A great smoke shop isn’t just a collection of products in a room. It’s got a certain atmosphere — a vibe.
A unique store design is a big part of your brand, and product displays are a huge part of what defines your aesthetic.
Read on to find what you need to know about the various kinds of smoke shop display cases, including:
- Cigarette display cases
- Humidors
- Vape displays
- Glass cases, counter displays, and general retail displays
At the end of this post, you’ll find some additional resources on opening a smoke shop to help you get started.
1. Cigarette Display Cases
A cigarette display case is a staple of classic smoke shops, providing a practical and visually appealing way to sell individual packs. You can also get larger cases with room for cartons underneath the display.
The classic cigarette display case has spring-loaded shelf pushers to push packs to the front automatically. Consider investing in a model with a space for signage above the case. A custom sign can be a great way to show off your brand and draw people into the store.
Where To Buy
A cigarette display case typically costs between $500 for a mounted wall shelf and up to $2,500 for larger full-size cabinets.
- DGS Retail: DGS Retail has a large selection of cigarette displays, spring-loaded shelving, glass display cases, and more.
- Barr Display: Barr Display has all the basics a smoke shop might need in a neutral style, making it a good starting point for new smoke shops.
2. Humidor Cases
Investing in a nice wooden humidor helps make your cigar lounge classier and draws people towards your cigars or loose tobacco selection. A humidor case serves two purposes for a smoke shop:
- They control temperature and humidity to keep cigars and loose tobacco fresh
- They help display products and attract customer interest
Look for humidors that strike a balance between refinement and practicality. After all, no one cares if they buy a cigar out of the best-looking case in the world only to find it’s not been well preserved.
Many online stores sell humidor cases for individuals. If you run a cigar lounge or a cigar shop, you’ll want to invest in large, commercial-sized humidor cabinets to get the most bang for your buck.
Where To Buy
Humidor cabinets aren’t cheap, with even a basic tower case running just under $2,000, but a well-built one is worth the investment.
- Your Elegant Bar: Your Elegant Bar specializes in making custom pieces for smoke shops and cigar lounges, allowing you to get the exact size you need.
- 1st Class Humidors: As the name implies, these guys are all about selling humidors, including large cabinets and counter displays.
- Northwoods Humidors: Northwoods Humidors is another shop that specializes in making large, commercial-size humidor cabinets.
3. Vape displays
Vape shops tend to have a slightly different aesthetic than a classic smoke shop or cigar lounge, largely due to the types of displays they use.
Related Read: The Ultimate Vape Shop Business Plan Checklist
With all the various flavors in colorful boxes, vape displays use glass or acrylic shelving to really let the colors pop. Consider displaying expensive vaporizers and reusable vape pens in a locked glass display case.
Last, you can use small counter risers to show off new arrivals or create displays highlighting deals.
Where To Buy
The cost of vape shop displays vary considerably based on the type and materials used. Consider more basic, clear shelving for items with colorful boxes and good-looking branding. That way you can save your money for nicer glass display cases to show off your more expensive items.
- shopPOPdisplays: shopPOPdisplays has a large selection of plastic display cases for pipes, vape pens, and refills.
- Displays2Go: Displays2Go has many modern, locked glass display cases for displaying vapes.
4. General displays + counter displays
In addition to specialized displays for cigarettes, cigars, and vapes, you’ll also need some retail basics.
Glass towers are a great (and secure) way to highlight new arrivals and special items. They come in a variety of styles. For example, you could get slatwall fixtures that let you hang various items.
Don’t forget your counter, either. Having sale items or small items like disposable lighters near the register encourages customers to make impulse buys. Use tiered counter displays, counter risers, or other displays to make those items stand out.
When picking displays, find the balance between aesthetics and store security. Lock up high-value items in locked cases and make sure open shelves are fully visible to staff
Where To Buy
There are many options for buying basic retail displays, but here are a couple to get you started.
- Store Supply: While not specializing in smoke shop displays, Store Supply is a reliable vendor for general retail displays.
- Display Fixture Superstore: In addition to humidors and other industry-specific displays, Display Fixture Superstore also carries many general glass tower and counter displays, making them a potential one-stop shop.
A Pro Tip: Create a Consistent Smoke Shop Aesthetic
As a final note, remember that your store layout isn’t only for driving up sales. You also want to create a unique and welcoming aesthetic. When purchasing smoke shop displays, try to find items that serve a specific purpose and match the look and feel of your existing displays.
Avoid having a Frankenstein-style shop with a beautiful humidor in one corner and a cheap acrylic shelf in the other. A jarring visual style might be offputting for customers.
Just like when you build your smoke shop products list, think about your target customers when buying displays. You can also use your point of sale (POS) system to identify bestselling products and product types. That way, you’ll know which types of displays are worth investing in.
Bonus! 5 More Resources on Opening a Smoke Shop
Between the various laws and regulations, changing demographics, and new products, opening a smoke shop can be an intimidating prospect in 2024. However, there are also huge opportunities for ambitious entrepreneurs that do their homework.
If you’re looking to open a smoke shop, stay ahead of the competition by:
- Writing a business plan
- Establishing a winning marketing strategy
- Creating a unique product list
- Choosing the right software
And, for a deep dive into effective tobacco marketing, check out our free guide.
When you’re ready to open your doors, get in touch to schedule a customized demo of Cigars POS, an all-in-one solution built for tobacco stores, vape shops, and cigar lounges.
