'Hookah Business' Raises Concerns in Sea Isle

By DONALD WITTKOWSKI A newly opened smoke shop that sells specialty tobacco products is drawing concerns from Sea Isle City officials, but the store owner says there is nothing to worry about because he intends to strictly follow the law. The Sea Isle Smoke Shop opened about two weeks ago on Landis Avenue at 37th Street in the downtown business district. On the storefront, the shop advertises tobacco, e-cigarettes, vapes, cigars and hookah pipes. It also sells sodas, coffee and snacks. “It’s more like a convenience store,” the shop owner, Mansoor Zindani, said in an interview Tuesday with SeaIsleNews.com . Concerns about the smoke shop were raised during a City Council meeting on Tuesday when a local resident asked the governing body whether a “hookah business” is legal in Sea Isle. Mayor Leonard Desiderio and Councilman Frank Edwardi responded to the resident by noting they have objections to the smoke shop. They said they had consulted with the city’s construction officer to find out whether the shop would be legal and were told it is. “I don’t like it, but it’s a legal business and we’ll just have to monitor it,” Desiderio said in an interview. A hookah is a water pipe used for smoking tobacco, but is also widely known to be popular for smoking cannabis, hashish and opium. Hookah pipes themselves are not illegal in New Jersey. City Solicitor Paul Baldini said the smoke shop has been following the laws governing the sale of tobacco products. Tobacco and electronic smoking devices may not be sold in New Jersey to anyone under the age of 21. “He’s not selling anything that is illegal,” Baldini said during the Council meeting. Sea Isle Smoke Shop owner Mansoor Zindani, right, and his brother, Yazid, opened the store about two weeks ago. Zindani, meanwhile, emphasized that he will not sell any tobacco products to underage customers. “I’m going to ask for ID. If they don’t have ID and they’re under 21, then no,” he said in the interview. During the Council meeting, Baldini noted that Sea Isle’s police department intends to meet with Zindani and will “monitor” the store’s operations and products to make sure it is fully compliant with New Jersey’s laws. He added that the city would be prepared to take action if the smoke shop “drifts” outside of the law. “Absolutely, we’re all concerned, and we’re going to remain vigilant,” Baldini said. Zindani was joined by his brother, Yazid, in the smoke shop on Tuesday. He said before he opened his shop in Sea Isle, he formerly owned a delicatessen in New York City called the Golden Gourmet. The smoke shop is small and includes a glass display case stocked with specialty tobacco products. There are also snacks for sale and a refrigerated section for sodas and other non-alcoholic beverages. According to U.S. Census data, Sea Isle’s median age is nearly 65 years old. The city’s year-round population of about 2,100 residents swells to approximately 50,000 to 60,000 during the bustling summer tourism season. Zindani said he was unsure at this time what his primary customer base and age group in Sea Isle would be for the smoke shop. “I don’t know. This will be my first summer,” he said. A display case at the smoke shop is stocked with specialty tobacco products.