Pull to refresh
Logo
What Changed
Following Why Sign Up
Brothers open cigar lounge inside former Grand Rapids bank, vault becomes humidor

Brothers open cigar lounge inside former Grand Rapids bank, vault becomes humidor

Money Moves Grand Rapids, MI local

Patel's Cigar Lounge & Spirits on Bridge Street stocks about 500 cigars and a full bar, with a grand opening set for Nov. 13-15 as downtown rival BOLD closes.

5 days ago: Downtown rival BOLD Cigar Bar announces closure

Overview

Updated Yesterday

A former Fifth Third Bank branch at 700 Bridge St. NW is now Patel's Cigar Lounge & Spirits, run by brothers Harsh and Tony Patel. The old bank vault is a walk-in humidor, and the lounge carries about 500 cigars priced from about $8 to nearly $100.

The brothers plan a grand opening celebration from Nov. 13 to 15. The same week, downtown's BOLD Cigar Bar and Lounge at 144 Fulton St. E is closing after almost seven years, with a final day on or before Nov. 28.

Why it matters

A new West Side cigar bar opens just as downtown's only established one closes, testing where Grand Rapids nightlife money goes.

Last Monday's email for Grand Rapids, MI

Sent Nov 9. It carried:

Get next Monday's: one short email a week. Free. Unsubscribe in one click.

Questions about this story

Free account needed to ask — your question is kept and asked for you right after sign-up. Answers are public.

No questions yet — be the first to ask.

Key Indicators

~500
Cigars available for sale
The lounge stocks roughly 500 cigar varieties across two humidors, per WOODTV.
2
Founding brothers
Harsh and Tony Patel own and operate the lounge.
25
Parking spaces
The lounge has a 25-space lot, which Tony Patel calls rare for the area, per WOODTV.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

Sign up to generate historical perspectives on this story.

Log in Sign Up

People Involved

Harsh Patel
Harsh Patel
Co-owner, Patel's Cigar Lounge & Spirits
Operating the lounge with his brother
TP
Tony Patel
Co-owner, Patel's Cigar Lounge & Spirits
Operating the lounge with his brother

Organizations Involved

Patel's Cigar Lounge & Spirits
Patel's Cigar Lounge & Spirits
Hospitality business
Open at 700 Bridge St. NW; grand opening celebration set for Nov. 13-15, 2026

A cigar lounge and spirits bar in a converted Fifth Third Bank branch on Grand Rapids' West Side.

Timeline

December 2023 November 2026

8 events Latest: 5 days ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Rocky Patel event scheduled at the lounge

    Upcoming Event

    Rocky Patel Premium Cigars lists an event at Patel's Cigar Lounge & Spirits at 700 Bridge St. NW from 3 to 8 p.m.

  2. Downtown rival BOLD Cigar Bar announces closure

    Latest Business Closure

    Owner Caitlin (Kate) Casimiro said BOLD Cigar Bar and Lounge at 144 Fulton St. E will close on or before Nov. 28 after almost seven years, depending on how fast remaining stock sells.

  3. Private first-responders event scheduled

    Event

    The lounge planned a private event to show appreciation for first responders. WOODTV did not report the outcome.

  4. WOODTV covers the opening

    Media Report

    WOODTV reports on the opening, spotlighting the bank-vault humidor and 500-cigar stock.

  5. Patel's Cigar Lounge & Spirits opens

    Business Launch

    Brothers open the lounge in a converted bank on Bridge Street, with a vault-turned-humidor.

  6. Planning Commission approves special land use and site plan

    Government Action

    The Grand Rapids Planning Commission approved the cigar lounge with alcohol service, indoor live entertainment and a small smoking patio. Conditions required opaque window film and limited patio hours.

  7. Conversion plans announced

    Announcement

    Brothers Harsh and Tony Patel tell Crain's Grand Rapids Business they plan to turn the former Fifth Third Bank branch at 700 Bridge St. NW into an upscale cigar lounge.

  8. Patel's Cigar Lounge & Spirits LLC registered

    Business Filing

    The company incorporates in Michigan, listing a registered agent at 700 Bridge St. NW in Grand Rapids.

Scenarios

1

Lounge becomes West Side destination fixture

Likely Resolves by Q3 2027

Discussed by: Local hospitality observers and WGRD coverage

The lounge holds its own through its first year, building a regular customer base and hosting events. Its position on the Bridge Street corridor, The lounge sits on Bridge Street near Gold Avenue NW., keeps foot traffic steady.

2

Early closure amid corridor competition

Possible Resolves by Q1 2028

Discussed by: Local hospitality analysts noting high first-year failure rates for bars

Heavy competition on Bridge Street and the broader Grand Rapids bar scene cuts into traffic. The lounge, dependent on a niche cigar audience, struggles to cover operating costs and shuts down or changes hands within 18 months.

3

Patels expand to a second location

Unlikely Resolves by End of 2028

Discussed by: Speculation in local coverage of the West Side corridor's momentum

Strong first-year performance encourages the brothers to replicate the model. They announce or open another Patel's lounge elsewhere in Grand Rapids or West Michigan.

4

Downtown Commerce Club's cigar lounge pulls members off Bridge Street

Possible Resolves by Q3 2027

Discussed by: mlive coverage of the Commerce Club's February 12 planning approval

A members-only club planned for 59 and 61 Commerce Avenue SW would put a cigar lounge and speakeasy-style bar in its basement, with membership expected to cost about $10,000 a year. If it opens on the developer's target of early 2027, it gives downtown professionals an alternative to a Bridge Street cigar bar.

5

Patel's absorbs BOLD's displaced downtown customers

Possible Resolves by Q1 2027

Discussed by: Local bar coverage noting BOLD's closure the same month as Patel's grand opening

BOLD Cigar Bar closes at 144 Fulton St. E on or before Nov. 28, leaving downtown without its established cigar lounge. Patel's, about two miles away on Bridge Street, picks up regulars looking for a replacement and builds a customer base faster than a new lounge normally would.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

1996–2010s

Van Andel Institute anchors Grand Rapids' Medical Mile (1996–2010s)

Grand Rapids bet its downtown revival on health care and education. The Van Andel Institute opened in 1996, followed by a new medical school and hospital expansions that drew thousands of jobs to the city center.

Then

Downtown filled with new residents, restaurants, and hotels.

Now

Grand Rapids became a regional medical and research hub, reshaping the city's economy.

Why this matters now

Shows how long-term anchor investment, not a single opening, turned around a city district.

2010s

Bank branches reborn as bars across the U.S. (2010s)

As banks consolidated branches, thousands of empty buildings hit the market. In many U.S. cities, developers turned them into cocktail bars, restaurants, and event spaces, often keeping the original vault as a feature.

Then

Vacant corner properties found new uses and drew foot traffic.

Now

Adaptive reuse became a standard play for hospitality developers.

Why this matters now

The bank-vault humidor at Patel's is this trend's local expression.

Sources

(10)
+4
WOODTV WGRD Crain's Grand Rapids Business Michigan Company Hey Michigan Rocky Patel Premium Cigars Citizen Portal WGRD WOODTV Rocky Patel Premium Cigars