Alice in Wonderland acquainted the West with the hookah the ornate pipe puffed upon by the cryptic caterpillar.
Clint Darquea brings the hookah to Carson City with Caterpillar's hookah smoking lounge.
The 23-year-old former U.S. Marine says, "I saw positive signs that it's a growing trend." And, he adds, "I want to be self-employed. I come from a family of business owners."
Darquea plans to open Caterpillar's in March at a 1,200-square-foot space next to Comma Coffee at Carson and Fourth streets. He sees an existing customer base in Comma's established clientele.
While a hookah lounge is designed to be a conversational venue, Caterpillar's may book low-key acoustical performers. Winter hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thurs-day and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Darquea is also scoping Reno locations in hopes of opening a second lounge later this year.
"I'm watching closely to see how the city is developing," he says. But for now, he wants to minimize the risk and the investment by launching in a smaller market.
Smokers of the hookah use Shisha, a natural leaf tobacco with no added tars or chemicals. It's covered in a flavored molasses, which produces the sweet smell. Caterpillar's will carry 40 flavors of Shisha, including a variety of northern fruits, tropical fruits, exotic drinks and since it's situated next to a coffee shop flavors already popular with coffee drinkers such as hazelnut.
People smoke the hookah for the same reason they smoke tobacco in cigars or cigarettes they find it pleasurable.
"But it's a far different cry from cigarette smoking," says Darquea. "It's not harsh on your throat. It's cold going down your throat. This tobacco is smouldering, not burning, as it does in a cigarette."
However, he adds, it's still tobacco, and so limited to those 18 and older. He expects a clientele under age 35, however, "because they're exposed to trying new things."
