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Bye Bye Havana Club.

Remember when you were growing up and cigars, poker, and Dean Martin were all considered "uncool"?

Pretty much the only folks smoking them were decrepit old guys like Buddy Young Jr. and maybe George Burns.

Funny, but old.

Then the 90s happened and suddenly everyone was a poker ace, loved cigars, and thought Dean Martin was the King of Cool.

Well, about 10 years too late the City Club decided to cash in on the trend and became a "cigar bar."

Lo and behold, now that cigars have receded to their pre-craze levels, the City Club has abandoned the concept:

The Miami City Club has ousted the private cigar club it brought in to run its 55th floor location in downtown Miami's Wachovia Financial Center in an attempt to revive its buttoned-down appeal.

The private club favored by executives for its lunchtime buffet brought in the Havana Club in 2006 to boost revenues with nighttime events and a more exclusive vibe: offering limousine rides to members attending nearby events and 24-hour concierge service. But even with a major renovation of the club, the changes weren't well received by members, according to a press release.

''We want to reach out and bring home members . . . who have not been as happy with the new club format and themes as we had hoped they would be,'' said board member Nabil Achkar.

Right -- they want the lunch buffet and also to be able to bill it to their law firms.

Not a hard formula, I think.

Also, I hear in about six years the City Club will be rolling out "flat bread" and possibly "paninis."

Full post as published by South Florida Lawyers on June 29, 2009 (boomark / email).