Where This Photographer Relaxes With a Cigar on the LES

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New York City has more stores than anyone could physically tackle, but somehow we always keep returning to the usual suspects. To break out of the rut, we've asked some local shopping and fashion gurus to provide their hidden retail gems—those unique stores around our fantastic city that we might not all know about. Cue the Beatles: We're about to get a little help from our friends.

Image via Yelp

In between working on a series of editorials for Oscar de la Renta and launching his new business, Fohr Card, fashion photographer James Nord manages to sneak in a cigar every now and then. He found Maraya Cigars in his neighborhood and has been a regular visitor ever since.

Every fall, my bike racing season ends and I start to smoke more cigars. One of my favorite places is this tiny shop that took over Gus' sPickles a few years back. Maraya Cigars is unique in that they only sell their own cigars—cigars that are made by Dominican and Cuban rollers who have been doing it their whole lives. The shop stays open late and has an air filtration system so you can smoke inside. If you're nice, they will even let you bring your own bottle of whiskey.

I found Maraya Cigars as I do most of my favorite places simply by walking my neighborhood—the Lower East Side. My favorite cigar is their Piano, as it's mild with an anise finish.

· Maraya Cigars [Official Site]
· James Nord [Official Site]
· All Shopping Confidential Posts [Racked NY]

Maraya Cigars

87 Orchard Street New York NY 10002