After years of military service, including deployments to Iraq, Mongolia and Norway, three veterans have found a calling that’s lighting up the New Jersey scene.
Inspired by shared memories of smoking cigars during the quiet moments of their time in the service, the Mobile Cigar Lounge offers personalized cigar experiences for weddings and private events.
Co-founders Joey Mac Dizon, Alvaro Patrick and Miley Massed started the business in 2018 with a mission centered around the same values they honored in the military: camaraderie, teamwork and dedication.
The three assembled a team of more than 60, including more than a dozen veterans from every branch of the U.S. military, first responders from police, fire, EMS and EMT services and more than 15 military family members and first responders.
“This is our tribe,” Dizon said. “These guys are resilient and disciplined. They also like to hang out and smoke cigars.”
A joint company now based in southeast Sussex County, Mobile Cigar Lounge staff members have their own specific roles from logistics to customer relations. Some have a different role to play. Often dressed in Cuban guayabera shirts and classic fedoras, they roll cigars by hand.
Dizon, who joined the Marine Corps as a reservist three days after graduating from Belleville High School, learned to come to Texas from a Cuban expert, spending eight to 10 hours each day for a week under his tutelage. There is a lot of variety in cigars, he said, from the style of rolling to the tobacco used. However, he said they are all essentially the same. They are vessels to capture memories that can live forever, he said.
Dizon shares his experience, serving as a rifleman as part of Golf Company in the 2nd Battalion/25th Regiment in the 4th Marine Corps Reserve in New Jersey.
Somewhere between mine digging and patrol duty at Forward Operating Base Akashat in Iraq, Dizon had his first cigar. It was a moment to relax and reflect on the moment with his fellow soldiers, he said.
“It was a ‘let your hair down’ moment, where you kind of forget where you are,” he said. “I may not remember the cigar, but I remember the people I smoked with.”
Patrick was there with Dizon in Iraq. The two also served together during deployments to Mongolia and Norway. Like Dizon, Patrick had his first cigar in the army. He stayed away from cigarettes, but the cigar felt more sophisticated. As an entrepreneur, he quickly bought into Dizon’s plan to sell cigars at vendor events.
Massed, Dizon’s college friend and an Army veteran, joined the project. Planning began in the spring of 2018, and that September, Dizon made his first sales at the Fire Watch Festival in Fair Lawn. Soon, clients started asking about their availability for private parties.
“We completely change the business model,” Patrick said. “We said this is great and all, but how do we bring people together?”
The answer was a 1973 Airstream trailer. Inspired by the mobility and adaptability of food trucks, the business now centers on a smoking lounge on wheels.
The vision took off in 2018, when Dizon won a Shark Tank-style competition called Vet Tank at Kean University. The win came with a $20,000 grant from the New Jersey Small Business Development Center. It also brought confidence that the business could succeed, Dizon said.
From a simple table filled with cigars, the business has evolved on the back of its signature offering. Housed in a gleaming aluminum Airstream, the elegant and luxurious lounge helps set the scene. Clad in embossed tin panels and lots of leather and wood, she has been in service since 2021.
Although the Airstream is its centerpiece, the Mobile Cigar Lounge offers a tailored experience, with a variety of options. There are exclusive coffee and whiskey pairings, inviting guests to explore rich flavors that elevate the experience.
The staff dress up for the occasion, creating an atmosphere that combines luxury and nostalgia while also introducing guests to the intricacies of cigar craftsmanship. On-site cigar rolling experts invite guests to partake, chat and relax.
The company also sells curated cigars, accessories and branded merchandise directly to consumers through its website. Custom cigar bands and matchbooks are also available. A portion of all profits go to charities that support veterans.
Dizon, who served on active duty from 2005-2011, was working at a veterans nonprofit called Hope For The Warriors when he started the business. He has also created his own charity organization designed to attract veterans interested in the military contracting pipeline through events and social media.