Cigar Travels: The Cigar Boxx (SC, USA)

Earlier in March I had the pleasure of visiting Greenville, SC (the American South) for the first time in my life. I took a plane from LGA to Charlotte, then down to Spartanberg International in South Carolina for a three day stay. I knew I was in for a bit of culture shock, but I had no idea how beautiful the South actually is, how nice the weather and people are, or (and I enjoyed this), how prevalent advertisements for cigars are, even at the airport.

Needless to say, I arrived at my hotel room fully briefed on the local cigar shops in Greenville. I dropped off my bags, took a walk down Main St., and made my first of what would be four visits to The Cigar Boxx, located a block off of Main. Walking in the door, I was immediately greeted by Paolo, the shop owner. Paolo showed me his selection in the walk-in humidor and recommended the Casa Fernandez Miami Reserva (a great cigar, by the way). He also told me a bit about the shop itself, which has been open more than ten years now.

The Cigar Boxx is a one-of-a-kind lounge, with a unique layout. The shop has a walk-in humidor, a wall racked with an impressive selection of wines, a large storefront lounge area with plenty of natural light, member humidor wall, and a dark and cozy den area that is decked out in southern style and complete with a large flat screen TV.

But, back to the humidor. With a large, street facing window, the walk-in humidor is more than visually inviting. It sports an extensive selection of premium and boutique cigars, and of course at price points well below what we find in New York City. I picked up a King Havano Black Knight, a stick which easily sells for $18+ in the city, for just $10. Other stand-out cigars in the collection included Berger & Argenti Entubar, Casa Magna Colorado, SWAG, Alec Bradley, and more.

The real heart of Cigar Boxx, though, is Paolo (above). During my visits, I found Paolo to be incredibly knowledgeable about cigars and the industry. He was also incredibly hospitable, offering excellent cut and light service, making delicious coffee for customers, and introducing new customers to the true cigar experience.

In any case, it goes without saying that I highly recommend this shop to anyone. It has a great vibe, good selection of excellent cigars, and great management. And, it sounds like there are even more good things coming in the future. Paolo also mentioned that he is planning on opening a new location across the street, complete with food and full bar service.  If the new location rivals the original Cigar Boxx, Greenville residents should consider themselves lucky.

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