A new lounge is coming to Old Town in Wichita, but it’s probably not what you think

A new kind of lounge is coming to Old Town.

Tyrice Hudspeth and Tevin Murry are opening a new concept in the former Funky Monkeys Shaved Ice 21+ space at 216 N. Washington, which is next to 6 Degrees.

“It’s a high-end luxury smoke shop,” Hudspeth said. UGB Billionaire Smoke Shop also will have a lounge. “A bar-ish lounge.”

Among other meanings, UGB stands for underground billionaires.

Along with what he called high-end cigars, there will be champagne and wine and comfortable seating.

Then there’s the convenience store side of the business, which will feature what’s known as exotic pop, candy and chips. There will be brands such as KoKo Nuggz, Lil Yachty’s Hot Cheese Fries and Cool Cup Juice.

Hudspeth said the goal is to provide “anything and everything you cannot find in Wichita, Kansas, or the Midwest.”

Murry describes the business as a something of a boutique convenience store.

He and Hudspeth already have a similar smoke shop near Pawnee and Oliver that they opened under the same name in March.

“We’re just known in the city already for having all this exclusive stuff,” Murry said. “That’s why we went ahead and got a building downtown.”

NAI Martens broker Trevor Stacy said being “in the heart of Old Town, it really gives them a lot more visibility, and I think it’ll be good for their business.”

That central location plus 24-7 hours means “we can be more open to everybody in the city,” Murry said.

Though it will be open at all hours, only people with memberships can enter between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m., he said.

“We think that will help keep everyone safe.”

Memberships will cost, but there’s not a set price yet.

“We’re really trying to change the culture and dynamic of smoke shops in our community,” Hudspeth said. He wants the business to “actually feel like you’re in Atlanta or in Houston or another big city.”

He and Murry also have a distribution side of the business and sell to 25 other stores in the area.

Murry and Hudspeth have been friends since elementary school. Hudspeth was in the process of trying to open a barbershop — a goal he still has — and Murry was working as a mechanic at Spirit AeroSystems when he was laid off due to the pandemic. That’s when they decided to start their first smoke shop.

Murry has since been rehired at Spirit, but he and Hudspeth have bigger plans together, too, including a restaurant, adult and children’s clothing boutiques and a beauty supply store. UGB also stands for underground bistro, underground babies and underground beauty.

They plan to keep the smoke shop at 2628 S. Oliver when the new one opens in early December.

Murry said he and Hudspeth used to spend time in and around the Old Town area while growing up.

“I just feel like it will be a good fit for what we’re doing to be downtown.”

This story was originally published September 13, 2021 at 5:00 AM.