RJ Reynolds is bringing its Marshall McGearty tobacco lounge concept to downtown Winston-Salem.

The company opened its first lounge in Chicago in December to showcase a new 'super-premium' cigarette brand called Marshall McGearty Tobacco Artisans.
The company plans to open the Winston-Salem lounge in the second quarter of 2007. In addition to Marshall McGearty cigarettes, the lounge will also offer alcoholic and other beverages and light food. The lounge will be restricted to people 21 and older.
Smokers should not expect to puff on other brands in the lounge. An RJR spokesperson said that the practice in Winston-Salem will probably be similar to the one in Chicago: If a customer starts smoking another brand of cigarette in the lounge, a staff member will approach them and talk to them about the different Marshall McGearty varieties and swap their pack for a Marshall McGearty pack.
The Chicago and Winston-Salem lounges will be the only places where consumers can buy Marshall McGearty cigarettes. The price for a pack has not been determined in Winston-Salem, but a pack sells for US$ 9 in Chicago, which includes US$ 3.86 in taxes. (pi)