By now, everyone is aware of the increasing push in the United States, headed by the FDA, to regulate the sale, advertisement, and enjoyment of premium cigars. In response, the industry as a whole has made a big effort to try to ensure that premium cigars can still be enjoyed. Small lounges, for the most part, have stuck to promoting the DC lobbying efforts and encouraging customers to join Cigar Rights of America. Some, however, have broken the mold.
The past couple of years has seen the growth of an interesting idea: mobile cigar shops. Broadway Cigar, in my hometown of Portland, OR, launched the “Lounge and Safe Haven for Cigar Smokers” – a mobile truck with a beautiful interior and thousands of premium cigars (pictures below).
And Broadway isn’t the only cigar company going mobile. Ron and Wendy Reidi of Moore Township, Pennsylvania created their own mobile cigar lounge called Street Car Cigars.
Street Car Cigars – photo courtesy The Morning Call
What’s in it, you ask? Not just cigars. Inside is an expansive space that can seat more than a dozen (that’s more than some New York City cigar lounges!) and also has flat screen T.V.s and a stereo system.
I’m not sure exactly how many mobile cigar shops there are in the U.S. so far, but I’ll be excited to see more. And maybe, just maybe, we’ll be lucky enough to see one of these mobile cigar shops sitting somewhere in Manhattan.
Ok, that’s stretching the imagination a bit. But it would be pretty cool.
Know of any other cool lounges or mobile shops? Let us know about them in the comments section below!
Our friends at Nat Sherman have an announcement for New York City cigar smokers, and the United States at large. It sounds like Ike Karipides will be a great addition to the Nat Sherman team.
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NAT SHERMAN APPOINTS IKE KARIPIDES TO DIRECTOR OF PREMIUM CIGARS SALES
July 13, 2012 (New York, NY) – Nat Sherman, offering an iconic collection of premium tobacco products and upholding a service-centric approach to business, announces the appointment of Ike Karipides as Director of Premium Cigar Sales. Karipides’ appointment is effective immediately and he will be reporting directly to Michael Herklots, Executive Director of Retail and Brand Development. The announcement was made by Joel Sherman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Nat Sherman.
“We are thrilled to have Ike join the family. He has a profound passion for service that complements our multi-generational commitment to excellence,” says Joel Sherman. “Ike’s appointment underlines our dedication to our customers and the cigar industry.”
In the newly created role, Karipides is responsible for managing the sales efforts for the family-owned tobacconist’s premium cigars to partner retailers throughout the United States. Karipides brings experience and expertise in sales and marketing, promotions, special events and new brand development with him to Nat Sherman.
“I’ve always been drawn to family owned businesses,” says Ike Karipides. “I am excited to join the Sherman family, playing an active role in building upon Nat Sherman’s storied legacy.”
With over 15 years of experience in the cigar industry, Karipides most recently served as Regional Sales Manager for Miami Cigar & Company. Karipides’ previous experience also includes serving as a Brand Developer for the House of Oxford and General Manager for Barclay Rex Cigar and Tobacco. He has nearly grown up in the cigar business and entered into the field as a retail cigar sales associate while attending college.
“I’ve had the opportunity to work with Ike in many capacities over the years and during this time I’ve witnessed the profound passion and tremendous respect that he has for the cigar industry. I am excited to have Ike on board to spearhead our premium cigar sales efforts,” says Michael Herklots. “Ike’s addition to the team as Director of Premium Cigar Sales supports Nat Sherman’s commitment to working closely with our partner retailers and building those relationships for the long term.”
Beyond the cigar industry, Ike gained valuable leadership skills and international experience with IC International as Vice President of International Sales and Marketing. Karipides grew up in Cleveland, Ohio but has made New York his home since attending and graduating from Fordham University where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Economics.
About Nat Sherman:
Tobacconist to the World since 1930, Nat Sherman offers an iconic collection of premium tobacco products, from flavorful hand-rolled cigars to all natural tobacco cigarettes. Nat Sherman maintains a tradition of passion and creativity by offering unique blends of the world’s finest tobaccos. Owned and operated by the third generation of the Sherman family, Nat Sherman is committed to authenticity, quality and customer service. The universe of Nat Sherman comes to life in the company’s Flagship Townhouse store on 42nd Street just off 5th Avenue in Manhattan.www.NatSherman.com
Cigar Aficionado reports that the Casa Magna Colorado, which we published a review of today, is due for re-release in box-press form. For those of you who haven’t smoked the Casa Magna Colorado, do yourself a favor and try it. You can read about the flavor profile here on our review, as well as see photos of the stick.
The original Casa Magna Colorado was rated the #1 cigar in 2008 in Cigar Aficionado Magazine, and you can find it at the Cigar Inn for ~$8 – a steal. Now I just have to hope that the guys at Cigar Inn pick up a few boxes of these new sticks for me to try!
Here’s a little bit about the cigar from the CA website:
“Packaged in boxes of 20, the thick, squared-off smokes are the Gordo Real, which measures 6 1/4 inches by 60 ring gauge; the Toro, 6 by 50; and the Short Robusto at 4 1/4 by 54. Retail prices should fall in the $6.95 to $8.95 range.”
Matthias recently sat down with Ronnie Parisella, CRA ambassador and FineTobaccoNYC contributing writer to chat about local and national cigar politics, with a focus on New York City. If you are a cigar smoker in New York City and want to know how you can help protect your rights, or get to know your CRA rep a bit more, then read on.
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Ronnie Parisella
When did you originally begin smoking cigars, and what brought you in?
I was working for Charles Schwab & Co, Inc. in Brooklyn as a help desk engineer in 1997. Cigars and the economy were booming, and the NYC cigar scene was very active. This was before Bloomberg stopped smoking in bars & restaurants. My first cigar was an Ashton Maduro that I purchased from Barclay Rex on Broad St. downtown. I loved talking cigars with shop reps and still do. I’ve never walked into a humidor and failed to learn something useful. I love listening to guys argue about cigars as well, as it is all about taste. Give 5 different smokers the same cigar, and you might get 5 different sets of tasting notes. it’s all about preference, and there are nearly unlimited options available.
What is the greatest smoking experience you’ve ever had? (cigar, location, atmosphere, occasion, etc)
How about a random one? About a month ago, I was walking down 6th Ave. in NYC, when I was stopped by a police officer. As he asked me about my cigar, I assumed I was going to get harassed for smoking on the sidewalk (which is apparently illegal in NYC now), but instead, the officer told me how much he loved cigars and began to rattle off about a dozen of his favorite brands and sizes. He was such a nice guy that after we chatted, (and I gave him a couple of old CA copies I had in my bag), he popped the trunk on his cruiser, pulled out a small bag of cigars and gave me a Cuban Cohiba #2. It was an interesting NYC experience, and one that I’m sure Mayor Bloomberg, would love to eliminate in the future.
What is it about Cigar Rights of America that you find so compelling that you volunteer your time?
A common misconception regarding the anti-smoking movement is that it is solely geared toward cigarettes. It targets all smoking products including cigars. All 50 states in the US have some form of a smoking ban or a tax on tobacco products. The primary goal of the anti-smoking movement is to eventually outlaw all tobacco products. Cigar Rights of America (CRA) was founded on the principle of fighting for the freedom to enjoy cigars. CRA is a Non-Profit Consumer Grassroots Organization that works with local, state and federal governments to protect the freedoms of cigar enthusiasts.
What do you find the most common reason behind the public’s willingness to support smoking bans and tax increases?
Cigarettes. Our biggest challenge in fighting for our freedom to enjoy premium hand rolled cigars, is separating the public’s perception of tobacco. The premium hand rolled cigar industry consists of centuries old techniques that respect the land, the crop and the tradition of the industry. Big Tobacco is completely the opposite, driven by corporate greed and shareholders. The cigar industry does not intentionally make their products addictive. No additional tar, nicotine, ammonia, etc. is added to premium hand rolled tobacco. To the contrary, many steps in the fermentation/curing process specifically remove impurities from the leaf. On a recent trip to Davidoff’s Camp Camacho in Jamastran, Honduras CA, General Manager Sandra L. Ochoa described that the process is what keeps cigar tobacco from going stale, even though it gets dry. Cigarette tobacco is much more processed and cannot be revived indefinitely, like premium hand rolled cigars.
In recent years there have been quite a few increases in the amount of tobacco taxes and regulations on cigar smokers around the country. What would you say is the primary battle ground for cigar rights advocates? Local, state, or federal?
While the federal anti-tobacco movement is geared at cigarette smoking, the premium hand rolled cigar industry is still unfairly lumped in with all tobacco use. I believe that we can raise awareness about the threat to our freedoms. Unite at your local Premium Cigar Shop, with enough support, we can fight this inclusion with facts and education.
Given CRA’s mission, they are clearly very aware of the proposed invasion of the cigar industry by the FDA. What are the proposed policies, and why are they so dangerous?
Overall, I applaud the FDA for intervening in the free market to prevent underage smokers. The main concern is while the FDA has stated their investigations and focus will remain on the cigarette and not cigar industries, they may choose to do so in the future. The policies aren’t the issue. The issue is that there is no clear definition that separates the premiums hand rolled cigar industry from mass-produced, intentionally-addictive cigarette and chewing tobacco industries. I am behind the Gov’t’s intention to make tobacco use less appealing to underage Americans. I am not happy that I can no longer by D’Jarum Cloves in NYC, but I get it, and am not too upset.
What are the basic principles behind the CRA’s strategy to protect our right to enjoy fine tobacco?
This is a basic “no taxation without representation” issue. If the premium hand rolled cigar manufacturers are to be taxed, they should be taxed at rates in line with non-addictive products. This is an industry, a product of camaraderie and of brotherhood. Our NYS tobacco tax rate of 75% is ridiculous compared to some other states (i.e. Kansas – 10%). The disparity is often tied to the the aggressiveness & tenacity of local officials. NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg has reportedly contributed $220M of his own to the Anti-Tobacco movement.
As a resident of New York City, what do you think lies behind Mayor Bloomberg’s massive increase in tobacco regulation? What do you think his end-game is?
The Mayor wants his city to be the nicest in the world.
What can the average cigar smoker in the U.S. do to help keep the culture alive?
What can a new cigar enthusiast do to learn more about the premium hand rolled cigar industry?
1. Become a certified tobacconist: http://www.tobacconistuniversity.org/
2. Visit your local cigar shops
3. Support the cigar industry on Twitter: @CigarRights, @FineTobaccoNYC, @IPCPR,
4. Follow Cigary Industry Blogs: FineTobaccoNYC.com, etc.
Cigars smokers in London (traveler or otherwise) now have one more location to light up at: the Wellesley Hotel in London. The hotel, which will open in November of 2012, will feature a large outdoor terrace and a cigar lounge boasting “one of the largest collections of cigars sold on a stick-by-stick basis.” Not only that, there will be an entire wall dedicated to Whiskey and Cognac, as well as a jazz room, though it is unclear whether cigar smokers will be allowed to smoke there (I’d guess not).
Judging by the photos in the article on hotelchatter.com, it looks like the hotel will be ideal for cigar smokers visiting the city who have a bit of extra cash to spend.
