About Us

Our Backstory

Horsepower Cigar Lounge is different than any other cigar lounge as it tells the story of the owners’ background in drag racing and cigars. You’ll notice unique décor from lighting to tables that are all made by the owners out of their own used racing parts. What other lounge has a destroyed engine block table that came out of their own 300MPH Top Fuel dragster? The cigar journey for owner Paul Athey started while on a drag racing trip through North Carolina in the late 1990s while on his way to Florida to compete. The lounge design speaks to the combination of both passions. Choon has had her own race cars as well and has been over 150MPH on the drag strip. Her cigar journey began over a decade ago.

The lounge was concept started as we didn’t have many cigar lounge options in Eastern Connecticut with plenty of seating and great ventilation. We felt that was something that needed to change! The result is our well-appointed humidor, a spacious lounge along with a reputation for great service, cleanliness and excellent air quality.

A room with blue walls and wooden flooring, featuring leather chairs arranged around a central glass table, with a small display area that includes a mannequin dressed in a racing suit, posters, and television screens on the walls.
A person holding a cigar in a cozy, dimly lit room with a wooden table, chairs, and various objects in the background.
A decorative display resembling a car engine with colorful lights, a gold 'CIGARS' sign on top, and a New York license plate that reads 'ASSMAN' behind it.
Inside a store with display shelves on the left holding assorted products, and glass display cases on the right filled with various items. The back wall has memorabilia, license plates, and posters. An area rug with a horse logo and the text "Horsepower Cigar Lounge" is on the floor in front of the glass cases.

Meet the Owners

A man and woman sitting on black leather chairs in a cigar lounge, smiling and smoking cigars, with cigar boxes and glasses of drinks on the table in front of them.

Choon and Paul Athey are the proud owners of Horsepower Cigar Lounge. They have been married since 2018. Both have extensive history working in customer service and sales fields. Choon currently works full-time at a local casino and is at the lounge often after work. Paul previously worked in the casino industry for 25 years and was a Casino Executive for over 10 years.

A cozy bar or lounge with several seated patrons watching television screens. The decor includes a brick wall painted red, framed pictures, a mounted car hood with flame designs, a native warrior statue, and vintage-style lighting.

Meet the Cigar Crew

  • Josh is a professional driving instructor and travels around the country teaching people how to drive on race tracks. When he's not on the road you'll see him here at horsepower.

Horsepower Membership

Step into a more refined cigar experience. Membership at Horsepower Cigar Lounge offers more than just access — it’s an invitation into a community built on taste, comfort, and exclusivity.

Membership Benefits:

✔︎ Access to the Private Members Area
✔︎ Use of the fully equipped Kitchen Area
✔︎ Personal Humidified Cigar Lockers
✔︎ Member-only Discounts on cigars and accessories
✔︎ Complimentary cigars offered periodically
✔︎ And much more…

visit or inquire for more details
visit or inquire for more details