In the Nov. 6 print version of the Inland Northwest History column, which appears bi-weekly in the Spokesman-Review, I wrote about Spokane's vanished cigar stores. That was a surprisingly rich subject, since there were 122 cigar stores in Spokane in 1910.

One of those stores was P.M. Jacoy's, established in 1903 and which remained a popular hangout for cigar smokers, Racing Form fans and newshounds all the way through the 1980s. Seen at right in about 1916, Jacoy's is still doing business at the corner of Sprague and Washington.

After that story came out, I got a call from a descendant of Pete Jacoy's. She told me that the family no longer owns the store, which has become, more or less, a convenience store. You might be able to get a pack of Swisher Sweets, but it now resembles the old P.M. Jacoy's in name only.

However, as if to prove that everything comes around again, downtown Spokane does have its own cigar store again, Smokin' Smoke Shop at N. 2 Post. It joins Jimmy'z, Tobacco World in the Flour Mill and Topps Tobacco Square in Northtown Mall as Spokane's cigar and tobacco emporiums.
They hardly resemble the bustling cigar stores of 1910, which sometimes doubled as illicit gambling joints. But they are continuing a smoky tradition: stogies in Spokane.

Does anyone out there have any memories from Spokane's cigar-store past? I'd love to hear them.

122 cigar stores in 1910?!?! That must have raised a serious haze. No wonder Spokane was on the EPA list for so many years. My memories of PM Jacoys only go back to 1976, however, when I first arrived in the wild west. In addition to a cigar and magazine collection matched by few, the lunch counter was a treat! You never knew who might show up. The Friday special was egg salad and chips. Long before Starbucks - who'd of dreamt paying 2 bucks for a cuppa joe except maybe PT Barnum - the coffee was 35 cents with nickel refills and they were serious about that nickel. A ban on smoking? HA! People lit up after eating and crushed butts into the floor - all the while buried in the racing form. A cigar store - what a fun place to watch humanity.

Around 1962-ish my father worked at Ray Knott's restaurant on the corner of Sprague and Stevens. After a matinee at the Fox, State, or Post theaters, I would wander down to Jacoy's to get some candy. The thing I remember the most were the brass spittunes and the weird number game pinball machines that these guys would play. If I wandered too close to the food counter I was told to hit the road. So I stayed pretty close to the door and just soaked in the ambience.
Sometimes I got adventurous and ordered their homemade Green River soda.

The Tradition Continues

My great Uncle was Peter M. Jacoy. My mom and dads names are Paul and Mafalda....I decided to name my business (mens clothing store) after my mom and dad as well as my great uncles store name.P.M. Jacoy Clothing Inc since 1985...located in San MArino Ca.

Thanks

My father bought and ran the lunch counter at Jacoy's from 1966 until his he was nearing death from cancer in 1972.

I worked there as a teenager from about age 13 (in 1968) until we sold the business. I knew Peter, Barbera, Alex, Kirk and all the other [extended] family members that were there.

Thanks for the memories.

Does anyone have any info about the cigar-vending Jaeger Family?