On Monday, the Salem City Council will hold a public hearing and consider a special exemption permit request from R&S Investments for a Huff N Puff smoke shop on Electric Road.
The planning commission recommended denial of this request by a 3-2 vote, citing the number of existing smoke shops and a limited availability of commercial space along major corridors, agenda documents state.
There are currently 11 operational smoke shops in the city of Salem, and two of them are in close proximity to the proposed shop: Hilltop Smoke Shop and Cardinal Tobacco.
In July 2024, the Virginia General Assembly adopted legislation allowing localities to regulate the locations of stores selling tobacco, nicotine or hemp products and allowing localities to prohibit a retail sale location within 1,000 feet of a child day care center or a school.
The Salem City Council adopted an ordinance in October 2024 to create a zoning use type specifically for these kinds of shops, adding that smoking or vaping paraphernalia should not be seen by other surrounding properties.
The proposed location, at 132 Electric Road, is not within 1,000 feet of a school or day care center but sits close to that distance.
The owner operates similar shops in Roanoke, Vinton, Daleville and Lynchburg, according to the permit application.
“I was hoping to open one in Salem because a lot of our customers wanted us to open in Salem,” Antuon Nasser wrote in the application.
Monday’s meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 114 N. Broad St. The full agenda can be found here. Those interested in speaking during the hearing can sign up here.
