One of the most well-known cigar lounges in the Twin Cities, Golden Leaf tobacco shop, may lose its license for failing to pay state tobacco taxes.
The Minneapolis City Council's regulatory committee will vote on pulling Golden Leaf's tobacco license next week, following orders from the state Department of Revenue. The company's St. Paul location, on W. 7th Street, has already closed.
A spokesman for the Department of Revenue, Ryan Brown, said Golden Leaf owes $774,528 in unpaid tobacco taxes.
Golden Leaf's owner, Thomas Harlan, did not return calls for comment.
Golden Leaf has operated in Uptown for 33 years, starting in Calhoun Square and ultimately moving to its current location on W. Lake Street near Bryant Avenue S.
Its second shop opened in St. Paul in 2008. An employee who answered the phone at the Lake Street location Thursday said the W. 7th Street location is now closed.
Golden Leaf is one of the few spots in the Twin Cities urban core where patrons can buy and smoke cigars indoors. Others include Stogies on Grand in St. Paul and Perfect Ash in Lilydale.
Greg Martin, owner of Urban Bean coffee shop across the street, said businesses like his and a nearby pub benefit from customers coming to smoke a cigar. An occasional Golden Leaf customer, he noted that businesses like it are growing increasingly rare.
