At this point in time, we’re all aware that vapor rooms are the latest craze. Blue Sky Vapes—the newest vaping shop on the Central Coast—is completely dedicated to selling strictly vapor products.
Vaporizing is simple, just Google it, or better yet, head into Blue Sky Vapes and speak to owners Frank and Kristie Compston.
The idea to open a Vapor Shop in SLO County was not an easy task for them. First, Compston had to decide to give up his own cigar smoking habits before he even considered a shop. The inspiration behind it all was his son, who had quit chewing tobacco, and ended up quitting smoking all together, thanks to vaporizing. Once Compston’s son was on the path to quitting, he suggested the same for his dad. Frank was smoking cigars regularly for about six months when he gave e-cigaretts a chance, and because of vaporizing, Frank has not had a cigarette in almost a year and a half.
Yes, e-cigarettes still contain nicotine, but only if you opt to purchase the nicotine-filled tanks. Even if you decide to purchase those, they still don’t have the same level of nicotine as most brands of cigarettes. Blue Sky Vapes doesn’t carry any tobacco-filled products, just the nicotine tanks. The highest level of nicotine is 24 milligrams, less than most major cigarette brands, and you can reduce the levels from there in an effort to quit smoking. Blue Sky Vapes also offers more than 50 flavors of vapor, nicotine filled or not.
Frank has already heard a number of success stories from smokers switching sides. The e-cigarettes have no odor, no lingering smoke, and, most importantly, contain no carbon monoxide. All of Blue Sky Vapes’ liquids are made in a controlled lab environment, and when filtered through the chamber, they don’t release harmful metals like some do.
Blue Sky Vapes originally opened shop in Santa Maria and opened a new location in SLO about two months ago. In addition to the many flavors of vapor, they also sell starter kits, which have the tank, battery, and charger, as well as atomizers, accessories, and extra batteries. Pens start at $49 and go up from there.
Blue Sky Vapes offers these products and information, and a lounge area if you wish to sit back and relax. Though the idea of a smoking lounge draws to mind those old, smoke-filled bars of the ’20s where you can hardly see the band over your glass of brandy, Blue Sky Vapes is meticulously clean to the point that I wouldn’t be surprised if someone were to go beyond the five-second rule if food were involved.
Check it out for yourself: Blue Sky Vapes is located at 973 Foothill Blvd. Ste. 104 (by Kona’s deli, and the Chop Shop) in SLO. It’s open daily—Monday through Thursday noon to 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday noon to 9 p.m., and Sunday noon to 3 p.m., and can be reached at 544-6655 or through frank@blueskyvapes.com. The original location is 205 E. Main St. in Santa Maria.
Highlights
Generation Opportunity, a national, non-partisan youth advocacy organization, recently released its Millennial Jobs Report for April 2014.
According to the report, the unemployment rate for 18- to 29-year-olds, including those who have given up looking for a job, is 15.5 percent.
Patrice Lee, director of outreach at Generation Opportunity, issued the following statement: “False promises mean very little when we are faced with unemployment numbers in the double digits and crippling student debt. We don’t want slogans; we want jobs.
“Only 37 percent of young people approve of the president’s handling of the economy. Thirty-one percent approve of his handling of the federal budget deficit. We recognize that our unsustainable deficits and skyrocketing national debt hurt our ability to grow the economy and create opportunity,” Lee said in the statement.
Lareina Gamboa is an intern for New Times, the Sun’s sister paper to the north. Information for Biz Spotlight should be sent to the Sun via mail, email, or fax.
This article appears in May 8-15, 2014.
