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What is a Hookah Bar?

By John McCree


Initially popularized the in the U.S. in the 1960's and 70's, hookah smoking is becoming increasingly common ever since the turn of the century. Simply put, a hookah bar is a commercial establishment where patrons share shisha tobacco with a smoking device called a "hookah". There are plenty of Hookah bars in towns in the U.S.

Quick History

Hookah and the idea of hookah bars originated 500 years ago in the subcontinent near where currently is the border of India and Pakistan. Hookah bars are principally associated with the middle east since it was the origin of hookah and the area from where hookah gained a lot of popularity. Hookah bars became popular in the Middle East as the places where patrons used to socialize and smoke hookah with others.

Characteristics of Hookah Bars

In the more ethnic places, the lounges often look like their roots more carefully, often managed by people of Arab descent, furnished and decorated with a Middle Eastern or Indian design. At a few bars, there is nothing served besides hookah. Several, however, provide coffee, sodas, and snacks at least. The vast majority of smaller lounges don't have a liquor license and they don't serve liquor. The larger bars, however, possess a liquor license and they serve many cocktails in addition to wine and beer. It is not uncommon to see belly dancers, live bands, or DJs in the more high end urban hookah bars because they look like a "night club" more closely than a community social establishment.

Near college campuses, hookah bars tend to be more casual with a wide mix of patrons, which includes college students of course. The trend has become common as a safer alternative to other sorts of smoking. Hookah bars do well near colleges as college life is a time to try new stuff and enjoy the freedom of life. Cities famous for their secondary education institutions, like Washington DC or Raleigh, NC have noticed a surge in popularity with regards to these lounges.

Let's Discuss a Hookah

Now you must be wondering what a hookah is? What is so special about this device that it is becoming popular all around the world. Legend has it the hookah was first made in 1588 by a Persian physician in the Indian court. The Indians referred to the device as a "huqqa", a title which has stayed with it throughout history, although it is referred to as a great many other names for example "nargile," "shisha," and "hubble-bubble" to name a few.

The first hookah was made from coconut shells and it was nothing like the hookahs that are produced in the modern day, but the function of that hookah was same of purifying smoke by passing it through water. Here are the main parts of a hookah:

1. Bowl - the tobacco is placed here.

2. Body - the smoke leaves the body and gets to the water basin.

3. Water Basin - has the water to purify and cool the smoke. After purifying the smoke remains in a chamber over the water.

4. Hose - the smoker puffs on the hose to breathe in smoke from the holding chamber where it is kept after purification. A hose is usually longer than one meter.

The above system provides the smoker soothing and fragrant smoke.

Words of a customer in a hookah bar:

"The important thing isn't what you put in the pipe, but who is with you while you're smoking. It's a complete experience. All sorts of people, old, young and fascinating come to bars like this one. As long as there is a desire for company and friendship, as long as people want to stop and think, there will be hookah bars."




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