"I Don't Smoke," She Said,
"But A Cigar Every So Often, Mmmmmmm."

Timothy's Fine Cigars Is Downtown Bay City's Smokers' Oasis

June 24, 2007
By: O. J. Cunningham

The lights are bright on the corner of Center and Saginaw Street in Downtown Bay City. Big glass windows. I can see inside.

There's crowd in that corner building that used to house Decorating Palette. What could be going on?

I don't recognize anyone as I drive by but the gathering gets my attention.

I pull around the corner and park.

Walking toward the building I immediately get a feeling of friendship and camaraderie inside.

I hear laughing and a general hum of meaningful, intelligent conversation as I swing the door open and enter.

It's Thursday night. WHERE AM I?

You Guessed It - It's the 2nd Thursday of the month and It's Cigar Night at Timothy's Fine Tobaccos at 115 Center Ave. in Downtown Bay City.

Tim Socier, owner and operator of Timothy's Fine Tobaccos, calls himself a "tobacconist." But after spending just a short time with Tim, you will find out he's a service oriented guy that has fallen in love with cigars. "I love life and I love cigars," Socier said, smiling.

Barb Dinauer was inside Timothy's enjoying a cigar. "It's all about Tim and the wonderful atmosphere of this place," Dinauer said. "I don't smoke (cigarettes)," Dinauer said. " "But a good cigar every so often, Mmmmmmm," Dinauer smiled.

And it turns out the Timothy's Fine Tobaccos has over 300 different brand names in inventory to satisfy almost every cigar lover's taste.

"We've got everything from a 94-cent cigar to a $30 premium hand-made Nicaraguan 40th Anniversary Padron," Socier said, pointing to a store-long display case filled with an uncountable mixture of fine tobacco offerings.


Socier is looking forward to Saturday July 14th when the "Be Cool Car Show" will fill the street in front of his store's new location. "We have a number of special events, including the Summer Cigar Festival, planned around the Be Cool event," Socier said.

The lounge toward the back of the store has a mixture of comfortable chairs and a sofa or two where cigar aficionados can relax, read or enjoy a large flat-screen television.

And there are private (controlled environment) lockers for your own private stash of cigars. "We currently have 32 lockers installed," Socier said. "And they're all rented at $100 per year." Socier said he has plans to install another 52 lockers as soon as he can. "I have a waiting list for the new ones that is 33 names long," Socier added.

Timothy's also has 2,000 square feet upstairs above the main floor of his operation. "We are planning a few charity dinners, putting in a pool table and might just have a Euchre tournament or two later this year," Socier said.

I chatted with the cigar puffers in Timothy's for just a short while.

Talking to cigar lovers is like talking to wine lovers. If you don't get it, they don't seem to mind.

But here in the lounge at Timothy's, I get the same feeling I get when watching Alan Shore and Denny Crane (Boston Legal) out on their balcony at the end of every Tuesday night's episode.

It's a place of celebration. It's an oasis in the middle of the everyday world. It's a place to just be yourself. And if Tim Socier has anything to say about it, you just might make a new friend or two.

Like Barb Dinauer, I don't smoke either . . . but hey, a good cigar once in a while . . .

Denny Crane . . .