Salem Street Cigar Lounge

Set inside a century-old house, Salem Street Cigar Lounge has become one of the most beloved cigar spots in Apex, North Carolina, and folks come from all over the Raleigh-Durham area to spend an afternoon here. Walk in and you're treated like a regular from the very first visit. Ask anyone who shops here and they'll tell you the same thing: the staff greet you like an old friend, and Larry in particular has a way of making a first-timer feel like a local before they've even sat down. The humidor is the heart of the place, and it's a big one.

Locals will tell you the selection runs deep, with plenty of popular brands and premium cigars kept fresh. If you're hunting something hard to find, this is the spot people mention for the Rojas Street Taco series, which regulars say you won't easily find anywhere else nearby. The team knows the humidor inside and out, and they're genuinely happy to walk you through picks whether you're after an old favorite or something new to try. Table lighters and cutters are set out throughout, so everything you need is right there.

The lounge itself is what keeps people coming back. There's a large main area with comfortable seating, plus a quieter second room with no TV, set up for anyone who wants to work or just unwind. You can smoke inside or out, which is a real draw during cold months or those humid, mosquito-heavy North Carolina evenings. Members swear by the perks, and the word around Apex is that things have gotten even better under newer management.

One longtime visitor put it simply: this is the place to go in the Raleigh-Durham area. It's the kind of spot where the furnishings show real care and the people behind the counter show even more.