A Breath of Fresh Air: How Vape City Helps Las Vegas Breathe Easier

From one man’s struggle to quit smoking to two thriving vape shops, Vape City has built its success on helping others find a cleaner way forward.

A New Kind of Habit

Inside Vape City’s Rainbow Boulevard location, the air hums softly with the quiet crackle of e-cigarettes being tested and the faint scent of fruit and menthol. Customers drift between shelves lined with sleek devices and colorful bottles of vape juice, each one promising a different escape: mango ice, strawberry cream, cool mint. Behind the counter, Matt Lewis greets familiar faces by name.

Yesterday, he says, an 82-year-old woman came in looking for something new. “She didn’t want to quit smoking,” he recalls with a small grin, “but she wanted to be able to vape around her family.”

Moments like that, he says, are why he still opens the shop’s doors every morning. “My favorite part is helping people quit smoking,” Matt says. “That’s what drives me. I know it works, because it worked for me.”

From Smoker to Shop Owner

Before Vape City ever existed, Matt Lewis was standing outside the MGM Grand, cigarette in hand, promising himself it would be his last pack. For twelve years, he’d tried everything: patches, gum, even prescription medication. Nothing worked.

Then one day, he saw a commercial for a small vape pen called Smoking Everywhere. Out of curiosity, he spent a hundred dollars on it. “I was able to quit smoking almost immediately,” he says. “That’s when I realized how big this could be. If it worked for me, it could work for anybody.”

At the time, the vaping industry was barely finding its footing. It was 2013, and Matt thought he might have already missed the wave. “Even then, I thought I was late,” he laughs. “I figured the boat had sailed. But I decided to go for it anyway.”

He opened his first Vape City location in Las Vegas with a simple goal: create a one-stop shop for everything vape-related. From coils and kits to custom juice blends and salt nicotine, his shelves offered everything a customer might need to transition away from cigarettes and maybe even enjoy it.

Built on Purpose, Not Puff

Matt never set out to chase a trend. His motivation was personal and unwavering. “Vaping gets a lot of bad press,” he admits. “But when you’ve been through what I went through as a smoker, and you see how much easier it can make quitting, you can’t just ignore that.”

Helping people stop smoking remains his north star. “I don’t love that people who never smoked are picking up vaping,” he says candidly. “That’s not what it was meant for. For me, it’s always been about helping people find a better alternative to cigarettes.”

His sincerity is part of what keeps customers coming back. He doesn’t speak like a salesman; he talks like someone who’s been there, someone who understands the struggle and wants to make it easier for others.

Navigating the Clouds

As the vaping industry exploded across the country, Matt and his team faced a growing storm of regulations. “It seems like every couple of years there’s a big scare,” he says. “Even recently, the industry almost died in Nevada.”

He recalls a tense moment when the state government nearly passed a law banning all vaping products except those approved by the FDA, a short list that included only a few major brands. “Some people from our industry went down to Carson City to speak about how it would affect small businesses like ours,” Matt explains. “Thankfully, they decided not to bring it up for a vote.”

Those experiences hardened his resolve. Vape City had weathered countless changes, fluctuating supply chains, shifting perceptions, and the occasional political battle, but Matt never lost sight of the reason he started in the first place. “It’s been the regulations that have been the hardest,” he says, “but we just keep going.”

Flavor, Variety, and Community

Today, Vape City stands out in a crowded field. Step inside, and the first thing you notice is the sheer scale of selection. “We’ve been around for a while now,” Matt says proudly. “We have vendors from all over the country. Our focus is the juice, that’s what really sets us apart.”

While many vape shops carry a handful of brands, Vape City stocks more than 50 or 60. Every shelf feels curated; every flavor has a story. Matt’s team pays close attention to what their customers want. “If you go into the store and there’s something you’re used to but we don’t have it,” he says, “ask us. Nine times out of ten, we’ll get it within a couple of days, sometimes even the next day.”

That responsiveness has made Vape City one of the most beloved vape shops in Las Vegas. For four consecutive years, the business has placed in the top three for Best Vape Shop in the Best of Las Vegas awards, a public vote that highlights local favorites.

The shop’s reputation has spread organically, powered by loyal customers and an active rewards program that keeps them coming back. “We still get fifteen to twenty new sign-ups every day,” Matt says. “We always try to give people a reason to return.”

More Than a Vape Shop

For Matt, community has always come first. Vape City’s social media pages, with nearly 5,000 Instagram followers and another 4,000 on Facebook, aren’t just about promoting new products. They’re about giving back.

“Over the years, we’ve done giveaways, we’ve given away TVs and computers,” Matt says. “Every year, we do a toy drive with the Children’s Hospital. We donate around ten thousand dollars’ worth of toys every year to the Las Vegas Children’s Hospital.”

It’s not a publicity stunt. It’s part of the culture. “We try to use social media to connect with people, not just sell to them,” he explains. “That’s what it’s all about, being part of the community.”

The team also works with other local businesses and supports events throughout the city, further cementing Vape City’s reputation as more than just a retailer.

The Future Looks Fresh

Twelve years in, Vape City shows no signs of slowing down. With two locations, one at 1025 S. Rainbow Blvd. and the other at 445 E. Windmill Lane, Suite 2F, Matt is already planning his next move.

“I want to do another location, maybe even something different,” he says. “I’ve seen in other cities there’s a mobile vape truck, like a food truck but for vaping products. I’m looking into doing that here.”

He’s also working to expand the company’s online reach. “We have a website now, but it’s mostly for local pickup and delivery,” he explains. “We’re working on getting the proper registration so we can ship products nationwide. There are some legal steps, but we’re getting there.”

Behind those plans is the same steady motivation that started it all: helping people make a healthier switch.

Why Las Vegas Loves Vape City

Ask any regular at Vape City why they come back, and you’ll hear the same answer: they feel taken care of. The store doesn’t just sell vapes; it sells trust.

Matt and his team know their customers by name. They offer delivery anywhere in Las Vegas, Henderson, or North Las Vegas, usually within the same day. They price-match with any local shop, and they’re always open to feedback. “We’re very receptive,” Matt says. “We listen, and we adapt.”

Even the loyalty program feels more like a thank-you than a sales tactic. “You get points, and they add up really quickly,” he says. “Six dollars off for every ten points, twenty-five off for every thirty. We try to give our customers real value.”

After a decade in business, Vape City has become part of the fabric of Las Vegas life. It’s where former smokers find their footing, where regulars trade stories about their latest flavor, and where Matt Lewis still sees every person as a potential success story.

A Cleaner Tomorrow

For Matt, the mission is simple. “Helping people quit smoking,” he says, “is still the thing I like the most.”

He’s built a business not just on vapor, but on empathy, a place where change feels possible and support is real. Vape City continues to grow, one customer, one conversion, and one cleaner breath at a time.

To learn more, visit www.vapecty.com or follow @vapecity_lv on Instagram and Vape City on Facebook.

This feature is part of The Business View Journal’s Local Spotlight Series — your trusted source for discovering the best small businesses in your community.