Black-owned cigar lounge opens in Penn Hills

For years, every Tuesday, East Liberty native Sheldon Oliver would meet with a group of his male friends to have a space to be vulnerable, share laughs and talk about life.

The small gathering of five men began to grow as people around them would gravitate to their conversations. Three years ago, Oliver realized the men were onto something.

“I said, ‘we need to open our own place for people to do this,’” he said.

The journey took two and a half years. He found a building in Penn Hills that had been abandoned for more than 20 years. He said he was told renovating it would be a waste of time because of how rundown it was, but Oliver was determined.

“People needed it, and we needed it,” Oliver said.

He wanted to channel the pain and tragedy he endured in life into a place of love for other people. At 29 years old, he served time in prison after getting caught up in gang activity. When he was released at 35 years old, he lost several friends and family to violence, including his oldest brother.

“All the pain I got, I wanted to use as fuel and energy to create this,” he said. “Guys like me can still love after all the tragedy.”

His determination paid off — Oliver opened Noblemen Cigar Lounge on June 25 at 9805 Frankstown Road.

The lounge is open to people ages 30 and up and includes a kitchen (food and drinks), daily entertainment, cigars and opportunities to give back and support local talent. The dress code is casual.

The lounge offers weekly deals, including First Responders happy hour on Mondays, Taco Tuesdays with karaoke, $1 wings on Wednesdays and ladies’ pink night on Thursdays.

Oliver said more than 300 people showed up for the grand opening, which was more than he expected. Seeing the overwhelming response confirmed the need for it, he said.

“The love has been incredible,” he said. “Some people even went home to change to come back to fit the dress code.”

The name of the lounge comes from an organization Oliver is a part of called the Noblemen. It is made up of 13 men who vow to become better men, fathers, husbands, sons, etc. They have five ideals — Christ, commitment, calling, community and camaraderie.

Kevin Cooper, manager of the deck and VIP service for the lounge, said he is new to cigar smoking and wanted to find a place that had a mature and relaxing atmosphere to it. When he saw what Oliver was putting together, he was excited.

“I love coming here and seeing the people and their smiles,” he said. “I thought we needed this, especially on this side of town.”