Whether you love it or hate it, follow it to the letter, or disregard it without hesitation like the rebel you are, the campus-wide tobacco ban is in effect this year, leaving a void of sorts for law-abiding, cigarette-smoking students.

The Smoke Haven, Statesboro’s latest tobacco shop and hookah café, is willing to fill that void, having recently opened its doors for coffee-loving students with a passion for tobacco products and an affinity for smoking hookah.

“Hookah is a cultural thing, some people say it originated in Turkey, some India, but it is a Middle Eastern thing and it’s becoming popular in the U.S., especially with college students,”said Sal Atta, who owner and operator of the Smoke Haven, said.

The enterprising married couple opened the Smoke Haven last month and are encouraging students to visit and enjoy the laid back vibe that the Smoke Haven hopes to induce.

“It’s a chill atmosphere. You can relax, you can bring your books with you and study. Get on the wifi, bring your computer, do your homework, smoke, socialize. It’s not too noisy here.” Atta said. “Come in the evenings and we’ll have TVs here for sports watching during game days and stuff like that”

The Smoke Haven offers a variety of coffees, teas and soft drinks to its customers, along with a wide selection of hookahs, vaporizers, pipes, water-pipes and other tobacco accessories.

“We offer at least twenty, if not more flavors, and as we go, we’re gonna look for any new flavors, any new brands, any new things that relate to hookah that we can offer to our customers,” Atta said.

The Smoke Haven will also be announcing happy hour times and other specials on its Twitter and Facebook page.

“I kept in mind that this is a college town so it’s gonna be very reasonable and very affordable for students. I want them to have a good experience, this is a very relax place, very sociable.”

The Smoke Haven can be found on 15 College Plaza.

Hours:

weekdays: 12:00 p.m.-10 p.m.

weekends: 12:00 p.m.- until everyone leaves.

Prices generally range from:

hookah: $6-12,

coffee and tea: $1.39-2,