New E-Cigarette Shop Opens in Goose Creek

Smoke shops typically aren't a place where you'd find children.

But on Tuesday afternoon, Creston Ary brought his 4-year-old daughter and 6-year-old son to the new Carolina Vapor on Red Bank Road. His son has severe asthma.

This might sound like a recipe for disaster but Carolina Vapor isn't your regular smoke shop — it's a purveyor of electronic cigarettes. Electronic cigarettes vaporize liquid, usually containing nicotine, and don't agitate the lungs of the user or those around him or her, according to its advocates.

Ary was a heavy user of cigarettes before he switched 2-and-a-half years ago. He did it not only for his son, but also because smoking rules changed on U.S. Navy submarines. Now he can "smoke" without causing problems. 

"You're still getting your habit," said Ron Sena, owner of Carolina Vapor. Carolina Vapor opened its doors in Goose Creek last week, but has been doing business at the Ladson flea market since 2011. "They work."

Sena should know: he's smoked cigarettes for 40 years. 

Electronic cigarettes are nothing new, but brick-and-mortar shops are gaining popularity as more people are exposed to the smokeless cigarette. 

"The gas station is the best marketing tool for me. People aren't happy with (the cheaper products) and they come to me, and switch over to these," Sena said. There are even commercials on TV now for e-cigarettes. 

Startup costs vary and can be prohibitive, but the costs level out and an average pack-a-day smoker can save thousands of dollars a year, according to Sena. 

Sena said the average pack-a-day smoker spends $1,800-$2,600 per year on his or her habit. The equivalent cost for using nicotine liquid is $500-$700, Sena said.

Another boon to the vaporized nicotine is it's not considered a smoking product, so won't be affected by smoking bans, such as the one in Goose Creek. 

"It's going to be up to the restaurant owner whether or not you can use it, and that's how it should be," Sena said. "For the most part, it doesn't affect anybody ... We're not burning anything. There's no fire." 

Sena's business card reads: "No smoke, no smell, no fire, no ash — No butts about it!!!" 

Carolina Vapors' most popular flavor is pineapple and peach. 

To learn more about Carolina Vapors, click here or call 888-272-7389.