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THURSDAY. JULY 19. 2007 PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS PAGE 9A
In Business with Tonya Bowen
By Sandy Gerhardt
Tonya Bowen's first
response to why she and her
husband Jed opened a cigar
store is “temporary insanity”.
The real story begins with
their mutual desire to own their
own business. With his back
ground in restaurants, both were
sure they didn't want the rigor
ous demands of the restaurant
business.
“My husband is a cigar
buff,” said Bowen. “He contact
ed his buddy who owns one [a
cigar store] on 400. It took five
months to get the licensing.”
The Humidor opened on
Highway 515 next to Goss
Tractor in November 2004.
Their current location is adja
cent to Kroger on Bill
Wigington Parkway.
“We are the only one within
45 minutes. We’re centrally
located and the only store of our
type in Jasper. We have 350 fac
ings of cigars, pipes and pipe
tobacco,” said Bowen, who
works two days a week at The
Humidor while also working as
an LPN for an internal-medicine
doctor.
Bowen and her husband, a
contractor for the military in
Iraq, met when they were both
Bowen’s Business:
The Humidor
61 Bill Wigington Pkwy
Suite 102
Jasper, GA 30143
Phone:
706-253-4706
Hours:
Mon.—Thurs. 10 to 6
Friday 10 to 7
Saturday 10 to 5
in the military. World travelers,
the couple, got married in Korea
twelve years ago.
“This is home for me, I did
my time in the military. I’m so
native I was born at Pickens
General,” said Bowen. “Jed is a
NORTH GA. LIMOUSINE
DANNY W. RYDER
Tonya Bowen, proprietor of The Humidor, near Kroger.
California boy.”
Bowen joined the military
eight months after she graduat
ed from Pickens High School.
Her intention was to get into the
medical field. What she discov
ered was that “medical was
frozen for a year”. The closest
the recruiter could get her to her
chosen field was MEDEVAC.
“The recruiter wrote down
the wrong number,” said
Bowen. “I was a Chinook heli
copter mechanic. I did nine
years altogether, left and went
to [nursing] school. I took me
the scenic route, but I got
there.”
No stranger to a male-domi
nated world, Bowen has adapt
ed easily to the cigar busi
ness—not that The Humidor
doesn’t have their share of
women visit the store.
“Flavored—the ladies love
them. Lots of ladies like to
smoke cigars,” said Bowen.
The first question Bowen
asks a customer is “Are you a
cigarette smoker?” She recom
mends a totally different cigar
to a non-smoker.
“A full-bodied cigar will
knock you out,” said Bowen
who has smoked every cigar in
the store. “Most guys don’t
inhale a cigar. A lot are trying to
give up cigarettes.”
The humidor at The
Humidor is fully enclosed in
cedar and is kept at a constant
70 degrees with 70% humidity.
“You have to keep cigars
moist and cool. Never ever
freeze a cigar. It is best kept in a
humidor,” said Bowen. “We do
accessories (lighters, cutters)
and we actually sell humidors.”
In addition to running a busi
ness and her nursing job, Bowen
tends to 32 chickens:
Americanas and Barred Rocks.
While the Bowens are “used
to being apart” from their stint
in the military, December is sure
to be a joyful reunion for the
couple and their eight year old
daughter.
New business in town or
not so new? Contact writer
Sandy Gerhardt who pens
promising new proprietor
ships or interesting older
ones into print in this weekly
feature space. E-mail Sandy
at slhardt@ellijay.com.
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706-276-4881
The TOPS losers
Take Off Pounds Sensibly announces who lost the most
Our 2nd Quarter TOPS (Take
Off Pounds Sensibly)
Percentage Challenge has come
to a close and we have our win
ners. First place was award
ed to Lisa Harris, who received
our fitness basket; Second place
winner was our leader, Vickie
Hall; Third place went to Janice
Payne.
Special thanks to Terri
Sparshott of Curves who pro
vided a one-month membership
and a two-week membership as
awards for our contest.
Our next challenge has
begun and will run through
September 25. It's a great way
to make new friends and help
each other reach our fitness
goals! Join the fun.
We will host an Open House
on Tuesday, July 31 at 5:30 p.m.
Come meet our contest winners
and members who have reached
their goals. We will be crowning
our Chapter Queen for fiscal
year 2006 and award Division
Winner prizes.
Guest speaker, Terri
Sparshott will share the impor-
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183 Cornett Lane South
Jasper, GA 30143
Located on 515, 1/2 mile north of Goss Tractor
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CALL FOR PRICES
678-255-6368 or
706-692-4487
TOPS 2nd Quarter Percentage Challenge winners (l-r):
Lisa Harris, Vickie Hall and Janice Payne.
tance of implementing exercise
with our eating plans.
TOPS meets each Tuesday
night in the fellowship hall of
Cool Springs Baptist Church in
Weigh-in starts at 5:30
usually end by
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Tate,
p.m.
Meetings
6:30 p.m.
TOPS is a non-profit group
headquartered in Milwaukee.
There is an annual fee of $24 to
join, and $5 per month chapter
dues.
You will receive a bi-month
ly magazine and be eligible for
State and International
Recognition for your weight
loss.
You can receive your first
visit free at any meeting. Call
Vickie Hall, Chapter Leader at
678-325-0301 if you have ques
tions.
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Preferred Closing Attorney:
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51 -D Bryant St.
Jasper, Ga 30143
706-253-7700
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