When Talia Eisenberg wanted to kick her smoking habit a few years ago, she discovered a device — the e-cigarette — in Europe that would allow her to get that nicotine fix (nicotine is just as safe as caffeine, in case you didn’t know) without inhaling all those toxic carcinogens that come with smoking the conventional cigarette. Eisenberg kicked her cigarette habit and was so impressed by the benefits of the e-cigarette, yet she was having trouble finding one that was suited just to her liking, that she created her own e-cigarette company: Henley.
Three years later, Eisenberg realized that although e-cigarettes had become more popular, there still wasn’t a place where people who wanted to enjoy their e-cigarettes could hang out. “I wanted to create a whole experience around this,” said Eisenberg. So Eisenberg opened The Henley Vaporium, New York City’s first e-cigarette bar, in Nolita. The Henley Vaporium comes complete with a “vapologist,” an e-cigarette and vaping expert who can tell customers all about the different types of e-cigarettes and flavors available. Henley touts the Vaporium as “part retail store, part education center, and part social hub.” “People can just hang out and use these anywhere,” says Eisenberg. Even the celebrities have caught on — actor Benicio Del Toro and model Jessica Hart are fans.
When we ventured into the Henley Vaporium the other day, we saw a bunch of people hanging out and enjoying the e-cigarettes — and for good reason. Not only can you smoke regular e-cigarettes there, you can try a variety of flavors — from Banana Nut Bread (our personal favorite), to Swagger — a fusion of tobacco, caramel and vanilla, to Blue Raz Cotton Candy and Summertime Tea. Sure, it may sound a little strange, but just think of it the way you would enjoy smoking different hookah flavors. You can even purchase the super cool repurposed furniture created by Brooklyn company Redu in the shop.
Just don’t think you can come and get drunk at the Henley Vaporium — Eisenberg wants it to be all about health, so she’s going to have a menu with coffee, cold pressed juices and gluten-free pizzas. There’s even a bicycle-powered blender where you can hop on and blend your own smoothies for a discount. Eisenberg wants to create an entire set of programming for the space akin to Ted Talks and she hopes to open more Henley Vaporiums. The Henley Vaporium is definitely an interesting concept. You should go check it out if you’re in New York City.
The Henley Vaporium, 23 Cleveland Place, New York. For more information, visit henleycigs.com.
