The cigar lounge I frequent, Byron’s (Schaumburg, IL) is a nice upscale place with friendly staff, good selection, nice people. The prices aren’t competitive with, say, internet deals but I look at it as paying a few bucks more as an entry fee. No minimum, and the staff is fine with you smoking some from home as long as you buy at least one of theirs. No booze allowed in IL cigar lounges (great for me, a recently turned non-drinker) but they have coffee and soda and cute, friendly server girls on busy days. Staff is eclectic and friendly and gives love to regulars and I’ve become a regular.

Anyway, this isn’t a commercial for them but I wanted to set the tone of the place.

One thing i really like is how friendly everyone is - customers and staff. And one kind of custom there is that a lot of people walk in and bump fists or shake hands with everyone, whether you’ve seen them before or not.

And I like it. Now we’re friends and the barrier between us has been broken and we can talk civil for the next couple of hours.

Is this a popular etiquette in most lounges, to shake hands or bump fists with everyone, whether you know them or not? Because I like it and find nothing wrong with it.