in Premium Cigars
Photographer / Amy Payne
Reid Storvick, owner of The Smoke Pit in Greenwood, says the name of his new cigar lounge was inspired by his days as a Marine.
Im not on active duty anymore, but when I was serving in the Marine Corps we would get together on the bases, or the places we were stationed at, and congregate in an area for smoking that was called the Smoke Pit, Storvick says.
During his time in the Marines, Storvick served in Afghanistan among other places.
I loved having a good smoke with friends when I was in the Smoke Pit, Storvick says. It brings people together. You can calm down and relax with a good cigar. It was a great feeling of friendship. I wanted to create that same experience for other people, so thats how I came up with the concept for a nice place like The Smoke Pit, which will have a cigar lounge.
Storvick says he wants the shop to be a place customers can go to when they want to unwind and get away from the stresses of life.
Enjoying a good cigar with friends can be a great way to celebrate an accomplishment, or just relax with your spouse or some good friends, Storvick says. In these crazy times, I want to offer people a nice place to get a premium cigar and just unwind. Ill have an area to accommodate couples, and another area for bigger groups. People can come in dressed nice, or just in jeans and a T-shirt.
Storvick has big plans for The Smoke Pit.
We have a large, walk-in humidor able to store 140 boxes of cigars, Storvick says. We will have high-end, boutique, premium cigars and accessories. We will also sell humidors, including some nice travel sizes. We will have eight-count and 25-count humidors.
Storvick says the cigar brands for sale will include Perdomo Habano Connecticut, Viva La Vida Club 500, Platinum Nova and Southern Draw, among others.
We also have local cigars called Cedar Creek, which are great and have a local flavor, he says.
Storvick adds that he is seeking an alcoholic beverage permit.
My goal is to be able to serve people some whiskey or bourbon, which goes great with a premium cigar, he says.
When Storvick isnt busy with The Smoke Pit, he works as a firefighter for the Indianapolis Fire Department.
Ive been with the Fire Department since 2017, he says. Im a substitute firefighter. I go around to 43 different fire stations in different areas. Its a job that I love and enjoy.
When Storvick was first thinking about how nice it would be to have his own cigar lounge, he jokingly ran the idea past his wife Jessica.
A few days later, she brought me a business plan that was a rough draft, he says. There were a lot of great ideas in the plan. I was thrilled to see she was supportive of my dream, so I edited the plan and got myself in gear.
Storvick is the son of David Storvick, pastor and director at Greenwood-based 148 Ministries, a nonprofit organization that seeks to help women who have been wounded physically, emotionally and sexually.
Im always inspired by my father and the great work he does, and Im inspired by my wife and family, which includes our 10-year-old twin boys and a seven-year-old daughter, Storvick says. They make me very happy, and motivate me all time.
Storvick is also motivated to make The Smoke Pit a success.
I hope the COVID-19 restrictions start to ease more, and people will be able to go out more and have a good time, he says. I cant wait to make this a relaxing destination for people.
The Smoke Pit is located at 221 West Main Street in Greenwood, For more info, call 317-883-7550 and visit facebook.com/thesmokepitindy.
