A Little Bit of Big Sky Cigar & Lounge provides a place for premium tobacco enthusiasts to gather and purchase their favorite cigars in its retail store.  

Owned by Bill and Rhonda Randall and Tyler Brown, the spot is a place for people to join together over a similar hobby and passion, cigars, while connecting with one another in a social setting. 

“It’s a passion that keeps us coming back,” Bill said.  

The Randalls moved to the Flathead Valley in 2018 from the Bitterroot Valley. A former cigarette smoker, Randall began dabbling with cigars a few years after quitting cigarettes. He began to develop a passion for premium tobacco, he said.  

Back in Hamilton, Bill had a smoking station set up in his garage, which had great ventilation. Upon moving to the valley, Bill lost his sacred smoke spot, leading him to look around for a cigar lounge. When he couldn’t find one, he decided to start one.  

On Jan. 1, 2021, Bill and Rhonda opened A Little Bit of Big Sky Cigar & Lounge south of Kalispell. Brown, who at that point heard about the lounge from a friend, was the first paying member.  

As more people joined the club, the Randalls started wanting a bit more space. The owners of L&M Fine Jewelry, who were also members of the cigar lounge, let the Randalls know that a space above them was available.  

The Randalls looped Brown in to be a partner in the business, and the three got the keys in July 2024, opening to a new space overlooking Main Street.   

“Being part of this community has always been the cool part,” Brown said. “It doesn’t matter what your day job is, you have an instant connection with the people who sit down next you. Now I get to foster that community on this end.” 

The new spot boasts a lounge area with televisions, games and comfortable seating in a large space with an exhaust system designed for smoking cigars. The lounge has humidity and temperature-controlled lockers for members to keep cigars. It also features a 120-year-old exposed brick wall. 

Separated from the lounge is a retail spot, where the shop sells a variety of cigars from across the world, from Nicaragua to the Dominican Republic to Brazil and countries in Africa.  

“We’ve got something for everyone, whether you’re an experienced connoisseur or a first-time cigar smoker,” Bill said.  

Bill’s go-to cigar as of recent, he said, is a Dunbarton Tabacco & Trust Mi Querida cigar. It’s a perfect draw, has a perfect burn line and an amazing flavor. Brown’s favorite has to be the Montecristo 1935 from Nicaragua.  

Rhonda knew her favorite cigar immediately: a Karen Berger 25th Anniversary cigar from the AJ Fernandez collection. It’s a full-bodied cigar that is bold and smooth, but not overpowering, she said, with a chocolatey flavor.  

“To come in here, smoke a cigar, be around people, it’s the big exhale of the day,” Rhonda said.  

Now on Main Street, the owners look forward to increased foot traffic and working with local downtown Kalispell businesses for referrals to support the business community. The shop also hosts occasional events and informational sessions for members and the public.  

There are different tiers of membership. The middle tier, for example, is $100 a month with 24/7 access to the lounge, 10% off retail purchases, a temperature and humidity-controlled cigar locker and once a month a free cigar carefully picked out based on the consumer’s taste.  

The shop also has other packages and day passes. To learn more, visit the lounge at 221 S. Main St. in Kalispell, or call 877-922-4427. 

The retail space is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.  

Reporter Kate Heston may be reached at 758-4459 or [email protected]. 

    A Little Bit of Big Sky Cigar & Lounge downtown Kalispell. (Kate Heston/Daily Inter Lake)
  

    A Little Bit of Big Sky Cigar & Lounge downtown Kalispell. (Kate Heston/Daily Inter Lake)