Cuba opens first post-Revolution luxury mall

[NSXCIGAR]

Finally, what the locals have been waiting for...

https://www.yahoo.com/news/raw-cuba-opens-1st-post-142551461.html

And on the heels of this report:

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/this-is-why-american-tourists-dont-want-to-travel-to-cuba-2017-05-03

[Cletus]

Hopefully there's a Sbarro's at the food court...

[oliverdst]

I heard Cohiba Atmosphere is already opened in Manzana.

No, thanks.

[SignalJoe]

Viva la revolucion!  Castro promised he would provide for the people.  

[mrsgucia]

I thought Plaza America chopping mall was the first one

[JohnInCleveland]

14 hours ago, mrsgucia said:

I thought Plaza America chopping mall was the first one

If you consider Plaza America a luxury mall, I'd like to see what you consider middle-of-the-road...

[Troels]

The article from marketwatch is a little messy - and from the content its hard to judge if US turism is going up or down, or the fuzz is about some companies that over estimated demand - either way a lot of things is going on there. Would have been more surprising if cuba would stay in the time warp another 30 years. 

Dont know if it goes for the rest of Europe, but ive noticed a major increase in interest here in Denmark - lots of people going "before its to late, and the americans has overrun the country" - so the tourism might benefit, not only from the americans, but from a lot of other people being aware that something is better to be seen soon, as mass tourism is around the corner. 

Within the last year or two adds from the cuban tourist organisation has been taking up a lot of space in busses, Billboards etc. 

Hmn might have to plan another trip soon myself,before its too late :-)

[cigcars]

     Well I suppose you probably can't smoke in there either...

[thecrowder]

Went in here last week. The location makes sense as it is right across the street from Floridita and tour busses were dropping people off and picking them up there all day long--the mall is clearly targeted to tourists only.

Interestingly, the cigar prices at the Cohiba Atmosphere were 2x more expensive than every other retailer. 

[Nino]

Was there last week - an ugly, super expensive ( for 95% of the Cubans ) artificial shopping area with no attraction other than piss off Cubans that cannot afford 200 CUC stuff - security will not even allow them to use wi-fi there and harass ordinary Cubans.

As for the No-Atmosphere Cohiba lounge - it has all the charm of an airport waiting area smoking fishbowl full of tourists. Their selection of J.L. Piedras and Guantanameras is excellent though ... :-)

Spent 3 minutes inside that freezin fishbowl, took some pictures and notes for my blog and went to Partagas to smoke my cigar.


 

[canadianbeaver]

Hello Nino!

 

[Puros Y Vino]

I hope this mall fails.  For a lot of the decision makers in Cuba, these types are deals are "big money now" types of arrangements. Long term, I think Cuba needs a more homegrown strategy.  More local business, less corporations from around the world.  Cuba's charm is in it's independence, its' "stopped in time" 1950's look and feel and the hustle and charm of its people.  And on a selfish note.  The "Americanization" of Cuba will erode the cigar culture that is well established. You're already seeing some hotels ban smoking from their lobbies.  And the irony of such malls in Cuba is just too much.  Surely Fidel was alive when this was in the planning stage?  What was his views on this? Obviously a judgment call was made for $'s over ideology?

[dgixxer252525]

I was there last month and was not impressed. It's almost offensive to open this up with your average Cuban making $20 a month...

[dhp]

I was there a few weeks ago. Personally, I'd prefer they invest into credit card infrastructure...

[canadianbeaver]

Never been there, I fully confess. But this reminds me of the scene in my fave movie, The Godfather, when the guys are on the balcony in Cuba cutting birthday cake. They are talking about their American plans for Cuba, but Michael Corleone is skeptical.

Enjoy this memory...

CB

 

*** And wouldn't you know? This was on TV here YESTERDAY!

[Nino]

Here my thoughts, notes and pictures on the Cohiba No-Atmosphere lounge at the Kempinski Manzana hotel in Havana :
 

Having read about the upcoming opening of Havana's newest luxury hotel, the Kempinski Gran Manzana, located in Cuba's former first shopping arcade, the Manzana de Gomez in the Parque Central area, I was curious to check out the new shopping area and the Cohiba Atmosphere cigar lounge inside that are.

Most of what I had read was that the shops were an insult to ordinary Cubans, designer stuff and products that the majority of the population could not afford at $20 monthly salaries ... and that most would just press their faces against the shop windows for a glimpse as security would not allow many inside and they were not able to use the available wi-fi there.

An added insult was the hiring of Indian construction workers by the military company that runs the hotel.

See :

http://www.14ymedio.com/nacional/Manzana-escribe-millonario_0_2223377648.html

http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=125368

Well, there were certainly a number of security personnel checking and lines waiting to get into the stores - only a handful were let in at a time to catch a look at Leica cameras, Armani fashion or Montblanc pens among other similarly useless stuff for the ordinary Cubans.

From a first look I found the shopping arcade to be an ugly, super-expensive, artificial  and totally misplaced black hole in those beautiful surroundings. 

When I entered the cigar lounge I was surprised at the utter lack of ... Atmosphere. Having been to several Cohiba Atmosphere lounges around the world, this one has all the charm of an airport waiting area smoking lounge "fishbowl" - that is a freezing smoking box full of tourists with no warmth or a hint of ... Cuba.

I spent three minutes inside taking some pictures and admiring the walk-in selection of J.L Piedra and Guantanameras and left to smoke my cigar around the corner at a place with great atmosphere and charm - the lounge at the old Partagas factory behind the Capitolio.

Having so many historically important and charming places to smoke a cigar in Havana, I consider this Cohiba No-Atmosphere lounge a totally unnecessary eyesore but can only hope it will become the magnet & Mecca for all wanna-be show-off cigar smokers.

Nino

Pictures on my blog :

http://flyingcigar.de/startseite/the-cohiba-no-atmosphere-lounge-at-the-new-kempinski-manzana-hotel-in-havana/

[helix]

Unnecessary .