By George F. Lee, Star-Bulletin
Havana Pacific Club patron Mimi McKinney puffs away
on a cigar as Lisa Kim, left, and Terry Sylva look on. Some
of the club's neighbors have complained of smoky odors
coming from the establishment.

---

Cigar club may
receive liquor license

But some Nauru Tower residents
are still fuming about odors

By Gordon Y.K. Pang
Star-Bulletin

Honolulu's first cigar club may yet get a liquor license for its Nauru Tower location despite lingering objections from some neighbors.

A vote on the issue is expected by the city Liquor Commission tomorrow afternoon.

Members of the private club, which opened in April, now can purchase alcohol but must do so by ordering from the bar of the next-door L'Italia restaurant.

Havana Pacific Club President Stephen Sasaki says most of the concerns raised by Nauru Tower residents and the neighboring 1350 Ala Moana building have been resolved.

The club has agreed to put in its contract that it will ban smoking from its fourth-floor terrace and never allow dancing, live bands or loud music, with the exception of unamplified soloists.

Sasaki added that many of the objections raised have been eliminated since he installed $15,000 in high-tech filter systems that reduce the odors and send them through the vacant Ewa end of the club's location.

The ventilation system is separate from the rest of the tower.

Since the new filtration was installed, at least 36 of 186 residents of Nauru Tower and 1350 Ala Moana who signed a petition opposing the license have rescinded their objection. This leaves 150 objectors, 11 shy of the number needed to have the application automatically rejected.

Nina Yi, an 11th-floor resident at Nauru Tower, said she's allergic to cigar smoke and strong perfume. The odors, she said, waft into her unit on occasion, even with the new filters the club has installed.

Sandy Bobay said she doesn't like smelling smoke as she enters the first-floor lobby of the building, which shares the same circulation as the club entrance four stories above.

"Everybody has a right to do business, but I think this kind of business is a nuisance," said Bobay, who lives on the 39th floor.

Alexander Wong, who lives on the 11th floor, said the smoke is not as bad now that there is a new filtration system.

"In some ways, the club does improve the building. It's a very nice club, but if it's going to cause problems for other people, hey, the majority rules," Wong said.

Wong said he's worried about the large number of smokers who are drawn by special events.

Sasaki said an event of the magnitude of the club's grand opening, which attracted more than 200 people, won't happen again.

Special smoke-tasting events will be limited to no more than 55 people each, he said. On most nights the club averages about 10 members.

"They said they would take care of the problems, and they did," said Bob Bosley, who lives on Nauru's 13th floor.

Bosley said he and his wife stopped smelling odors about a month ago when the new filters were put in.