Jump to full article: New Haven (CT) Independent, 2009-09-10
Author: Thomas MacMillan
Intro: There'll be no butts on the rooftop at Toad's Place, but smokers may soon be puffing on pineapple-flavored herbs from hookahs on Chapel Street.
Such was the result of two separate votes by the Board of Zoning Appeals during its monthly meeting on Wednesday night.
First, the board voted to approve Ajim Khan and Zahed Sarwar's (pictured) plan to open a new hookah lounge at 900 Chapel St., next to Starbucks and across from the Green. Then the board voted to deny a request from Toad's nightclub to build a roof deck for cigarette smokers. . . .
Young entrepreneurs Ajim Khan (at left in photo) and Zahed Sarwar (at right) had more luck with their application to the BZA. The received a unanimous vote of approval to open a tobacco- and nicotine-free smoking lounge on Chapel Street.
The new business will be named La Sheesh, which means "the place of hookah" in Arabic. It will be a South Asian-style hookah lounge where customers can get a water pipe for two and select from among many varieties of flavored herbs to smoke.
. . .
Weber wanted to know what exactly Streever would be smoking.
"Herbs," Sarwar said.
"I don't like that word, but OK," Weber said.
After selecting the flavor of herb that he would like to smoke, Streever can "have a seat and enjoy the music," Sarwar said. "We'll go in back and put it in a water pipe. He'll smoke out of it for half an hour."
Each herbal experience will cost between $18 and $20, Sarwar said.
Per health regulations for a smoking lounge, La Sheesh will not serve food or beverages but customers can bring their own.
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