Tobacco Documents Online

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Contents JULY/AUGUST 19~6 o VOL23 NO.4 "1~ I ca~no~ smoke i~ i~ve~, then I s~il not go." -- ~artc Twa/n 'Features 14 Keeping the Faith in Ybor City by E. Edward Hoyt, III Tampa Rica Cigar Co., now producing cigars in Central America and the Dominican Republic, integrates its over 60-year-old tobacco business. 24 Down Home at Bill Davis by Bob Ashley RTDA, Smokeshop gives you the inside scoop on who is going to be raiding Cincinnati this August. 42 RTDA Cincinnati Preview Staff Report As an Official ~~ Publication of the 64 Retail Focus ~,ith Bn/an Mining Plan for succession to insure the survival of your business. When planning for your future, don't forget to plan for the future of your business. A glimpse inside a full-service smoke shop in Auburn, Maine. Departments 32 Living a Pipe Dream by Joseph Finora Learn how Thomas Cristiano of Cristom Imports & Exports impresses his retail customers. 38 Santo Domingo Bliss by Jonathan Bell Editorial/Viewpoint .......................................... 2 Letters/Comments ............................................. 4 Smoke Signals ........................................................ 6 People ....................................................................... 10 Happenings ......................................................... 12 Brand News .............................................................. 70 Product Showcase ............................................ 72 Index of Advertisers .......................................... 75 LastWord .................................................................... 76 Gi|ies Rochon, an oversea,s On the Cover. micro cigar ~ '~ ~ ~ The former cigar foctory of the Standard Cigor Co. in Ybor maker, re- City, Florida. The cupola atop the clock tower allowed turns to his lookouts to spot ships opproaching the Tampa harbor with true ~: tobacco shipments. See story on Tampa Rico Cigar Co., dgars, page ~ 4. - T!~750245

Fasten Your Seat Belts "No matter hora hefl~ul, genteel, or persuash,e the local tobacco shop, you'll ahnost always make out better buying discount mail order." Tuat, folks, was the concluding advice oiled out in the June 24 issue of For- ne magazine, one of the first-- m~d most insightful-- public rantings on the skyrocketing prices of cigars that's made it into the consumer press. It will undoubtably not be the last, and offered the bewildered cigar consumer an elixir for financial relief, but not the kind of press the local tobacco store would have hoped for. Competition from discount mail order has always been a prickly arena for the corner store that must account for costs of doing busi- ness, and with good cause, as the story indirectly notes. With excise taxes varying wildly from state to state -- 20% of wholesale prices in New York; 31% in California; and up to 75% in Washington -- com- petition in specialty tobacco is played out on an absurdly uneven playing field at best. The popular press, bereft of cigar knowledge, has been fascinated with the upper end of premium cigar prices, waxing poetic on the rich businessman or young yuppie with money just falling from their hands. But smoke shops know better, and the supply/price situation is taking a greater and greater toll on the patience of those who've been in the in- dustry for some time. Meanwhile, the New York Times recently chronicled the Big Apple's burgeoning cigar scene, going so far as to compare it to the coffee bar craze which, as entrepreneurs have concluded, has peaked. What's next? Cigars! With Tinder Box, Grand Havana, and others all checking out the local real estate in the city of insomniacs, it appears the "no-smoking" megalopolis won't know what hit it by the time it's through. General Cigar's Club Macanudo was closed re- cently to perform smoke-reducing renovations in an attempt to quell the furor of neighbors and upstairs tenants. The company acknowl- edged it just simply couldn't have imagined the immense crowds that descended onto the Club since it opened its doors several months ago. The fact is, the retail cigar base is expanding. Restaurants, clubs, gourmet department stores, even an upscale men's clothing store, are all looking to grab some of the cigar action. So, take a deep breath, and settle into the summer knowing that the road ab.~ead won't be any calmer. The fun has only just begun. Alyso~ R. Boxman, E. Edward Hoyt EDtTO~ hJyson R. ~xman • E. Edward Hoyt !i! Editorial Assistant Christopher Burke O'Hara CONTRIBUTORS Bob Ashley, Jonathan Bell Joseph Finora, Tony Hyman Publishers Robert M. Lockwood George E. Lockwood Associate Publisher Frederick A. Lockwood Marketing Manager Ren6e Lockwood Circulation Director Edward G. Feng Secretary Peter M. Messer ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Belgium, France, Holland, Italy, Portugal, Spain Ionathan W. Bell, Les Izards-Massac, 81500 Lavaur, France, Tel: (33)(63) 41-35-90, Fax: (33)(63) 41-47-81, Telex: 533443 BELL United Kingdom Peter Cockle, Elmwood, Kingston Hill, Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey, KT2 7LN, England, Tel: (44)(I 81 ) 974-9001, Fax: (44) (I 81 ) 546-I 907, E-maih pisces@easynet.co.uk United States, all other areas: Robert M. Lockwood, George E. Lockwood Frederick A. Lockwood, Ionathan Osmun or Lain/Frank, 150 Windham Center Road, Windham, Maine 04062 U.S., Tel: (207) 893-1 t 52, Fax: (207) 893-1172 E-mail: rexwindham@aol.com SMOKESHOP Lockwood Trade Iournal Co. Inc. 130 West 42nd Street, Suite 1050 New York, N.Y. 10036 [el: (212) 391-2060, Fax: (212) 827-0945 E-maih ssmagazine@aot.com SMOKESHOP (ISSN 0146-9266), established in 1970, is published hi-monthly by Lockwood Trade Journal Co., Inc., 130 West 42nd Street, Suite 1050, New York, NY 10036 U.S.A. Periodicals paid at New York, NY and at additio~ai mailing offices. Annual subscrip- ~ r~es: Lk~Cecl State~ $32; Car~a~ ~4~; aN olhe~ foreign coul~tries $78, ~ $156 by airmatl, payable in iu~vence. Copy~ght: 01996 by Lockwood Tr~cle Ioumai Co., b~c. The contenLs of SMOKESHOP, and ail ~tides, POSTMASTER: Send address changes to SMOKESHOP, 130 West 42nd Skeet, Sure 1050, NewYor~ N.Y. 10036. SingJe ~ US$6 TI56750246

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T '0 B A C C 0 I B U S T R Y & R E T A I L E R li I~ W $ 0 5 10 Suddenly, Handr011ing Sees Resurgence in U.S. The Calle Ocho, Florida factory of the Caribbean Cigar Co.- just six months old -- is already the largest hand-rolled cigar manufacturing plant in the United States. Almost all of the 40 men and women who bunch and roll cig- ars there are Cuban-born, and many are recent immigrants. But by year's end, says company president Kevin Doyle, Caribbean Cigar Co. expects to double its work force. In Miami, which boasts a large popu- lation of Cuban exiles, skilled tabaqueros are in demand, and piecework wages have risen. "This is definitely going to continue," insists Doyle. "There are mar- kets not even open yet." Doyle, whose previous career includ- ed a stint as an air traffic controller in Miami, most recently ran a Key Largo smoke shop. With partner Michael Risley, the pair launched their cigar-making op- eration after tossing around ideas aimed at satisfying their own love for tobacco. Risley, a former Wall Street trader, raised $1.5 million in venture capital, and Caribbean Cigar opened in Decem- ber with an experienced staff of rollers who, the partners say, can make up to $1,000 a week. Mid-West Smoke Shop Motif Stirs Dispute With Indian Community Minneapolis-based Crown Coco Inc., operator of more than 20 EZ-Stop gasoline and convenience stores in Minnesota, is converting its stores to Indian Joe's • 0 3O 35 49 45 5O Smoke Shops. The conver- sion includes new signs featuring an American In- dian wearing feathers and smoking a cigarette. But the Council for American Indian Ministry in Min- neapolis, as well as local dty officials, are not pleased with the make-over. The name Indian Joe's "runs counter to the progress already made changing the names of sports organizations, geo- graphic locations, and school mascots to end the negative stereotyping of American Indians," said director of the Cou~cil for American Indian Ministry. and a member of the Excel- sior Planning Commission. The small, self-serve gas stations and conve- nience stores carved out a niche as a low-price provider of fuel. Now, the company seems intent on developing the same low- price reputation for tobac- co products through its name change, increased advertising in local subur- ban newspapers, and extra floor space devoted to to- bacco. The shops will contin- ue to sell a few grocery items, low-price gasoline, and dgarettes. TI56750250

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LEGISLATION VVATCH INTERNATIONAL Nicaragua's National Assembly passed a bill banning all cigarette adven~ising on television, radio, and print media. The measure followed a related vote that barmed smoking in most public places. FEDERAL The House Appropriations Com- mittee defeated legislation that would prohibit tobacco farmers from receiving federally-funded crop insurance payments or agricul- tural extension services. Anti-tobac- co forces in Congress are vowing to continue the fight before the full House, and in the Senate. Rep. Saxby Chambliss, R-Moultrie, said the committee vote sends a message that the federal government should stop trying to dictate to smokers and tobacco farmers. CALIFORNIA An extension to the smoking ban exemption that delays the enforce- ment of the statewide workplace smoking ban for bars, taverns, and gaming clubs until 1997 would be extended to January 1, 2000. The bill was passed by the State Assembly and referred to the Senate. MASSACHUSETTS The Massachusetts House over- whelmingly passed a bill that would hike the cigarette tax by 25 cents and includes an amendment that imposes a new tax on smoking tobacco and cigars of 25% of the wholesale price. The new tax would yield $4 million to $5 million annually for the state, said the amendment's sponsor, to fin~_x~ce health insurance coverage anti drug prescriptions programs. The bill, In Sacramento, California, Harlow's restaurant and nightclub has opened the chic Momo Lounge and Cigar Bar. Harlow's owners, Peter and Dar- bar Torza, installed a walk-in humidor to store a selection of 300 boxes of cigars, with extra space for customers' own stash. Successful cigar nights previously held at the restaurant will continue in the eclectically-decorated lounge, adorned in shades of coral, chartreuse, and bronze. nov," on its way to the Senate, would give the state the second highest cigarette excise tax in the country at 76 cents a pack. MICHIGAN Lawmakers are currently consider- ing at least 11 tobacco bills, reports the Detroit News. On the slate are separate smoking and nonsmoking areas for public places, and numer- ous smoking bans including work- places and other public places. NEW JERSEY The Speaker of the New Jersey As- sembly has proposed a 25-cent in- crease in the state's cigarette t,'~x to pay for a $1 billion bond issue to finance the state's most ambitious i.'~l~l constnaction prt~ram in decades. TI56750252

SPECIAL OFFER Name Please sign me up for SMOKE's retail program: Company Address city Telephone Please send me the selected number of copies: ~ % off cover 0 10 300/0 ~ 25 30% ~] 50 36% [] 100 40% r~ 150 45% r_l 200 or more ~ 50% State ~ Zip Date • Coverprice: $3.99 • Free acrylic stand provided • Retailers will be credited with any returns. Payment is due 30 days after receiving invoice. the distributor of SMOKE M~azine and will handle all billing and payments. information, contact Glen Baptiste at (609) 488-5700, Fax: (609) 488-1819. TI56750253

NO POSTAGE NECESSARY IF MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES POSTAGE WILL BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE SMOKE MAGAZINE/LOCIONOOD PUBLICATIONS 130 WEST 42ND STREET NEW YORK, N¥ 10109-1585 TI56750254

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Gizeh-Werke has appointed Winfded Hinz Director of its Smokers' Division to lead the division's growth. In addition, the company has appointed Lisa Esser as international sales manager of its Smokers' Division. She succeeds Kurt Schreiber who retired in April this year. Cesareo Alierta was named president of the Spanish tobacco company Tabacalera SA. Alierta, former head of Spanish brokerage firm Beta Capital, succeeds Pedro Perez, who had been president since 1993. -~:, Production of U.S. pipe tobacco in February totalled 536,980 pounds, about 24% less than the same month in 1995. *~. Mexican tobacco production rebounded slightly in the 1995/96 season after two years of decline, according the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City. Produc- tion of dark fire-cured tobacco, grown in the Ver- acruz area and used in cigars was at 700 MT, the same as last year. BIC Corporation has named Jeff Brown as trade marketing manager. Brown previously sewed as product manager, office products division. In addi- tion, John Buck has been promoted to manager, strategic planning. Buck most recently served as chain account manager for the Southeast. finds ,i se Target of a Cigar Ban ,Camp ~'~ alting the display of cigars by many Chicago Bulls, including Michael Jordan and Dennis Rodman, at the conclusion of the NBA Championship Series game in June an inappropriate message for children, the Cam- paign for Tobacco-Free Kids has called on the National Basketball Association to ban the promotion of cigars and other tobacco products at all NBA-sponsored events. 10 4th and 5th generation W.O.Larsen fine an, nade pipes. All indrviduals, light in weight, polished with wax. Beautiful Straight Grain pipes in elegant shapes. Direct dial or write one of the Larsens a few words W.O-LARSEN GEMS FROM THE FOREST Handmade humidors H3OO-Monterrey Featuring exotic veneers from around the world. Wholesale to the trade from $150.00. To receive our 1996 catalog, call or send your business card. John Snedeker Woodworking 711 Meeting St. Charleston, S. C. 29403 (803) 722 6411 TI56750256

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July 27-28, West Coast Pipe & Cigar Expo, LAX Sheraton Hotel. Contact: Steve Johnson, 1532 S. Bundy Drive, Apt. D., Los Angeles, California 90025, E-mail: briar- man@aol.com. July 31, 1996 Arturo Fuente Display Contest, Entry Deadline. Contact: Fuente & Newman Premium Cig- ars, Ltd., Inc. representative, or Fred Zaniboni, (800) 237-7215. August 21-24, 64th Annual RTDA Convention and Trade Show, Cincinnati, Ohio. Contact: Retail Tobacco Dealers of America, 107 East Baltimore Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, Tel: (410) 547- 6996, Fax: (410) 727-7533. September 14, Ohia Pipe Collector Swap/Sell Pipe Show, Holiday Inn on the Lane, Columbus, Ohio. In- formation, table reservations, con- tact: Bill Unger, Ohio Pipe Collec- tors, PO Box 9642, Columbus, Ohio 43209, Tel: (614) 252-2904, E-mail: bilunger@freenet.colum- bus.oh.us. October 14-19, Key West Celebra- tion of the Cigar, Key West, Florida. Exhibits, photography workshop, fishing and golf tournaments, sail- ing, watersports, walking tours, cigar dinners nightly at Key West's finest restaurants. Event sponsors are welcome. Contact: Key West Havana Cigar Co., (800) 217- 4884; Fax (305) 296-2608, E-mail: kwhavana@aol.com. Send calendar announcements to: The Editor, Smokeshop Magazine, 130 West 42nd St., Suite 1050, New York, NY 10036, Fax: 212- 827-0945, E-mail ssmagazine@aol.com. MARKETING TRENDS Interactive Bar/Lounge Promo Features Cigars "World's Largest Cigar Night," Promo by NTN Communications and White Owl Select you've probably en- countered them at one time or ~'mother: those wireless gadgets that have people fixated on an overhead television at a local nightspot. NTN Communications, a lead- ing interactive producer and programmer that broadcasts those live play- along games and trivia competitions to approxi- mately 15 million partici- pants each month, teamed up with General Cigar in JL~ne to create the "World's Largest Cigar Night." "l~e promo featured three in~ractive cigar- priz~ for top-~coring players in each of the games including a trip for two to Key West, Florida. "This event was creat- ed to capitalize on the in- creasing popularity of cig- ars," said Jerry Petrie, ex- ecutive vice president- marketing at NTN. "There is a movement within the restaurant/ hotel trade to accommo- date cigar smoking at se- lect venues. The NTN En- tertainment Network broadcasts to more than 3,000 hospitality locations, offering General Cigar, makers of White Owl Se- lect Cigars, an excellent opportunity to promote awareness for their new John Geoghegan, vice president of strategic planning at General Cigar Co. Inc., said: "We're try- ing to differentiate new White Owl Select Cigars from other popularly priced brands. "NTN's network reach- es the demographics we need to create a successful trial program. An event like this is a great way to introduce our cigars to constLr~ers. J' The NTN service is carried at sports bars, tav- erns, restaurants, and other hospitality sites. TI56750258

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on and Brenda Barco Dhave been in the cigar business long enough to have caught the tale end of the ener- getic buzz that constituted Ybor City's vibrant cigar culture, a privi- lege whose importance is treasured by the couple who themselves have wom nearly every hat at the Tampa Rico Cigar Co. -- even cellophaning and packing the company's own production back when production was based still based in Florida. "Don and I know what it was like," says Brenda, with the proud enthusiasm of a third generation de- scendant of Tampa Rico Cigar Co.'s founder, Mario Jorg6 Puig. "You could smell the cuban coffee, and everybody worked in tobacco," ex- plained Brenda from Tampa Rico's headquarters in a converted cigar factory in Ybor City., Florida. Her husband, Don, quickly elaborates: "You could literally walk through the streets of Ybor City and smell the rough tobacco in the air. And the streets were still packed with peo- ple." It's an insight that new visitors to the district just outside of down- town Tampa must strain to imagine. These days, the city that was once home to more than 50 major cigar factories and over 20,000 workers -- an eclectic mixture of Cuban as well as Italian, Spanish, Jewish, and German immigrants -- is under a spell of gentrification, with clubs and restaurants now populating the city's main thoroughfare. It's a wel- come change from the desolation of abandoned factories that followed the exodus of cigar manufacturing. But for those who remember, the new, intermittent waves of weekend revelers just isn't the same. "Everybody knew everybody, yelling and saying 'hello', and it was fabulous. But it's never going to be what it was," says Brenda. "It's a shame. Our children will never ex- perience it, and that's very sad." With three languages spoken in Ybor --Spanish, English, and Italian -- and an extremely flamboyant community whose free time was largely centered around ethnic so- cial clubs, Ybor's culture may very well rival its cigar industry in the history books. ~ I first moved ~ i i i ~1I III III I II~ll TI56750261

Brenda Barco's grandfather founded Tampa Rico Cigar Co. in the 1930s. Her husband, Don, knew the only way to stay in the game was to move production to Honduras. here as a kid from a little town south of here, I might as well have been from Mars," says Don. "I went into Ybor City and I heard all these dif- ferent languages. I thought I was in Europe! It was tremendous." A nearly self-suffident subculture of Tampa, residents of Ybor City -- almost without exception -- had something to do with the cigar indus- try. "lf you didn't make cigars, or wock in a factory where they made cigars, you work~ in a cigar box fac- tory, or owned a laundry that catered to cigar workers, or a restaurant, or ice cream store, or candy store, or something that was built around the cigar industry," says Don. Cigars put Ybor on the map. "If you thought of Pittsburgh, you thought of steel. If you thought of Tampa, it was cigars." Brenda Barco's grandfather, Mario Jorg6 Puig, started Tampa Rico Cigar Co. in the 1930s. Puig, who had been making cigars by hand since he was a kid, led the 16 JutylAugost 199S company and its staff of hancl rollers through WWII a~-~t into 19"-/~s. "Mario was quite a chaunter. He built up the business not only be- cause he had a good product -- he was producing one, very gocKl blend -- but he also had such a personali- t-y. He could do things that you and I could never get away with," says Brenda. "If you walked in and you had somebody else's cigar, he'd walk up to you and break it, and show you that you weren't smoking a good cigar. He had charisma, and his personality is what helped him in the tobacco business." "It added to the romance," says Don. "He looked like Edward G. Robinson. He had this real gruff voice, and smoked a ten-inch cigar. Little kids would stand there and stare at him in wide-eyed wonder- ment. But people loved him." "I guess that's why the business is so important to us. What he start- ed, we wanted to maintain. I'm hop- ing we will always be able to main- tain that." Changing Trends Even by the late 1970s, says Don, the company began to see an increase in demand for handmade cigars. Brenda's father, ]ferry Garcia -- who had also entered the cigar business as a young man making cigars -- be- gan to identify areas of the business that were in need of greater atten- tion, primarily marketing and mer- chandising, that Puig was too busy to address. Semi-retired by the late 1970s, Puig preferred to spend his time working with the tobacco and making cigars. Hating to see the company fade away, Garcia came into the business, paying particular attention to Tampa Rico's brands. As president of com- pany, he has worked to improve the brand's presentation, utilizing better boxes and box designs, and adding more sizes to the Rico Havana brand, the original blend creat~l by Puig. TI56750262

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%t's when ~hat b~xl starting do- ing even better,~ says Don. But with a ~hxinking work~orce of b.ara:h~lle~ in Tampa, ~ e~- i~ading dema~ was ~ m~xed ing that presenk,,d a serious chal- lenge. "Our business grew to a point, that by the time I came i~, we would have people wanting to buy cigars wholesale and we'd tell them, 'look at the shelves, they're empty. We can't make enough,'" says Don. "We were making our cigars here in Ybor, but we only had a certain number of cigar makers. Despite the labor pressures, and admitting it was hard for the company at the time, Tampa Rico launched its Elegante blend -- an all Cuban-seed Dominican leaf cigar with a Con- necticut shade wrapper. Producing cigars in sufficient quantities to keep pace with demand became increas- ingly difficult, and the shortage situ- ation expanded. Tampa, the company made numer- ous attemp~ ~o expand production the, ~ ~g ~ up from Miami, but each attempt proved problematic. The company found that the younger Cuban cigar makers who came over in the early 1980s weren't as dependable as the older generation of workers flom Tampa, the last of Ybor's aging cigar workforce. "They were very loyal, very dependable," recalls Don. "If you opened at 7:30, they were here at 7:00. If you opened at 7:00, they were here at 6:30." But by then the average age ranged from 72 on up, with one man retiring at the age of 96. "It was just dissolving before our eyes," says Don. The prospects of training new cig- ar makers was even more daunting and economically troublesome. "When you have a manufacturing system in place like you have in there's going to be a certain amotmt of waste. You're going to loose a cer- tain amount of tobacco, and you're going to loose money while that per- son is training. When you have a sys- tem in place, you can absorb that loss." Today's Central American cig- ar workforce resembles Ybor City's about 80 years ago, says Barco, in that the average age of workers is consid- erably younger, and there are always new people coming into the system. "It was really heartbreaking for Brenda and I," recalls Don. "If it wasn't for the cigar business, there would be no Ybor City, there would be no Ybor Square, there would be n )building. We took a lot of pride in trying to keep that tradition alive." At one point, Baxcos even tried The Highest Quality Handmade Humidors At Affordable Prices • Handcrafted solid Che .m~'ood with kx:kmitre construction. • Spanish Cedar lining hand fitted for an airtight seal. • Solid brass hardware including a continuous piano hinge. • Cre, lo humidifying system. Three stuck sizes include a 50 cigar, a 25 dgar, and a unique travel size. TI56750264

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Ro|a~do i'.k~nero #2 B~ 20 ~ ~me~ #3 B~ 20 50 Numero #4 Box 20 43 Robusto Box 20 52 ~ramid Box 10 34 Per~o Box 20 ~ Elegante Frontrnark Unit Quantity Rin_cl Grande Box 25 48 Especial Box 25 48 Centimo Box 25 44 Panetela Larga Box 25 36 Petit Cetro Box 25 42 Queen Box 25 50 8~ 7" 7" 7" 6" 4~" Rico Havana Fronlmark Unit Quantity ~ Rough Rider Box 25 50 ~Churchill Box 25 48 • ,Plaza,i, -- Box 25 44 COrona. Box 25 42 !D~k6 "," - Box25 50 Co., P.O. Box 4927, Tampa, Florida 33677, (800) 892-3760, Fax: (813) 247-2422. 9 7',4 7 6 5 5',4 to bring cigar makers in from Hon- duras and Dominican Republic, something that the government would ostensibly allow, but which in practice amounted to a huge catch-22 fiasco. The plan never saw the light of day. Finally, the company turned to machine bunching, figuring it could still at least put all of its cigar mak- ers to work putting the wrappers on by hand. "We tried that for about six months, but it was nightmare. It was more trouble than it was worth." That was probably the most difficult time for the family, says Don, and he knew he bad to convince Brenda and her father that it was time to do something different:. ~We r,,eed to es- tablish ourselves in Hoc~luras.~ A New Era At nearly the same time, the Barcos met a Cuban exile, just by chance one day, who worked in Honduras and was reUring. "He has forgotten more about tobacco than I will ever know," says Don with tremendous respect. "His family had one of the better farms in Cuba, and he just has tobacco in his blood." He helped make the introductions to cigar makers in Honduras, and soon Tampa Rico was producing. "That was the answer to our problems at that time. That gave us the opportunity to make more cigars and to make more brands," says Dor~ "That's when we really started into the wholesale side." With an aml~e production sys- tern in place, Tampa Rico was quick- ly able to meet demand for the tun, we felt we wo~ld put more money into packaging and design, and more time into the aging of the tobacco, a~d that's when we came out with the Rolando cigar," says Don. "That's the one we like to brag about." Rolando, packaged 20 to a box rather than 25 for the company's other blends, and whose sizes in- clude a select Pyramid shape pack- aged 10 to a box, is made from Cuban-seed Dominican-grown leaf and Connecticut shade wrapper. "Because of the aging, it's a cigar that's probably milder in taste, but really just explodes your taste buds," says Don. "It's a perfectly balanced cigar. But you're going to pay more for it because we age the tobacco longer and we have more money tied up in it." Don visits the factories several times throughout the year, and is in- volved with the whole process: look- ing at the crops and the leaf he's go- ing to buy, smoking the tobacco, and adjusting the blends. "You always check the new crops, smoking the new tobacco to see what it tastes like. The same seed planted in the same ground can come out a little bit different: a little bit heavier, a little bit milder. You adjust the blend to keep it consistent," says Don. "And depending how long you age the to- bacco will alter the flavor too." Despite the pressures of deliver- ing product, Don warns there are simply no effective shortcuts. "You bite the bullet, and you age the to- bacco however long it takes to get it to the point that you want it. If you start playing with that, you'll shoot yourself in the foot." Tampa Rico has seen a tremen- do-_s increase in sales volumes, "just like everyone else," but says it's been able to Keep its nose "jur, t ahead of the demand." That will become in- TI,5675~2~

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I CLUB DRUM EZ WIDER JOB JOKER RANDY'S WIRED RASS HEMP TOPS ZIG ZAG II ZIGZAG II BIC-PUSH'N LITE I AMERICAN MATCH c~easing difficult, estimates Don, based on the industry trends. "We l-~ave back ozrck'rs, but tl~y're not huge. This year espedally will be tough year. We're pulling our hair out, just like everyone else, every time somebody calls and you don't have cigars for them. We'll always try to get new business, but you want to be able to deliver. And so far we've been able to deliver." Tampa Rico is concentrating on the domestic market for its whole- sale business, but notes it does have some foreign accounts, a fact that bolsters the Barco's confidence in their products. "These people that have access to Cuban cigars, and are buying our cigars instead." Another more immediate con- cern is working space. "Right now, we're very cramped for space," says Don. A small store with a walk-in humidor displays the company's full product line in Ybor Square, one of the cigar factory belonging to city founder Vicente Martinez Ybor, now an entertainment/shopping com- plex. "We have the humidor here where people can walk in and buy cigars. Behind that we have proba- bly 150,000 to 200,000 cigars. And we rent space at a what is an old to- bacco cigar warehouse, that we have to store other cigars." Renovatior~s on a recently pur- cha.,,.~,,d building nearby will allow Tampa ~ico to m(rce its (g-rices and wa_~ i,-ao a much ~ ~ ty, while giving the Ybor Square store its own breathing space. "We've made lot of contacts with people in the wholesale end of the business because we're visible here," says Don. "It's given us some visibili- ty for people that didn't know about us in the wholesale side. Whatever we sell here is sold at retail prices. All of our prices are keystoned." It is, in fact, the company's last high-profile link to the city's cigar history. And as if to prove that point, each day at the front of the store, a single cigar roller demonstrates how cigars are made for the crowds of tourists that pass through the building, imaging what yesterday there was like. Production and sales have grown every year that the Barcos have been in the business. But their greatest wish is to see Mario Jorg6 Puig's -- and Ybor City's -- cigar tradition continue. "Hopefully, one day, one of our chil- dren will take an h~terest in the busi- ness. As they get older, they're asking more questions. "I Iow'd it go today, did you get a lot more orders today? What's happenh~g with this cigar?" In this day and age, that's cer- tainly a promising sign. [] TI56750268

$149.95 TABLE TOP HUMIDOR 3 Burl Wood models to choose from Nogal • Bubinga • Sapely 75 Cigar capacity • Hydrometer Large Humidifier • Separators High-Gloss Poly/Lacquer Finish Unit not pictured~no lock & key. Sug. Ret: $299.95 CigarMat¢ TM TABLE TOP HUMIDORS 40 Models for 50 to 250 cigors. Crafted from rare burl woods: Umbuya Nogal • Bubinga • Sapely [] Madrona • Roble. All take 8" cigars sideways. Hydrometer, Lg. Humidifier, Separators, I Lock/key, High-Gloss Poly/Lacquer Finish "Down to Earth Prices-We won't be Undersold" ,,, 8.g8-777-8466 TI56750269

by Bob Ashley t might seem odd to some that a smoke shop contin- ues to be named for a man who hasn't owned it for nearly 30 years, but to transplanted Pennsylvani- ans Albert and Debi Thalheimer, keeping Bill Davis' name on the Auburn, Maine store they bought five and a half years ago is fitting. "Bill Davis was an icon in Lewis- ton and he had a great following across New England," says Debi Thalheimer, president of Bill Davis Smoke Shop, Inc. "He was a grand hobbyist. The store was located downtown and like all downtowns back then, it was the hub of the community. People would socialize there and he emerged as a full-ser- vice specialist. I'm told that during Christmastime in those days, he'd have 40 people behind the counter. He started a mail order business when mail order wasn't yet an in- dustry. And he also started the first pipe-of-the-month club, which he was noted for." Bill Davis established the store on Ash Street in nearby Lewiston in 1932 as an adjunct to an insurance agency he owned. Davis remained the owner of the store until 1967 when city fathers decided the area his store was in was ripe for urban renewal. He died of a heart attack TI56750270

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Newspaper (above) from Wednesday, July 19, 1967: Bill Davis sells to Bousquet Bros. and moves the store to 182 Lisben Street, Lewiston from the original local on Ash Street. Albert Thalheimer (above right) tackles a pipe ~ a once standard service that is no longer presumed. two months after selling the store. Since 1967, the store has had six owners including Debi Thalheimer, 38, and her husband Albert, 35, who bought the store and moved from suburban Philadelphia in 1991 so they could be close to her mother, who was ill. The retail experience the couple had made the move seem logical. Debi Thalheimer became famil- iar with the store as a child when she and her family visited relatives in Maine. "My grandfather was an avid pipe and cigar smoker," she re- called. "When we would come to visit, our first stop was always the smoke shop. My mother would buy him his pound of tobacco for the week and pick up a few cigars. It was special to go in on Sunday mornings to get the newspaper. I'd get to buy a handful of penny candy. It was a treat."

oguple tries to ru~ Ute store t~e way Bill Davis did ~ full ser~iceo Purchasing the store on the eve of the current cigar boom meant that the couple faced challenges they hadn't expected. "If I'd known what we were getting into, I would have opted for a different time in our lives to do it," Debi Thalheimer says. "We were raising a young family and we thought Maine would be a great place to come to live. It was, but it also was very hectic." Debi Thalheimer says she and her husband try to operate the store in the maimer established by Bill Davis m that of a full-service smoke shop. "I like to think of us as tradition- alists," Thalheimer says. The 700-square foot store in Auburn's business district where the Thalheimers moved the store to in 1994 is quaint. Bill Davis Smoke Shop stocks more than 50 brands of cigars, a number that is constantly changing. "We try to stock just about everything our customers want," Debi Thalheimer says. That includes premium cigars, as well as machine-made cigars that often are disdained by today's smoke shop owners. "We owe that to our cus- tomers," she said. The store's main feature is a 90- square-foot walk-in humidor lined with non-aromatic white cedar. Customers have direct access, but the humidor is monitored by a video camera to deter theft. An old- fashioned blending bar that features Bill Davis' original weight scale in- vites customers to sample from among the 25 pipe tobaccos stocked in the store or to fashion their own blends. "We promote the idea of customers getting into the tobacco jars," said Debi Thalheimer. Bill Davis Smoke Shop also fea- tures a full line of pipes, including Dunhill, Petersen, Savinelli, and Comoy. Pipes, including a selection of the old-fashioned corn cob vari- ety, are displayed on felt-lined wall boards in a corner of the shop that also features Bill Davis' first cash register. "You have to have differ- ent price points because you are Purchasing the store on the eve of the current ciRar boom meant that couple faced challenges they hadr expected. TI56750273

Dinner," and Albert (Par right) in, fron.t of his walk-in humidor. dealing with a diverse public," Thalheimer says. "We make sure that we target every market. And we will procure anything that a cus- tomer wants." Thalheimer is pleased that she was able to find a local woodcarver -- Carolyn McDonough -- to make moderately priced humidors. "We explained the technical end of it to her, and she went to work. Her quality is outstanding, and she can customize them anyway our cus- tomers want. "Five years ago, we couldn't find a good humidor for the average smoker. Everything was very high- end, " said Thalheimer. Because Bill Davis Smoke Shop deals directly with the maker, humidor prices av- erage between $145 to $175. Debi Thalheimer says she and her husband are careful to explain the importance of keeping cigars properly humidified to the new cus- tomers who come into the store. "We make sure people are pre- pared, whether they buy one cigar or whether they buy a box." Debi Thalheirner says the most im- portant thing she can give to her cus- tomers is her knowledge about tobac- co and the sense of the history that en- velopes Bill Davis Smoke Shop. "The public is very astute and people are begging for information," Thalheimer says. "Unfortunately, there's not enough information out there. "Some store owners work in the two square feet that is behind their cash register. I spend more time in front of the counter than I do be- hind it." Bill Davis Smoke Shop has its own private label -- a mild Hon- duran-made cigar with a Connecti- cut shade wrapper that is sold in bundles of 15. "We found that num- ber to be the best because a lot of people don't have humidification devices," Thalheimer says. To keep the price down -- between 75 cents and $1.40 each -- the cigar isn't la- beled. "I tell my customers that th~3r shouldn't buy dgars for price. Tlmy should choose their cigars according TI56750274

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to flavor. Ou~ private brand is a good cigar. I have a m~ild-~ze ~ that I sell fo~ $1.10 ~hat I will "I try to ~tmy customm-s to re- a]ize that ~'s a time and place to smoke a super premium cigar and there are times when they don't have to have an expensive cigar. When people first get into cigars, they buy the band. After awhile, they become conscious of price." Bill Davis Smoke Shop also stocks cigarettes -- 90% of which a few domeffic brands for our cus- tomex% but I don't like to encourage cigarette smoking," Debi Thai- helmet says. Snuff, chewing tobac- co, and clove cigarettes also are available. Marl orders account for about 20% of Bill Davis" business, much of it generated from tourists to the area. H.J. BAILEY COMPANY ASSOCIATE MEMBER - RTDA //~ FEATURING ~i / "~ Over 150 brands of imported and do- :'~:- / ~T "%. mesticcigars.Afull line of ~~~N smokers accessories, .,2~~~ ' " "~. Imported and Domestic Tobac- ~ ~,-,o..,., 2 co, Bulk Tobacco, Writing In- ~ ~ ............ ~" struments, ~ ~r~'~" / Health & Beauty Aids, ~" ~,,,-~ ~" Lighters, Pipes, "~2~" Non-Tobacco Boy/Girl Cigars, Batteries ~ '~/VE CARRY ONE OF THE LARGEST SE- LECTION OF STOCK AND SPECIAL DESIGN ZIPPO LIGHTERS." Imported and Distributed Exclusively by H.J. Bailey Co. • Dominicana Superba Cigars • Old Harbour Jamaican Cigars • Bailey's Best Bulk • The Smoke Signal Pipe Tobacco • Swan Vestas Wood Matches • Mac Pipe Holder • HJB Italian Briar Pipes • Swan Collection (Pouches & Pipes) • Jamaican Supreme Cigars • Humidors • Flor De Manila Cigars • Diamond Wood Shells For Zippos 1-8,00-4-CIGARS HOURS: MONDAY-FRIDAY 8AM - 5PM EST The Thalheim~s p~;anary activi- ty outside the store is an armual "Cigar Enthusiasts Dinn~," which this yea~ drew •oR tl~._.n 100 peo- ple at a local restaurant and lea- Oared Orama p~ cigars manu- factured by Gonzales Habano Cigar Co., a small, 75-year-old factory in Tampa owned by Wally Reyes. Reyes was a featured participant at the dinner. The store also provides cigars to two local restaurants. While the dinner focuses on cig- ars, it's more than a bunch of guys getting together to blow smoke, Debi Thalheimer says. For instance, a jazz quartet performed at the "enthusi- asts" dinner in March. "Wives are more comfortable coming to our din- ners because they know that it's more than a male-bonding thing," she says. The Thalheimer's are scouting an out-of-town location, perhaps in Freeport, 20 miles away, where they intend to open a second store that will also feature a smoking lounge and a separate private smoking club. "We are looking for real estate, but it's important that it be the right. kind of place. Americans are yearn- ing for tradition because today we have such a fast-paced society. We want it to have some historical sig- nificance," Thalheimer says. Given the tradition established by Bill Davis more than 60 years ago, that is only fitting. []

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by Joseph Finora From domestically crafted pipes to fine Italian imports and other smoking accessories, Thomas Cristiano 's Cristom Imports & Exports knows how to impress retail customers with style. T he nearly 30-year career of Thomas Cristiano, owner of Cristom Im- ports & Exports of Tampa, Flori- da, can almost be used as a paral- lel of the pipe and smoking acces- sory business in the United States for the same period. Cristiano came to the United States at the age of 16 from Tirilo, Calabria in southern Italy after having spent the last three years of his life in a seminary. In 1968, at the age of 16, he joined the famous pipe manufac- turer and distributor Sam Frank & Co., in Queens, New York as a stock clerk but moved up the lad- der fast. "I worked with a group of old ladies," Cristiano recalled from his Florida home. "I kept busy selecting briarwood pipe bowls, counting about nine differ- ent selections, and then putting them away into stock on three Two years later, Cristiano en- tered the United Stal~ Air Force, but applied for a hardship dis- honorable discharge after 18 months of service to help his fami- ly. He was one of seven children and his father died when he was eight years old. In 1972, he rejoined Frank & Co., this time as a foreman's helper and went with the compa- ny when it relocated to Brook- haven, Long Island in 1974. He then became the foreman of the polishing department. Soon after that, he supervised the company's five-person sanding department, as well as its stock room. "In five years I was supervising four de- partments," he recalls. In 1978, Cristiano made the first of several significant career moves by taking a job with Edward's Wholesale Co., in Tampa, Florida. "After numerous telephone calls they matched my 'Yankee salary'," he ~ays. He then moved to Tampa to "set up" the company's produc- tion department. Cristiano was not through moving. One year after relocating to Tampa, Frank & Co. in New York clo~ed its United States pro- duction facilities, having decided to produce its pipes in Italy. It was TI5~"75027'8

TI5675,0279

soon discovered, however, that shippiag many o~ the ~ts to Italy was too e~ve. A~te_r accepting the quotes from Cris- ~iano, Frank & Co. wrote an $18,000 order, and gave him all of their U.S.-based machinery includ- ing a sprayer. Cristiano, with three of his brothers, opened a facility in Shirley, Long Island to handle the production work for S. M. Frank & Co., presently located in Peekskill, New York. Cristiano was not nearly fin- ished. In 1980 he founded Calabresi Smoking Pipes, Inc. to honor his family's region in Italy, which inci- dentally produces briar. "We first worked out of my sister's garage in Long Island. Then we rented the annex at the old Air Force base in Westhampton, New York. That winter it was frigid. There was perennial snow and we couldn't aff~l a heater in the 5,000 sq. foot area. I -went to work wearing two pairs of pants with my pajamas One year |ater production ex- pandecl. They picked up addition- al work from Frank & Co., mostly lacquer application; leased the met air base chapel for an addi- tional 3,500 sq. ft.; and purchased a $12,000 heating system. In 1982 he opened Cristom Imports to serve as the provider of raw mate- rials from Italy for both Calabresi and Frank. He also began market- ing Calabresi products, including 10-14 briar lines and, in I985, moved to a 4,000 sq. ft. manufac- turing, distribution, and inventory facility on Long Island. In 1991, Cristiano entered into art arrangement with Mastro de Paja of Italy, a high-grade pipe manufacturer, establishing Mastro Drilling pipe stems at the workshop of Cristom Imports & Exports in Tampa, Florida. de Paja, USA, Inc. "We're the guardian of their inventory," he says. In 1994, he became a 50% Humidor Cabinets $olid Mahogany Hardwood Face Pieces Adjustable Redwood Racks Connectable Modular Design Expands in 4" sections into Long Continuous Cabinets Shown above two UltraLight Humidors joined together form a double cabinet. Each UttraLight is 72" tall, 42" wide. and 15" deep. Each cabinet has adjttstable shelves with bottom space for flat storage, and displays 30 cigar boxes. Sliding glass doors are tempered. For More Information Call: 408-298-9910 STEWART-BECKWITH 425 1/2 S. Saco~t) ST. SAN JOSE, CA 95113 64th Annual Trade Show & Convention: August 21:-24 :.i

Tas Class co Introducing the Havana Classico. A cigar created by a select cache of very experienced Cuban master rollers who consider cigar making an artform. Our Havarm Classico,s are totally hand made, one at a time using traditional Cuban methods that have been pa~sed down through the generations. Each H.avana Clas~ico is created from a blend of the most distinct tobaccos in the word. The wrapper is gmv,'n and aged especially for this cigar. A rich, lull bodied masterpiece Made in the USA Little Havana, Miami of unequaled flavor and construction that you expect from Caribbean Cigar Factory, Little Havana, makers of outstanding cigars. To inquire about becoming an authorized dealer for Ha'~ana Classico and other fine products from Cariblxan Cigar Factory. Little Havana. Miami. Call 305-267-3911. TI56750281

partner with Mastro in North America. Cristiano has not limited his business to the realm of pipe man- ufacturing and distribution. His company also handles cigar hold- ers, tubes and cutters, ash trays, and tobacco pouches. They also handle "anything made from briar" under the "Cesare Baronti- ni" line of accessories. Today, the company carries over 210 different types of cigar humidors, retailing from $100- $1,750. The economy-line Betulla and cedar humidors range in price from $100-$200. Cedar and wood veneer humidors range from $300- $700 and feature more solid con- struction and better hinges. Still other features include Mastro's own humidification system and liquid crystal hygrometers. Larger boxes, which can ac- commodate 150-200 cigars begin at $700 retail. Better humidors featur- ing superior grade wood and larg- er storage capacities retails any- where from $750-$1750, depend- ing on cigar length and ring gauge. And while they are work- ing on a 1,000-cigar cabinet, the company plans to roll out any- where from 3,5-40 new models in at the RTDA convention., will be sterling silver cigar tubes and a "gun stock ~tish" cigar tube. "It's going to be very attractive," says Cristiano, who visits suppliers in Italy several times each year to check on quality and inventory and to discuss new designs and prod- ucts. Cristiano says he "cannot pre- dict what will happen in 1997," but remains bullish on the future sales of pipes and first-class smok- "Men have been fascinated with pipes throughout history. They like the workmanship, the design, the history. Many different kinds of people from many walks of life enjoy their pipes everyday." ~ Cristiano ing accessories. While he keeps his company's" sales figures confiden- tial he admits that they are "dou- bling year after year." "What we sold all of last year we did by June of this year." What does he recommend in order to keep sales increasing? "Retailers have to train sales staff in the art of selling pipes. If a ~ tomer will spend $25 or $50 on a cigar and throw it away after smoking one-half or one-third of it, he should be able to see the value in a pipe, which will last a lifetime." Cristiano says his company riding top quality and efficient stract, almost spiritual reason for the appeal of the pipe. "In the long rtm, pipe smoking is much more economical than smoking ciga- rettes," says Cristiano, who admits to being a cigarette smoker. "A pouch of tobacco is inexpensive and lasts a long time." "I fill up ashtrays with cigarette butts. Cigarettes aren't lasting like a pipe is. It's very personal. It's something that is not given away like cigarettes and cigars." Cristiano has other reasons for the age-old appeal of pipes. "Men have been fascinated with pipes throughout history. They like the workmanship, the design, the his- tory. A few women have even told me that they will not allow men to smoke cigars in their homes but that they enjoy the aroma of pipe tobacco. Many different kinds of people from many walks of life enjoy their pipes everyday." But perhaps the greatest reason for pipe appeal is this: "In this fast-paced world of ours, it's nice to sit and relax with a pipe. It's a true friend," says Cristiano. [] - TI56750282

A AT Our Cigar: Our artisans use traditional techniques that have been passed down through generations of cigar makers. The combination of skilled craftsmanship and premium tobacco leaves ensure a quality cigar that will delight even the most demanding smoker. Our Boxes: Cruz Real boxes are made of the finest cedar wood in order to guarantee the flavor and aroma of every cigar bearing the Cruz Real seal. They are carefully fashioned to provide an elegant presentation for our unique cigars. OUR SEAL IS ONE OF COMMITMENT TO QUALITY AND EXCELLENCE. IIAND ~-I Xl)E CALL 1-800 292 4427, TI,~7~028~

Buss by Jonathan Bell illes Rochon called not long ago to say, simply enough, "I'm back." This meant he'd returned to what delights him most, creating his own dgars. Rochon has a case of cigar fever-- an ever unre- quited passion for the sensualities, tech- nicalities, and traditions of cigars that can lure its victims into exotic comers of hot countries, that leads them to spending all their free moments pouring through cigar books, studying the great humidors of the world, search- ing for the perfect smoke, and investing their loose cash in the object of desire. Rochon is a Frenchman-- a Parisian to be precise -- a young 40. In a way he's a superhero of dgars in that he maintains a dual identity; funding his passion for cigars by holding forth as a successful business consultant from offices on the dty's chic Faubourg St. Honore -- placating his associates there who fume over sharing offices with his numerous daily cigars -- while also snatching every free moment he can to participate as a working partner in a small, new cigar manufacturing company. Rochon smoked his first cigar when he was 15, setting him off on his life's adventure, but it wasn't until he was in- to his 30s that he actually made it into the tobacco business -- as a partner in Tobacco Trading, a French company spe- dalizing in sourcing and marketing a range of fine cigars and pipe tobaccos from more than one Can~bbean country. That company created the well-regarded line of King David cigars, for one example, and seemed to have every- thing going for it except a management team that could co- exist. When the partnership fell apart, Rochon endured on- ly a brief exile from cigar~ -- he was back by early 1995 with a new company, partner, and line of premium cigars. Th~ new company is Mantffac0a_ra de Cigarros J.M., C. x A.; the new partner i~ Jean-Maurice Marland; the new premium cigar is Laboca. Manufactura de Cigm'rcm is truly a micro cigar maker-- two people constitute the manage- merit team in Fram:e ~ ~ Rochon) and there are six people in production at the factory in northern Santo Meija, Marland, and Rochon worked closely together to design their line of six, handrolled, long filler Laboca models. What they found was a smoke to please their own discriminating tastes, as well as to exert contempo- rary market appeal. This means the cigars have a dassic Cuban look and feel, but taste somewhat smoother and milder. Laboca is 75% Dominican-grown Piloto Habana leaf, 25% Dominican Olor, and is finished with a Con- necticut wrapper. The smoldng attributes are described as "high aroma, good body, but not strong." "Working up the Laboca blend and getting the smoke right was fun," recalls Rochon. "The hard part was find- ing a good name. We spent more than three months going through about 100 possibilities. It needed to be short, easy to say in English, French, and German. Finally we liked the look of running together the Spanish phrase for "mouth" and had it trademarked." The cigars are dressed in simple red bands with gold trim. The logo image is of a rather Art Deco-like Laboca, a new family of handrolled, long filler, premium cigars, are made by Manufactura de Clgarros, a French company with a small factory in Santo Domingo. The cigare l~ve b~eR erea~ed by part~ve~s deaB#~4aurtce Matta~l and ~ Rochon, and ~ the expert couz~ctl of

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the box, except ~e Jur~ ~- wi6ch is also a ge~u&ne ~nclud~. Ch~ U x ~); ~ (~ x ~); T~ ~ x 50); C~a ~ (~ x ~); P~t C~ (~ x ~); ~ J~ r~r (5 x 28). Su~l~en~g Labor, ~~ra ~e Ciga~ is ~o~u~ng a second, ma~ m~ket product ~der the Don Edu~do label. ~ou~ hardly a long filler ~gar, ~ese offer a pleaser ~oke ~d, ~epute~y, ~ price to value. Available ~ £our models ~ Petit Ch~, Corona No. 4, Corona Ex~a, ~d P~etalas ~e Do~ Edua~dos ~e ~o pa~e~ ~ to a box. ~e yo~g comp~y's ~g~s are just now co~g ~to smoke shops, p~argy ~ Ge~y, some ~ da, ~d ~so, of all places, ~ Cen~ ~ca (~e p~ers have a ~end who ~ports ~em ~ Cameroon). ~g the past 14 mon~ ~e factory has be~ b~l~g ~vento- ~ for Laboca, now s~d~g at more ~ 150,0~ ~. "We have a sma~ but ~eat te~ of torcedores ~ S~to Do,go. ~ey're real pros," says Rochon. "W~e ~g up on Laboca, &ey ro~ed 10,000 a month, ge~g ~e qu~ ~d co~t~ exactly on ~e. But we c~ a~- ~ly do 2G30,000 rol~ a mon~ ~out problem. For is now sCa~ing up sales of i~s Laboca and Don Eduardo lines. reason we're also looking to take on a premium private label cigar project. We can blend to order. It's purposeful- ly been set up as a very flexible production organization." "To say we're looking for importers and distributors is an understatement." Rochon adds with a smile. "But it's really just starting and so far the feedback is quite en- couraging. Some people have gotten excited over the cig- ars, and for me that's like someone saying "hey, you have a beautiful daughter;' it makes me very proud." Gilles Rochon doesn't just have a case of cigar fever-- he is unmistakably terminal. [] Manufactura de Cigarros, Tel~Fax: (33)(1) 48 71 42 43.

k~ Purity, variety and distinctive packaging are th~|~edients to our imported products. P~rrtty is one of the major differences between our imports and other domestic brands. Most of our imports use only natural tobaccos, r~rely any additives or chemicals are used to enhance flavor or taste. Variety of tastes from all over the world are offered. Rich Turkish blends, natural clove cigarettes, exotic ginseng and specialty flavored brands are but a small sampling of ou~_ _l~oducth~istiactive ~nd creative packaging offers a wide variety of sizes and shapes not available in domestic brarais. CALL ~ TOLL~I~: 1-800~21.1634 o FAX: (516) 243-47.35 o (516) 243..4200 TI,~7~287

to Make a ' Splas'h RTDA Convention and International Trade Show August 21-24, 1996 ° Cincinnati Convention Center This year's show will feature over 525 exhibitors (up over 56% from 1995). Organizers have added an additional half day to the event to allow buyers enough time to effectively cover the show. Admission to the show is free to RTDA members, and yes, retailers are even entided to aj%e lunch! To help attendees get a head start on their exhibit floor planr~ng, Smokeshop presents a preview of the show's exhibitors. Exhibitor List as of June 25, 1996 44 Magnum/ Bulls-Eye Cigar Cutters 725 Chafee Lane Aiken, SC 29801 Tel: (803) 641-1131 Toll-free: (800) 585-9149 Fax: (803) 648-8243 Aaron Industries 5185 Windfall Road Medina, OH 44256-8703 Tel: (330) 723-7172 l~ax: (330) 723-7182 Adams Apple Distributing, L.P. 5100 North Ravenswood Chicago, IL 60640 Tel: (312) 275-7800 Toil-free: (800) 288-8800 Fax: (312) 2754307 Advanced Air Solutions 132-B Chenoweth Lane Louisville, KY 40207 Tel: (502) 894-9747 Toll-free: (800) 211-9648 Tax: (50~2) 897-7706 AGME Switzerland N3876 Old Highway 89 P.O. Box 340 Darien, W153114 Toll-free: (800) 208-2282 lax: (414) 724-1115 Almar International, Inc. Suite 469 825 East Roosevelt Road Lombard, IL 60148 Tel: (905) 825-5700 Toll-free: (800) 646-8834 Fax: (905) 827-9211 American Cigar Cabinets, Inc. P.O. Box 844 Plymouth, IN 46563 Tel: (219) 936-1435 Toll-free: 1-888-267-4226 Fax: (219) 936-1435 G. A. Andron & Co., Inc. 89 North Industry Cottrt Deer Park, NY 11729 Tel: (516) 2434200 Toll-free: (800) 221-1634 Fax: (516) 243-4235 Antillian Cigar Corp. 628 S.W. 22nd Avenue Miami, FL 33135 Tel: (305) 856-2234 Toll-free: (800) 238-2234 Fax: (30~) 541-6455 Arango Cigar Co. 8030 North Central Park Skokie, VL 60076 Tel: (847) 982-1X~ Toll-free: (80O) 222-4427 Fax: (847) 982-0811 Artesanias Viakl, S.A. de C.V. Montes Urales 635 P.B. Mexico City 11000, Mexico Tel: 2-02-47-83 Fax: 2-02-52-83 Arturo Fuente Cigars Fuente & Newman Premium Cigars P.O. Box 76219 Tampa, FL 33605 Tel: (813) 248-2124 Toll-free: (800) 237-7215 Fax: (813) 247-2135 Ashton Distributors 2901 Grant Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19114 Tel: (215) 676-8778 Toll-free: (800) 327-4866 Fax: (215) 676-9085 Avanti Cigar Company 1015 North Main Street Scranton, PA 18504 Tel: (717) 344-8566 Toll-free: (800) 586-8409 Fax: (71 7) 344-0402 Babique per et ills 1762 Todd Road Toms River, N-J 08755 Tel: (908) 244-0676 Fax: (906) 341-4137

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21 REGISTRATION 9:00 am - 4:00 pm Location: Cincinnati Convention Center TRADE SHOW 10:00 am- 5:00 pm Location: Cincinnati Convention Center Badges required for admission THURSDAY, AUGUST 22 REGISTRATION 9:00 am- 4:00 pm Location: Cincinnati Convention Center TRADE SHOW 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Location: Cincinnati Convention Center Badges required for admission SPOUSE EVENT - HIGHLIGHTS OF C~C_n'4NAT~ 9:30 am - 3:30 pm Reserved tickets required FREE LUNCH FOR RETAIn BirdERS 11:30 am - 2:30 pm RTDA HOSPrrALn~ SUITE 9:00 pm- midnight Badges required/or admission FRIDAY, AUGUST 23 8:00 am - 10:00 am REGISTRATION 9:00 am - 4:00 pm Location: Cincinnati Conventi(m Cen~r 10:00 am - 5.¢J0 pm Location: ~ti Coaventio~ Cenk~r Badges r~uired for admission SPOUSE EVENT - HiStORiC LEBANON 9:30 am - 3:30 pm Reserved; tickets required FREE LUNCH FOR RETAIL BUYERS 11:30 am - 2:30 pm COCKTAIL RECEPTION 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Hosted by Consolidated Cigar Corporation. Open to all RTDA retail members. Badges required for admission RTDA HOSPITALITY SUITE 9:00 pm- midnight Badges required for admission SATURDAY, AUGUST 24 9:00 am - 4:00 pm Location: Cincinnati Convention Center TRADE SHOW 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Location: Cincinnati Convention Center Badges are required/or admission FREE LUNCH FOR RETAIn BUYERS 11:30 am - 2:30 pm RTDA COCKTAIL PARTY AND DINNER 6:30 pm - 11:00 pm Reserved tickets required RTDA has made arrangements with Bring Along the Children, who offer meaningful events for children. For more information, write to: Bring Along the Children, 510 "N" Street NW, #N329, Waahington, DC 20024. For r~stration or additional inj~rmation, contact: Retail Tobacco D~iers of America, Iac. 107 East Baltimore Street tMltimore, Ma~[~d 21202 Tel: (410) 547-6996 Fax: (410) 727-7533 Boek~ard, Lid. 1855 Janke Drive h]orihbrook, IL 60062 Tel: (708) Tollqre~ (800) 323-5413 Fax: (706) 498-3106 H. J. Bailey Co. 1105 Green Grove Road P.O. Box 367 Neptune, NJ 07754-0367 Tel: (908) 918-8500 Toll-free: (800) 4-CIGARS Fax: (908) 918-1516 Bakar Associates, Inc. 9016 Taylorsville Road #225 Louisville, ICY 40299 Tel: (502) 253-9137 Fax: (502) 244-9990 Big Al's Humidors 2450 Central Avenue Unit D Boulder, CO 80301 Tel: (303) 829-0524 Fax: (303) 443-5505 Big Butt Cigar Company 525 Alma Street Palo Alto, CA 94301 Tel: (415) 494-8548 Toll-free: (800) 363-3995 Fax: (415) 493-5282 Bjame Pipes 8 Hjortekaerskraenten DK-2800 Lyngby Denmark Tel: (45) 45 878-540 Fax: (45) 45 930-252 Blue Smoke Rings P.O. Box 460004 San Antonio, TX 78246 Tel: (210) 377-0623 Boutique Cigars Worldwide, Inc. 7330 N.W. 5th Street Plantation, FL 33317 Tel: (954) 792-1750 Fax: (954) 792-0340 Brass Oak Co., Inc. 6701 Seybold Road Madison, W153719 Tel: (608) 274-9700 Fax: (608) 274-9700 Brick-Hanauer Co., Inc. 190 Felton Street Waltham, MA O2154 Tel: (617) 899-1002 Toll-free: (800) 255-5556 Fax: (617) 891-O602

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Officers ~t ~- A~ t996 ira B. Fad~, Jr., EXECUm~E DmECTOR Ted Clark, ~~T F. Ben Hendemon, FroST V~CE PROMPT Fred Diebel, SECOND V~CE PRESIDENT Ralph Rumbo, SECRETARY Chuck Levi, TREASURER Manjit Bain Costa Mesa, CA William H. Bougher Fort Wayne, IN James S. Cohen Pittsburgh, PA Joan Cvar Murray, UT Eugene F. Duhon Phoenix, AZ Hugh Getzenberg Los Angeles, CA Directors August 1995 - August 1996 Manuel Hernandez Tom Mo~n Miami, FI Portland. OR Tom McCranie Charlotte, NC Martin Pulvers San Francisco, CA Lionel Melendi New York, NY Diana Silvius~its Chicago, IL Llnda K. Squires Santa Rosa, CA Joel Wolk Ft. Lauderdale, FL Leota Zyneicki, Albany, NY Exclusively Distributed by: Creative Spirits 1-800-717-3672 5£~0 W. Lovers #I 16-360 Dallas,TX 75209 (214) 774-1408 Fax (214)774-1409 e-mail: stmc@ix.netcom.com July/Augu~ 1996 ~E.~SE C~nCtE ~ ~K) ~ C~ n~:~n S~nWCE ~

Tel: (214) 306-5317 F~x: (214) 66~.-0811 P.O. Box 11240 Merfillvi.lle, IN 46411 Tel: (219) 662-0374 Fax: (219) 663-0906 Brown Bear Art P.O. Box 814 Rancho de Taos, NM 87557 Tel: (505) 751-0420 Toll-free: (800) 866-0420 Brown Leaf Company 7865 Bird Road Miami, FL 33155 Tel: (305) 261-8065 Toll-free: (800) 251-9275 Fax: (305) 267-5096 J. B. Bruff Neckware 60 Somerset Drive Glertmont, NY 12077 Tel: (518) 439-1165 BTAC Industries, Inc. P.O. Box 16360 San Francisco, CA 94116 Tel: (415) 592-1100 Fax: (415) 637-7795 Burning Solutions, Inc. 2230 Cedar Forks Court Marietta, GA 30062 Tel: (770) 977-2425 Fax: (770) 565-7362 Butera Pipe Company 10690 Shadow Wood Suite 114 Houston, TX 77043 Tel: (713) 468-8828 Fax: (713) 468-8980 By Design Div. of LA Manufacturing, Inc. P.O. Box 218, 75 Monroe Avenue Pittsford, NY 14534 Tel: (716) 586-5120 Toll-free: (800) 278-6112 Fax: (716) 381-2324 C&IInc. 1636 Post Road F~,:t, NJ 0643O Tel: (203) 259-1994 Fax: (203) 2..,~-1994 Cambor Compaay P.O. Box3 Vero~ N] 0r~4 Tel: ('201) 239-0941 F~ (~1) ~ G.A.T,E. Corp. 1600 Dean Forest Road, Suite 1-B Savannah, GA 31408 Tel: (912) 966-2267 Toll-free: (800) 266-4283 Fax: (912) 966-0054 CAO Enterprises 830 Kendall Drive Nashville, TN 37209 Tel: (615) 352-0587 Toll-flee: (800) BEST-CAO Fax: (615) 353-0610 Caribbean Cigar Factory 6265 S.W. 8th Street Miami, FL 33~44 Tel: (305) 267-3911 Fax: (305) 267-6026 Caribe Imported Cigars, Inc. 2201 S.W. 1st Street Miami, FL 33135 Tel: (305) 264-8696 Toll-free: (800) 367-0782 Fax: (800) 264-8567 Catina Humidors P.O. Box 5404 Greensboro, NC 27435 Tel: (910) 274-8810 Fax: (910) 370-1798 Cavalier Products 940 Royal Street, Suite 239 New Orleans, LA 70116 Tel: (601) 474-1453 Toll-free: (800) ~21-7780 Fax: (800) 336-2172 CHtI Quality Products 11932 Clark Street Arcadia, CA 91006 Tel: (818) 303-9536 Toll-free: (800) 553-6262 Fax: (818) 301-9482 Choice Supply P.O. Box 108 McLean, VA 22101 Tel: (703) 330-1500 Toil-free: (800) 368-3708 Fax: (703) 330-1031 John Chrlatopher ImttmU-iea 122-B I~lav~ Ptmd Road Springfield, MA 01118 To~: (800) 704-4367 Fax: (413) 781-6423 387 Pm'k Av~ae Sotah New York., NY 10016 T~ (212) ~4 To~-~: (8~) ~ F~: (212) 6~ Cigar Baron & Men's Gifts 4905 Autumn Lane North Lafayette, IN 47905 Td: (317) 538-3916 Toll-free: (800) 260-5526 Fax: (317) 538-8916 Cigar Caddy P.O. Box 79514 Houston, TX 77279-9514 Tel: (713) 613-8020 The Cigar Chest Co. 637 Riverside Avenue, #14 Haverhill, MA 01830 Tel: (508) 521-3367 Fax: (508) 521-3367 Cigar Classics 219 East Chatham Street Suite 205 Cary, NC 27511 Tel: (919) 233-3442 Toll-free: (800) 371-3954 Fax: (919) 319-3142 Cigar.corn 1701 Brun Suite 100 Houston, TX 77019 Tel: (713) 880-1857 Fax: (512) 473-8282 The Cigar Connection, Inc. 2500 N.W..79th Avenue Miami, FL 33122 Tel: (305) 715-0000 Toll-~Tee: (800) 226-4242 Fax: (305) 715-0021 Cigar Essentials, Ltd. Cuban Pete 143 Blue Heron Drive Ontario Canada NOM 1ZO Tel: (519) 473-7905 Fax: (519) 473-7906 Cigar Savor Enterprises, Inc. 53 Indian Trail Woodbridge, CT 06525 Teb- (203) 397-0734 Toll-/~.. (800) 372-2069 Fax: (203) 397-9194

P.O. B~ 1916 ~ CA 9ffe~9-1916 Te~ (~8) T~ I-.8~-AROMAFY 1515 East Bm3~d Street Sta~swi~e, NC 28677 Tel: (800) 547-6060 Fax: (800) 4,57-3299 Cigars of Honduras 2385 South Dove Street Alexandria, VA 22314 Tel: (703) 519-7320 Toll-free: (800) 336-1181 Fax: (703) 519-7323 Clearly Cigars 2442 N.W. Market Street Seattle, WA 98107 Tel: (206) 789-5658 Toll-free: (800) 504-7132 Fax: (206) 782-5215 Club Imports, Inc. 2505 Army Street San Francisco, CA 94124 Tel: (415) 648-4894 Toil-free: (800) 292-CLUB Fax: (415) 648-4895 Collbri/Linden 100 Niantic Avenue Providence, R102907 Tel: (401) 943-2100 Fax: (401) 943-4230 Colonel Ichabod Conk 3100 East Pan American Fwy NE, #4 Albuquerque, NM 87107 Tel: (505) 883-2660 Fax: (505) 881-0850 Columbus Show Case 850 West Fifth Avenue Columbus, OH 43212 Tel: (614) 299-3161 Fax: (614) 297-0741 Comoy's of London A Divic~ion c~f Hollco Rohr 20717 Marflla Street Chats'worth, CA 91311 Tel: (818) ~ Toll-fr~e: (800) 247-6653 Fax: (818) 885-7473 Concept Iv" 1039 Lenox Atlanta, GA 30324 Tel: (404) 237-6370 Toll-free: (800) 381-1725 Fax_" (404) 237-73~JO 629 W~t 54~ Stn~ S~i~ 6 New "York, Nit 10019 Tel: (212) 246-2800 Toll-free: (800) 683-9151 Fax: (212) 246-863-9 Conquistador Cigar Co. 2600 S.W. 3rd Avenue Miami, FL 33129 Tel: (305) 860-9887 To]l-free: (800) 472-9891 Fax: (305) 860-0752 Consolidated Cigar Corp. Suite 700 5900 North Andrews Avenue Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309-7098 Tel: (954) 772-9000 Toll-free: (800) 446-5797 Fax: (954) 938-7811 Controlled Environments, Inc. 904 Rancheros Dr. G San Marcos, CA 92069 Tel: (619) 735-9946 Toil-free: (800) 486-0997 Fax: (619) 735-9956 M. Comell Importers, Inc. 1462 18th Street N.W. St. Paul, lVlN 55112 Tel: (612) 633-8690 Fax: (612) 636-3568 Country Coffee 13081 State Highway 64 West Tyler, TX 75704-9493 Tel: (903) 592-9771 Toll-free: (800) 346-5459 Fax: (903) 593-2699 Don Cray Humidors 1992 Commerce Street, 2nd Floor Yorktown Heights, NY 10598 Tel: (888) DON-CRAY Toil-free: 1-888-DON-CRAY Fax: (203) 791-9044 Creation Entertainment 411 North Central Avenue, #300 Glendale, CA 91203 Tel: (818) 409-0960 Fax: (818) 409-0827 Creation~ by Mihno 7111 North ~ Tel: (312) 775-3188 Fax: (312) 775-3128 1150 Nm-lh Causeway ~, Lg 704Yl T~ (50~) 6~6-8~e F~ (E~O4) 624-5084 Cri~a~m Impor~ & Ex~or~, Inc. ~ W~ ~e~ Argue S~ 101 Tam~, ~ ~ Tel: (813) 961-7595 Tolb~ee: (800) 886-7~2 Fax: (813) 884-8685 Cuban Cigar Factory 551 Fifth Avenue San Diego, CA 92101 Tel: (619) 238-2429 Toil-free: (800) 419-1009 Fax: (619) 238-0144 D.W.D. Wood Lea, Shepley Huddersfield West Yorkshire HD8 8ES, England Tel: (44)(484) 607331 Fax: (44)(484) 604114 Danby-Palicio a Division of Villazon & Co. 25 Park Way Upper Saddle River, N] 07458 Tel: (201) 934-9440 Toil-free: (800) 526-4653 Fax: (201) 934-5545 Daniel Marshall Humidors P.O. Box 3841 Tustin, CA 92681 Tel: (714) 973-8660 Toll-free: (800) 923-2889 Fax: (714) 550-0631 Davidoff of Geneva, Inc. 550 West Avenue Stamford, CT 06902 Tel: (203) 323-5811 lax: (203) 975-0090 Decatur Industries 505 Fulton Street P.O. Box 6 Berne, IN 46711 Tel: (219) 589-3288 Toil-/ree: (800) 556-7111 Fax: (219) 589-8130 Desk Pro, Inc. 3681 Commercial Avenue Northb~x~k, IL 60062 Tel: (847) 714-9714 ToLLfre~. (800) 920-3375 Fa~ (847) 7~4~/18

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Fax: D~pl,oma~ N~ 1100 Wicomico Sheet Baltimore, M~ 21230 Tel: (410) 727-2458 Toll-tree: (800) 843-7482 Fax: (410) 385-2112 Michael Dixon Humidors P.O. Box 10 South Main Street Brownsville, MD 21715 Tel: (301) 432-6131 Fax: (301) 432-6132 Dominican American Cigar Co. P.O. Box 131 Saunderstown, R102874 Tel: (401) 294-3091 Fax: (401) 294-3091 S. T. Dupont, Inc. 1601 Trapelo Road Waltham, MA 02154 Tel: (617) 622-3770 Toll-free: (800) 341-7003 Fax: (617) 622-3771 E. F. Distributing 2010 4th Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55404 Tel: (612) 870-1747 Toil-free: (800) 328-5034 East Coast Sales 275 East Street Road P.O. Box 14 Feastervflle, PA 19053 Tel: (215) 357-7266 Toll-free: (800) 682-0873 Fax: (215) 357-8781 East West Trading Corp. 3812 West Lawrence Avenue Chicago, IL 60625 Tel: (312) 588-7115 Toll-fi~: (800) 621-3635 Fax: (312) 588-8741 FAdy Ma~3~ Company ~ited 100 Crandall S~reet Pembroke, Ontar~ Canada K8A 6X8 T~ (613) 735-29OO Toll-fi, ee: (800) 267-3158 Fax: (613) 7"35-2943 ~ Rico Habano El Credi~o Cigars 1106 SW 8th Street Miami, FL 33130 Tel: (305) 858-4:162 Toll-tree: (800) 726-9481 Fax: (305) 858-3810 Elie Bleu 22-24 Rue de Mars 94700 Maison Alfor~ Frmace Tel: (33)(1) 48 99 64 64 Fax: (33)(1) 48 99 48 12 Enjoylife Inc. P.O. Box 118 Lake Zurich, IL 60053 Tel: (708) 966-3377 Toll-tree: (800) 678-7898 Fax: (708) 966-2288 Esco Products, Inc. 1385 Seabury Avenue Bronx, NY 10461 Tel: (718) 892-2700 Fax: (718t 892-6035 The Everest Company 211 Vema Hill Road Fairfield, CT 06430 Tel: (203) 256-8904 Toll-tree: (800) 924-4271 Fax: (203) 256-9928 The Extraordinary Humidor Co. 2849 Calle Heraldo San Clemente, CA 92673 Tel: (714) 366-0290 Fax: (714) 366-0183 F & K Cigar Co. 42 North Central Clayton, MO 63105 Tel: (314) 721-1480 Toll-tic, e: (800) 848-1480 Fax: (314) 721-7196 FGT En~,rprises, Inc. 9420 Lazy Lane Suite A-4 Tampa, FL 33614 Tel: (813) 932-6350 Toll-fr~: (80O) 783-3481 r~c (8t3) Tel: (210) 226-4191 ~ro~a~ (800) 2~2-4427 Fax: (210) 226-2825 Fiite-Line Product~ 2461 West Cen~..r Street Milwaukee, W153206 Teh (414) 263-3000 Toll-tree: (800) 558-9850 Fax: (414) 263-2001 Flor de Florez Dist., Inc. P.O. Box 1815 Hoboken, NJ 07030 Tel: (201) 653-8100 Toll-free: (800) 4-54-9072 Fax: (201) 653-2661 For Your Smoking Pleasure 411 East 53rd Street New York, NY 10022 Tel: (212) 319-0069 Fax: (212) 355-3809 Fuji Publishing Group 618 North Oakes Suite 500 Tacoma, WA 98406 Tel: (206) 305-0740 Fax: (206) 305-0019 Gallo Pewter Sculptures Corp. P.O. Box 1996 Green Cove Springs, FL 32043 Tel: (904) 284-3100 Toll-free: (800) 55-GALLO Fax: (904) 284-3079 General Cigar Company 320 West Newberry Road Bloomfield, CT 06002 Tel: (203) 769-3600 Toll-tree: (800) 8a~3-4058 Fax: (203) 769-3670 Gesty Trading Company 8~ South Bayles Avenue Port Washington, NY 11050 Tel: (516) 883-8282 Toll-free: (800) 438-00,~ Fax: (516) 767-3692 Gilber~o Cigar Co. 8671 Via Mallorca La Jolla, CA 92037 Tel: (619) 546-K582 Toil-free: 1-888-92-CIGAR Fax~ (619) &~5-2848

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Glow ~es, 3116 Dm~gias Road Toledo, OH 43606 Tel: (419) 4747575 Fax: (419) 474-5666 Jotm W..Goff De~i8~ 3336 tndu~crial Court, Suite B San Di~go, CA 92121 Tel: (619) 755-1950 Toll-free: (800) 923-1950 Fax: (619) 755-1950 F. D. Grave & Son, Inc. 210 State Street P.O. Box 1626 New Haven, CT 06506 Tel: (203) 624-9893 Toil-free: (800) 852-4427 Fax: (203) 624-3488 Habana Gold Gold Leaf Tobacco Co. 550 Secaucus Road Secaucus, NJ 07094 Tel: (201) 319-8932 Toll-free: (800) 511-0927 Fax: (201) 865-1503 Heirloom Perfect 333 Lotus Path Clearwater, ]:L 34616 Tel: (813) 462-8078 Fax: (813) 441-2089 Heritage Humidors 3977 Edmonton Court Ann Arbor, M148103 Tel: (313) 669-8868 Fax: (313) 669-8868 Hinds Brothers Tobacco, Ltd. 96-185 Carlton Street Winnipeg Manitoba R3C 3J1 Canada Tel: (204) 944-8991 Toll-free: (800) 790-7779 Fax: (204) 942-5376 HollcoFRohr 20717 Marilla Street Chatsworth, CA 91311 Tel: (818) 885-0850 T011-f~e: (800) 247-6653 Fax: (818) 885-7473 House of Oxford Distributors 172 5th Avenue New York, NY 10010 Tel: (212) 243-1943 Toll-free: (800) 831-8893 Fax: (212) 243-2034 1844 Lan~owne Avenue Menick, NY 11566 Tel: (516) 223-2199 T~. (8OO) 386-36O4 Fax: (516) 379-0098 Humidor Corp. Humid Door Corp. 39 Wc~tmomlm~d Avenue White Plains, NY 10606 Tel: (914) 428-2148 Fax: (914) 428-2253 Indian Tabac, Co. 400 South Beverly Drive Suite412 Beverly Hills, CA 90212 Tel: (310) 788-9200 Fax: (310) 788-9275 Indianhead Sales 2323 Shelling Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55404 Tel: (612) 472-3320 Toll-free: (800) 922-4858 Fax: (612) 722-6196 Intellilink Services, Inc. 1300 Slaughter Road Madison, AL 35758 Tel: (205) 430-0077 Fax: (205) 430-0782 International Blade Scaasis Originals, Inc. P.O. Box 2093, Neptune City, NJ 07754 Tel: (908) 918-1200 Fax: (908) 918-1223 Inversiones Houston de America 3612 Mangum Suite 211 Houston, TX 77092 Tel: (713) 8624377 Island Humidors 74 Sperry Place Staten Island, NY 10312 Tel: (718) 966-5616 Italian Art Imports, Inc. 211 South Main Street McAllen, TX 78501 Tel: (210) 687-3337 Fax: (210) 682-2481 J & J Beall, Inc. 541 Swans Road, N.E. Newark, OH 43055 Tel: (614) 345-~ Toll-free: (800) 3314718 Fax: (614) 345-5880 ~ Tobacco Corp. Box 7327 Mayaguez, PR 00681 Tel: (787) 265-2380 Fax-" (7B7) 265-2380 JM Tobacco Co. 718 South Hill #501 Lo~ Angeles, CA 90014 Tel: (213) 614-7900 Fax: (213) 614-7901 Joe's Pipe Repair & Imports 2004 Madison Avenue Edwardsville, IL 62025 Tel: (618) 656-0892 Fax: (618) 656-0913 KGM Industries Co. 5660 Bandini Boulevard Bell CA 90201 Tel: (213) 262-8000 Toll-free: (800) 229-5233 Fax: (213) 262-8245 Kohaut & Co. P.O. Box 5070 State Line, NV 89449 Tel: (702) 588-8456 Fax: (702) 588-1710 Kretek Imports, Inc. 5400 Tech Circle Moorpark, CA 93021 Tel: (805) 531-8888 Toll-free: (800) 358-8100 Fax: (805) 531-8899 Lane Ltd. 2280 Mountain Industrial Boulevard Tucker, GA 30084 Tel: (770) 934-8540 Toll-free: (800) 221-4134 Fax: (770) 934-8608 W. O. Larsen 9 Amagertorv 1160 Copenhagen K Denmark Tel: (45)(33) 122050 Fax: (45)(33) 156322 Las Palmas Tobacco, Limited 4912 Oakcrest Drive Fairfax, VA 22030 Tel: (703) 591-4848 Fax: (703) 591-3377 The Lighter Company 4112 Aurora Street Coral Gables, FL 33146 Tel: (305) 4436540 Toll-fr~: (800) ~ Fax: (~) 443-5833

Lode Data Sysix, ms 10609 West 159th Street Ofland Park, IL 60462 Tel: (708) 460-0999 Toll-free: (800) 457-4537 Fax: (708) 460-0983 B. J. Long 466 Central Avenue Rochester, NY 14605 Tel: (716) 454-5862 To]l-free: (800) 724-7804 Fax: (716) 454-2836 Lord's Diversified, Inc. 10001 Southwest State Route Z Lathrop, MO 64465 Tel: (816) 632-3753 Fax: (816) 632-1654 } 1180 Olympic Drive #110 ~ CA 91719 Tel: (grjg) 734-5822 fTolbfa~e: (800) 469-9876 Fax: (909) 27~7~6 ~e Wardy E~terpfises 180 Norfla Langtry El Paso, TX 79901 Tel: (915) 534-4429 Fax: (915) 532-0844 M. Marsh & Son/National Cigar Corp. 915 Market Street P.O. Box 6604 WheeLing, WV 26003 Tel: (304) 232-0770 Toll-free: (800) 624-5495 Fax: (304) 232-4472 M & N Cigar Manufacturers, Inc. P.O. Box 2030 Tampa, FL 33601 Tel: (813) 248-2124 Toll-free: (800) 477-1884 Fax: (813) 247-2135 Rockville Cen~rr, 1"~' 11571-O966 Tek (516) 536-9757 Toll-free: (800) THE-ARCH Fax: (516) 536-9781 Marcos Mignel Tobacco Corp. 4230 Spring Vatley Road Dallas, TX 75244 Tel: (908) 972-0770 Toll-free: (800) 473-0770 Fax: (908) 536-0638 Maryland Match Corp. P.O. Box 6308 Baltimore, MD 21230 Tel: (410) 752-8164 Toll-flee: (800) 423-0013 Fax: (410) 752-3441 Mascott Direct Hawksworth Road Minehead Somerset TA24 5BZ, England Tel: (44) 43707938 Toll-free: (800) 473-6496 Fax: (44) 43707939 TI56750299

1925 West Adobe Dl'ive Phoenix, AZ 85027 Tel: (602) 678-4353 T~: (800) 223-556I F~x: (602) 371-1137 Ma~r Key 620 North Brea, Suite 53 Brea, CA 92621 Tel: (310) 454-5656 Toll-free: (800) 337-0957 Fax: (310) 459-8713 Mastercraft Pipe Company P.O. Box 849 Sparta, NC 28675 Tel: (404) 432-7712 Toll-free: (800) 334-2461 Fax: (404) 333-8230 Mastro de Paja, USA, Inc. 6408 West Linebaugh Avenue Suite 101 Tampa, FL 33625 Tel: (813) 961-5788 Toll-free: (800) 886-7252 Fax: (813) 884-8685 McCleIland Tobacco Co. 1706 Baltimore Avenue Kansas City, MO 64108 Tel: (816) 474-6994 Fax: (816) 474-1666 Merchandising Service of America 417 North 3rd Street Philadelphia, PA 19123 Tel: (215) 923-8960 Toll-free: (800) 672-1969 Fax: (215) 923-0275 Metaco USA Ltd. 247 West 35th Street, 16th Floor New York, NY 10001 Teh (212) 465-0547 Toll-free: (800) 525-5629 Fax: (212) 465-0740 Miami Cigar Company 2533 N.W. 74th Avenue Miami, FL 33122 Tel: (305) 599-3395 Toll-free: (800) 643-7209 Fax: (305) 599-9114 Michel Perrenoud, Int'l 1111 Clifton Avenue Clifton, NJ 07013 Tel: (201) 778-1194 Fax: (201) 778-4068 Ma"ke's Cigar Distn~'bu~o~, Inc. 1030 Kane Concourse Bay Harbo¢, FL 33154 Tel: (305) 866-2277 ToU-~ (800) Fax: (305) 866-7977 The Mill RD #2 Ryers Creek Road Coming, NY 14830 Tel: (607) 523-6617 Toll-free: (800) 245-7578 Fax: (607) 523-8260 Mountain Properties, Ltd. P.O. Box 159 377 West 2nd Street Sumas, WA 98295 Tel: (604) 826-9699 Toll-free: (800) 919-9699 Fax: (604) 826-9507 Music City Marketing, Inc. 477-B McNally Drive Nashville, TN 37211 Tel: (615) 331-8041 Toll-free: (800) 251-3016 Fax: (615) 832-0785 Nat Sherman, Inc. 629 West 54th Street, 6th Floor New York, NY 10019 Teh (212) 246-5500 Toll-free: (800) 221-1690 Fax: (212) 246-8639 Neat Things Importing, Inc. Abbey Darts #8-2227 Queen Street Bellingham, WA 98226 Tel: (604) 444-3750 Toll-free: (800) 663-8768 Fax: (604) 444-3165 New Age Cigar Clothing Co. 3350 N.W. Second Avenue Suite A-22 Boca Raton, FL 33431 Tel: (407) 367-0230 Fax: (407) 367-0410 Nick's Cigar Co. 14601 Lake Candlewood Court Miami, FL 33014 Tel: (305) 823-4941 Fax: (305) 823-2343 Norelco Consumer Products Co. P.O. Box 8535 Cindnnati, OH 452O8 Tel: (513) 533-8700 Fax: (513) 553-8702 Old World Millwm'ks 31260 La Boya Drive Suite C Westlake Village, CA 91362 Tel: (818) 707-3207 Toll-tree: (800) 894-4596 Fax: (818) 707-9920 Oliva Tobacco Company 3314 South Cobb Drive, #11 Smyrna, GA 30080 Tel: (770) 432-4427 Fax: (770) 432-4439 On Display 3400 Formed Road P.O. Box 42007 Richmond, VA 23224 Tel: (804) 231-1942 Fax: (804) 232-5906 The Original Cigar Clothing Co. 3650 Coral Ridge Drive Suite 104 Coral Springs, FL 33065 Tel: (954) 755-6434 Fax: (954) 755-2215 Paradigm Humidor Co. 911 B West Highway 246 Buellton, CA 93427 Tel: (805) 736-0979 Toll-free: (800) 492-4427 Fax: (805) 736-0989 Paul Garmifian, Inc. Paul Gannirian Gourmet Cigars 1218 Potomac School Road McLean, VA 22101 Tel: (703) 448-1260 Fax: (703) 448-1965 Paykoc Imports 436 East 58th Avenue Denver, CO 80216 Tel: (303) 293-2932 Toll-free: (800) 392-0761 Fax: (303) 293-9370 J. C. Pendergast 2909 Wolff Street Racine, W153404 Tel: (414) K3&2388 Toll-free: (800) 634-1855 Fax: (414) 634-7791 Perelman, Pioneer & Co. 5757 Wilshire Boulevard Sui|e 540 I.r',s Angeles, CA 90036 Tel: (213) 965-4900 Fax: (213) 965-4919

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]gh~ & King,Cigar Co., Inc. 18021 Cortney Court City of Industry, CA 91748 Tel: (818) 810-9811 ToLl-firee: (800) 532-4427 Fax: (818) 810-1043 Phoenix Designs 70 Esna Park Drive Unit 12 Markham, Ontario L3R 1E3 Tel: (905) 479-8820 Fax: (905) 479-8043 Piloto Cigars, Inc. dba Padron Cigars 1566 West Flagler Street Miami, FL 33135 Tel: (305) 643-2117 Toll-free: (800) 453-5635 Fax: (305) 643-2138 l~m.ker~o~ Group, Ir~c. 2951 Flowe~ Road, South ~e~ Afl~m, GA ~1 T~: ~) ~ TolI-~: (~) ~1~ F~: (~) 4~19 Pipes and Tobaccos Magazine SpecComm International 3000 Highwoods Blvd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27604-1029 Tel: (919) 872-5040 Fax: (919) 876-6531 Pipes Unlimited 247 West 35th Street, 16th Floor New York, NY 10001 Tel: (212) 465-0547 Toll-free: (800) 525-5629 Fax: (212) 465-0740 Plantation Humidors 6612 Santa Catalina Avenue Garden Grove, CA 92645 Tel: (714) 897-4241 Fax: (714) 897-4241 Preminm Imports, ~ 4130-A Aurora S4ax~ Coral Gables, FL 33146 Tel: (,305) 461-1609 Toll-free: (800) 543-7131 Fax: (305) 444-4264 Prestige Wood Specialities 22768 South Johnson Road West Linn, OR 97068 Toll-free: (800) 524-5024 Fax: (503) 657-9656 Procigar Tabacos Dominicanos, S.A. Camino Don Pedro, Hoya del Camino Santiago, Dominican Republic Tel: (809) 582-9173 Fax: (809) 582-9118 Puros lndios Cigars 329 48th Street Union City, NJ 07087 Tel: (201) 348-0189 Toll-free: (800) 348-1412 Fax: (201) 348-0956

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Q~i~ti~ LF3.&, ~ p.o. Box 4287 S~_amboat Sl~'inSs, CO 80477 Tel: (970) 879-87o7 T~-fi~. (8O0) 35~-4170 Fax: (970) 879-860-7 R and A Adverttm~ 236 1/2 East Main Street Po~t Offic~ Box 66 Frankfort, NY 13340 Tel: (315) 894-5629 Toll-free: (800) 248-4372 Fax: (315) 894-0420 R. M. Electronics 27721 North Twin Oaks Valley Road San Marcos, CA 92079 Tel: (619) 744-6468 Toll-free: (800) 246-6468 Fax: (619) 744-6666 Rass USA 1810 West Northern Avenue Suite A-9 #135 Phoenix, AZ 85021 Tel: (602) 943-4665 Toll-free: (800) 896-7277 Fax: (602) 861-6288 Red Mill Manufacturing, Inc. 1023 Arbuckle Road Summersville, WV 26651 Tel: (304) 872-5231 Toll-free: (800) 423-9845 Fax: (304) 872-5234 Retro 1951 117 East Main Street Richardson, TX 75081-3369 Tel: (214) 479-1405 Fax: (214) 479-1406 RGB Enterprises J. M. Boswell Pipes 215 Roosevelt Street Providence, RI 02909 Tel: (401) 943-5667 Toll-free: (800) 437-4858 Fax: (401) 943-5379 Rhodes Accessories 23441 Summit Barrington, IL 60010 Tel: (847) 304-0463 Fax: (847) 30443463 Robert & Miles, Inc. 235 McKinley Place Tel: (201) 423-4775 Fax: (2t)1) 4455959 Rmason Co~s~tmer Prodads 3 Roax_son Road Woodbridge, hrJ O7095 Tel: (908) 636-2430 ToR-t~. (8OO) 526-4281. Fax: (800) 8396904 Royal Meerschaum Pipe Co. 1930 Watson Way #M Vista, CA 92083 Tel: (619) 599-0999 Toll-free: (800) 544-7473 Fax: (619) 599-9405 Royal Palm Business Services 850 North Miami Avenue Apt 1808 Miami, FL 33136 Tel: (305) 372-3758 Toll-free: (800) 245-7146 Fax: (305) 377-9025 James B. Russell, Inc. 25 Park Way Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Tel: (201) 934-9440 Toll-free: (800) 526-4653 Fax: (201) 934-5545 S.A.G. Imports, Inc. 4721 S.W. 75th Avenue Miami, FL 33155 Tel: (305) 267-9717 Toll-free: (800) 272-5396 Fax: (305) 267-7883 Sainberg & Co., Inc. 63-20 Austin Street Rego Park, NY 11374 Tel: (718) 897-7000 Toll-free: (800) 632-2228 Fax: (718) 275-5057 Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Co. P.O. Box 1840 Santa Fe, NM 87504 Tel: (505) 982-4257 Toll-free: (800) 982-7454 Fax: (505) 982-0156 Santa Fe Stone Works 3790 Cerrillos Road Santa Fe, NM 87501 Tel: (505) 471-3953 Toll-free: (800) 257-7625 Fax: (505) 471-0036 Savinelli Pipes, Inc. 1002 Morrisviile Parkway P.O. Box 526 Morrisville, NC 27560 Tel: (919) 481-0511 Fax: (919) 481-1948 P.O. Box 110385 117 Space Park Drive a'~ (615) 781-6223 Toll-fre~. (800) 204-2626 Fax: (615) 781-6766 Gary Scott L'~ernational P.O. Box 8241 Wardhill Station Haverhill, MA 01835 Tel: (508) 975-9979 Fax: (508) 975-4047 Siboney Humidors, Inc. P.O. Box 141603 Coral Gables, FL 33114 Tel: (305) 254-9446 Fax: (305) 567-1713 Sidelines International 3990 Grape Street Denver, CO 80207 Tel: (303) 333-3330 Fax: (303) 322-7575 Diana Silvius Cigars, Inc. 1550 North Wells Street Chicago, IL 60610 Tel: (312) 337-8505 Toll-free: (800) THE-ARCH Fax: (312) 644-5250 Smoke Magazine Lockwood Trade Journal Co., Inc. 135 West 41st Street, Suite 1050 New York, NY 10036 Tel: (212) 391-2060 Fax: (212) 827-0945 Smokeshop Magazine Lockwood Trade Journal Co., Inc. 130 West 42nd Street, Suite 1050 New York, NY 10036 Tel: (212) 391-2060 Fax: (212) 827-0945 Smokin" Productions 129 G Street Balboa, CA 92660 Tel: (818) 574-5536 Fax: (714) 851-9126 SMS Meerschaums 1401 Summit Avenue Ames, IA 50010 Tel: (515) 232-2599 Fax: (515) 232-2599 John Snedeker Wood Working 711 Meeting Street Chain, SC 29403 Tel: (803) 722-6411

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Created by some of the country's most popular cartoonists, these cards are sure to bring holiday cheer. Retailer Special: Package of 12 cards for only $7.00 plus shipping & handling. Suggested retail price: $12.99. Call 1- 8,00-853-1322 with your resale number SC-OOOo~

550 S~ |ndus~ial Way Be~cl, OR 917~2 Tel: (541) 382-336~ Toll-~e: (800) 672-3116 Fax: (54:) 389-94o9 Splendid Seed Tobacco Co. 5850 San Felipe Suite 120 Houston, TX 77057 Tel: (713) 782-6048 Toll-free: (800) 841-3136 Fax: (713) 780-2601 Stars with Cigars P.O. Box 24751 New Orleans, LA 70184~751 Tel: (504) 832-9753 Stewart-Beckwith 425 1/2 S. 2rid Street San Jose, CA 95113 Tel: (408) 298-9910 Andre Suarez Corp. 1504 Alton Road Miami Beach, FL 33139 Tel: (305) 532-5301 Fax: (305) 532-5356 Sublimado Cigar Corp. 2335 N.W. 107th Ave., Box 137 Miami, FL 33172 Tel: (305) 593-5600 Toll-free: (800) 443-7788 Fax: (305) 593-5246 Swisher International, Inc. P.O. Box 2230 Jacksonsvflle, FL 32203 Teh (904) 353-4311 Toll-free: (800) 322-2317 Fax: (800) 628-4675 Tabacos y Puros de San Andres Ignacio Alatorre No.30 Col. E1Jardin, San Andres, Tuxtla Veracruz, Mexico 95720 Tel: (52)(83) 339-561 Fax: (52)(83) 464-933 Taino Cigar Co. 2501 Westgate Avenue Unit 6 West Palm Beach, FL 33409 Tel: (407) 478-5002 Fax: (407) 478-4146 Tampa Rico Cigars 1901 13th Street Tampa, FL 33605 Tel: (813) 247-6738 Toll-fr~: (800) 892-3760 Fax: (813) 247-2422 2354 Ocean Avenue Ven/ca, CA 90291 Tel: (310) 301-2173 Fax: (212) 253-4(g8 The Five Cent Cigar Co. 100 Maha Street Somersworth, NI-103878 Tel: (603) 692-3009 Toll-free: 800-81-5-CENT Fax: (603) 692-5180 Thomas gent, tnc. 47 West Diviskm, #374 Chicago, IL 60610 Td: (312) 266-1089 Toll-free: (800) 2~'2-3181 Fax: (312) 266-1089 Tim West Briar Pil~eS and Pipe Repair Service 1588 Grayling Court Columbus, OH 43235 Tel: (614) 761-3465 WE HAVE CIGARS*. THE LARGEST WEST COAST HUMIDOR AND DISTRIBUTOR OF PREMIUM CIGARS! ALL BRANDS GREAT PRICES FAST SERVICE GIVE US A CALL FOR YOUR NEXT ORDER Cigar Manufacturer's Outlet Hiland's Trading Co. 6917 E. THOMAS RD. SCOI-I'SDALE AZ. 85251 CALL 800 777-4854 FAX 602 945-7153 61 1~67S0307

Tobacco Export~m In~f~na] 2280 Mo~mtatn Ir~t Bcmlevard Tucker, GA 30084 Tel: (404) 4~3-I469 Toiheree: (800) 241-2038 Fax: (404) ~rag-IS77 T(~ba~pecComm Int~rrmfional 3000 Highwoods Blvd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27604-1029 Tel: (919) 872-5040 Fax: (919) 876-6531 Tony Borhani Cigars 3855 Nobel Drive, No. 2211 San Diego, CA 92122 Toll-free: (800) 35-BAHIA Fax: (619) 563-4113 Topper Cigar Co., Inc. P.O. Box 76 Meriden, CT 06450 Tel: (203) 630-2975 Toll-free: (800) 966-TOPP Fax: (203) 630-2978 Torano Cigars Central American Tobacco Corp. 4631 S.W. 75th Avenue Miami, FL 33155 Tel: (305) 264-2113 Toll-flee: (800) 596-5389 Fax: (305) 264-6158 Tradition House P.O. Box 914 Hanover, PA 17331 Tel: (717) 632-5482 Tree Tech 820 South Washington Royal Oak, M148067 Tel: (810) 543-2166 Fax: (810) 542-5947 Triade S.A. Zac du Baconnet 69700 Montagny France Tel: (33)(78) 73 74 67 Fax: (33)(78) 73 10 79 Tropical Tobacco Co. 3010 N.W. 79th Avenue Miami, FL 33122 Tel: (305) 591-9365 Toll-free: (800) 826-7930 Fax: (305) 592-3735 Tsuge Pipe Company, Ltd. 4-3-6 Kotobuki Taito-Ku Tokyo 111, Japan Tel: (813) 845-122I Fax: (813) 845--1225 (;2 Ju~/Atw~-q i9~6 Tu.ddsh Imports 12554 Barr~_gton Court Fort Myers, FL 33908 Tel: (941) 482-3485 P.O. Box 634 ~ H~, ~ ~13 Td: (818) F~: (818) 995-~ Vadalshe, Ltd., Piel 21358 Nordhoff Street #I04 Chatsworlh, CA 91311 Tel: (818) 772-2950 Toll-free: (800) 626-7688 Fax: (818) 772-0682 Varga Art Crystal 240 Worth Avenue Palm Beach, FL 33480 Tel: (407) 833-3888 Fax: (407) 833-0093 Vermont Woodland Classics, Inc. P.O. Box 997 Wilder, VT 05088 Tel: (802) 295-5275 Fax: (802) 296-7700 Victor Sinclair, Inc. 201 Red.fern Village St. Simons Island, GA 31522 Tel: (912) 634-1192 Fax: (912) 634-1193 Vigilant, Inc. P.O. Box 4654 125-127 DaRiel Street Portsmouth, NH 03802 Tel: (603) 436-8568 Fax: (603) 427-6938 Villco Imports 25 Park Way Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Tel: (201) 934-9440 Toll-free: (800) 526-4653 Fax: (201) 934-5545 Vinotemp International 17631 South Susana Road Rancho Dominguez, CA 90221 Tel: (310) 886-3332 Toll-free: (800) 777-8466 Fax: (310) 886-3310 Walden International 7 Trade Zone Drive Ronkonkoma, NY 11779 Tel: (516) 467-6800 Toll-free: (800) 4-WALSEN Fax: (516) 467-6943 4964 North Milwaukee Avenue Chicago, rL 60630-2115 Tel: (312) 68,5-7551 To~: (800) 77¢~00o.a Fax: (312) 6853603 16719 Gramercy Place G~rdena, CA 90247 Tel: (310) 329-9143 Fax: (310) 327-7772 World Tobac A Div. of Hollco Rohr 20717 Marilla Street Chatsworth, CA 91311 Toll-free: (800) 24-SMOKE Zimmerman Construction 6860 Chatham Drive Harrisburg, PA 17111 Tel: (717) 561-1919 ZPC Everglow Enterprises 971 Meridian Avenue Alhambra, CA 91803 Tel: (818) 576-1637 Toll-free: (800) 600-0051 Fax: (818) 576-2790 TFo87,50308

A HTTLE CIVILITY EXCALIBUR MINIATURES by Hoyo De Monterrey Intermission of the :.,: ,\. "~ hdef recess between meetings, a lull at the party, an intimate conversation - doe,~, -. ',' ,i like you never have the time to relish the refined taste of a well made cigar? All that's cha:,.,.., • r ~ ae arrival of Excalibur Miniatures brings a little civility back to your busy life with everything. ' .~ ,i. ~ ~and from a full-size premium cigar and more. Excalibur Miniatur, .. ,, -,~ ~de from the finest Cuban seed tobaccos and packaged twenty to a box in distinctive indivi~h~:.. '", .... Miniatures deliver the rich complex flavor you'd expect from an Excalibur. I,. k into your life with premium, conveniently sized Excalibur Miniatures. Introduce a little cix i -,. , AZON & CO., INC. '-~ ~,A,~K ~Y, ~,,,,,~, .~Ao,,~ ~,,~. ,~ o-,~ 201.93'~'!~'i~0 800.526 -.i653 PLEASE CIRCLE AD NO. 114 ON READER SERVICE CARD T~750309

ETAIL FO'CUS What Next? PlandS .r succesdon to inmre. the surmval of your business. by Bryan Milling Tobacco shops are often a family tradition, with many spanning across several generations. But have you thought about what will happen to your store when you finally decide to pack it in and go fishing? E xperience shows that only a fraction of ram- fly-owned businesses pass on to the next generation. According to statistics, only one business out of three remains as a family- owned business. Obviously, founders and owners of closely held smoke shops would like to see a hrger frac- tion pass on ~o family members. Achieving that objec- tive requires a thoughtful succession plan-- a phn that provides for hhe ~ansf~ of the business foLloscing the reOmment, or incapacity of a business o~ner. Urtfortuna~hj, ti~ ~ maecesaicm plan doesn't guar- antee that a closely-held business will survive. But a thoughtful plan can help increase the odds that a busi- ness will continue operating successfully. First, recognize that some logical and legalobstacles stand before the contin- uation of a business. In some instances, unavoidable extra taxes on the death of an owner may force the sale of a business. (A special provision in the Internal Revenue Code allows for extended payments of the estate tax for qualifying closely-held businesses. That may help ameliorate some of the liquidity problems associated with estate taxes.) When you decide that the business should survive you (as an alternative to a sale on liquidation), you must identify the individuals who will succeed you -- before- hand. If the successors are family members, give consid- eration to transferring part of the ownership while you are still active in the business. This transfer of ownership can take the form of a sale or gift. Part ownership at an early stage, together with prospects for increased owner- ship later, serve as complementary motivational tools. Those tooln can encourage family members to work hard mad conscientiously. A ~oughtful succession plan becomes more critical when an intra-family strife may prevent a smooth trarv sition to tb~e next generation. Personal or professiowal ri- valry among family members can hinder the plma, with

TI56750311

~ the rejected family member so make your deci- sion carefully. C'rf court, other issues may also intervene. The next generation may lack interest in the business. That limits the succession of the business to man- agers or outside buyers. On occasion, an outside buyer may make an offer that is too good to resist, even at the expense of family members. In some instances, key employees who have con- tributed to the success of the business become likely successors. First, you must determine if they have the financial resources to acquire the business. As a logical complement, you must assure your- self that the successors have the proper level of ex- perience and training to successfully continue the business. Selling a business to weak managers in ex- change for payments expected over several years ex- poses the seller to financial risk. In any circumstance, life insurance on a business owner should become an important part of business succession planning. That insurance provides the fi- nancial wherewithal to cover estate taxes to avoid a forced liquidation of the business. Indeed, a forced liquidation setdom will produce the financial pro- ceecls equivalent to a thoughtful sale in the com'se of orderly liquidation. A "Buy-Sell" agreement stands as another I~gical element in a thoughtful succession plan. Such agree- ments set forth the terms on which other family members or partners will buy out the owner's share of the business on his own incapacity or retirement. Such agreements cover how to value the business for a sale and the potential sources of the sale. Note that the value set in a buy-sell agreement isn't neces- sarily binding on the IRS for purposes of estate tax evaluation. Also, prepare for the scenario should some physical disability incapacitate the business owner. The failure to provide for that contingency can result in legal chaos and unnecessary loss. A power of attorney can be used to take over if the need arises. When developing a succession plan, try to re- duce the potential for conflict by involving all family members in the development and im- plementation of the plan. If conflict arises, get the help of professionals skilled in resolving such battles. A new angle on smoldng Bright eolors Smooth lines Classic experience 800-251-3016 FAX 615-832-0T85 Qualit~ American Made Hum/dots • Sl~msh Cedar Lined I Fact,.q" ~rcct m ~did Amcricma Walnut I ~aun~ll~ Hatk~raftcd I Include, Gauge'. Cre&} ~ Div~c~ ~PRKqTIGE W~) SPECIALTIGS, I~. 227~ g, ]t,h~n Road m ~dest Linn. ~e~ 97~ Ph,~ (~ 524-gt~24 Fax (~) 6~7-%56 Design O..askle Dimemkn~ Pri¢, PRESTIGE V 12-1/Z" x 9-1/2" x 4" $135.00" PRF.S'Ti~ X 16" x 9.1~" x 4-5/8' $155.CO* PRE~'I'K~ F.XF_.CZITIVE 19-114" x 9-1/2" x gl]4" $275.00* TI56750312

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31GP, RS: AGIO DON MATED PAh,W~R AL CAPONE SWEETS DON PEPE PARODI ~,LHAMBRA DUNHILL PARTAGAS ARANGO SPORTSMAN EXCAUBUR PEDRO IGLESIAS ARANGO STATESMAN FLOR DEL CARIBE PEDRONI AROMAS DE S.A. FLOR DE ORLANDO PENAMIL S, RTURO FUENTE FLORENTINO PETER STOKKEBYE WM. ASCOT GARCtA VEGA PETRI ASHTON HAMLET PLEIADES AVO HAV-A-TAMPA PRIMO OEL REY AVANTI HIDALGO PUNCH AyC HOJA DE ORO RAMON ALLONES BALBOA HOYO DE MONTERREY RAMROD BANCES INEHANA SLIMS RITMEESTER BERING IRACEMA ROYAL JAMAICA BRANIFF JAMAICA BAY SANTA CRUZ CABANAS KENTUCKY CHEROOT SANTA OAMIANA CALIXTO LOPEZ LA PRIMADORA SCHIMMELPENNINCK CANARIA D'ORO LA VENGA SUERDIECK CARLIN JOSE LLOPIS TABACALERA HENRY CLAYLORD BEACONSFIELD TE-AMO JUAN CLEMENTE MACANUDO TIBURON CYRILLA MARSH-WHEELING TORINO DANNEMANN MATACAN TRESADO DENOBILI MONTECRUZ H, UPMANN OOMINGOLD MONTESINO VILLA DE CUBA DON DIEGOONYX VILLAZON DELUXE DON JUUOOPTIMO ZINO ~'OBACCOS / SNUFF / BULK: BALI SHAG GALLAHER RA'I-FRAY BALKAN SOBRANIE GAULOISES SAMSON BENGAL SLICES GOLD BLOCK SCHERMERHORN BRINDLEYS HEDGES SHERMAN BULK BULK CHEWKENSINGTON ST. BRUNO CANADIAN CROWN LANE BULK THREE CASTLES CAPSTAN MACBAREN THREE NUNS CCC BULK McCLINTOCK THREE STAR CENTURY BULK MIDDELTON TOP CHARATAN PEGASUS TROOST CONDOR PETER STOKKEBYE BULK VAN NELLE DUNHILL OLD HOLEORN W.T. SMOKELESS DR. RUMNEY OLIVER TWIST WESSEX DRUM OREGON MINT SNUFF WORLD TOBAC SULK ~CCESSORIES: ACRYLIC DISPLAYS CIGARET3"E PAPERS MATCH ES 03 AIR PURIFIER CIGARETTE ROLLERS MEN'S COLOGNE ALTOIDS-SMOKER'S MINT COFFEE GO PIPE CLEANERS ~,RANGO PiPE SPRAY CORK KNOCKERS PIPE TOOLS - BITS ARANGO TOBACCO CORN COB PIPES PIPE SWEETENERS CANDLES DENICOTEA POLLENEX PRODUCTS Id::IOMATHERAPY FISHERMAN'S FRIEND SASIENI PIPES CANDLES FLASKS SEN SEN ASHTRAYS FLINTS-FILTERS-WICKS SNUFF-ITS BATTERIES FRISK-BLITZ SMINT SPITOONS BOOKS - CIGAR HARD CANDY- SPORT TRADING CARD~ BRIAR PIPE WIPE BOY/GIRL BOX SWEET SENTIMENTS BUBBLE GUM CIGARS HUMIDIRERS - CREDO SWISS ARMY KNIVES BUTANE HUMIDORS SWISS ARMY SUNGLASS CHOCOLATE CIGARS I ~ CIGARS - BAGS TOBACCO POUCHES CIGAR CUTTERS LICORICE PIPES TORINO PIPES C~(~,R HOLDERS UGHTER5 VIDEO - CIGARS CIGAR TEELINDT-RICOLA WALL b'WREET CUTTER QGAR TIES LORD BYRON~ ZiP LOCK BAGS , AR ao Co. FPee Shipping on all [ lo3~ N. Ordem Over Sb'~)~)O~ S~o~-, It. 60o/6 Qu~ltl~e~ You may also involve your professional advisors in developing your successio~ plan. That may in- dude yo~ accotmtant, banker, i.-'murance agent, and attorn~/s, b-~ some instances, you may not Poet the need to include all of tb, ese advisors in the successio~ planning, nevertheless, make them aware of yottr succession plan. Provide the opportunity for these advisors to meet the proposed successors. That creates the opportuni- ty to let t_he advisors gain the same confidence in your successors as you have. Moreover, this commu- nication can provide for continued lines of credit, bonding, and insurance coverage by avoiding the problem of unknown and unproven management. Remember another logical precept. The most thoughtful successful plan doesn't have to be cast in concrete. Periodica]ly review your plan. Your view of your expected successors may change. ]f so, you may want to designate alternates. Undoubtedly, changing successors will not be a pleasant task. Emotions in- evitably intervene, but changes may be necessary to insure the survival of your business. Also, remind yourself that your own personal cir- cumstances change. Changes in personal financial circumstances, career plans, and marital status can affect your selection of successors. ]Remain alert to such changes. From a different perspective, what happens if you fail to plan? The failure to include succession plan- ning in your overall estate plan could mean your business will cease to exist following your death. Your estate may have to sell the business at a forced sales price, possibly resulting in insufficient funds to pay estate taxes. In some instances, the business may survive, but failure to plan for succession could result in poor operating results and a decrease in the value of the business. Upon your retirement or disability, the failure to plan for succession could result in liquidation of the business by those you thought would succeed you. Or the expect- ed successors may lack the capital to purchase the busi- ness or continue its operations. Plavming for succession will enable your successors to accumulate the wealfl~ nec- essary to l~u'chas~ the available share of the busL~_ess. Succession planning can allow your business to continue with minimal interruption uport your de- parture. A successful plan avoids excess dependence on the owner, and provides sufficient identification and training of successors. Planning shouId begin long before you are thinking about retirement. If you don't have a succession plan, now is the time to be- gin i~e process. [] TI567503 14

Join the Excitement! Please use the attached card to order copies of SMOKE magazine for your store! T!56750315

*ADD AH~ DIMEHSIOH TO YO~ SMOKE SHOP olHCREASE SALES olr, JCREASE PROFITS "GOT A LIGHT?"T-SHIRT 100% heawweight cotton, screen printed on the front w~ the "GOTA LIG~ logo and "S~' logo on the sleeve. Color; White, Black Made in USA Sizes - S, M, L, XL, 2XL Price- $8.50 Pro Style 6 panel black brush cotton twill crown with con~sting brown suede visor. "SMOKE~ stitched on the front "LIFE'S BURNING DESIRES" is stitched on the hack. [~olo~ Black wid~ brown visor. Sizes - one size. adjustable strap. Price - SB.bO "SMOKE" BASEBALL JERSEY 100% cotton button down jersey with "SMOKE" letters stitched across the chest, just like the pros. Colon Vintage Oatmeal Made in USA Sizes - S, M. L. XL, Pdce - $29.00 "GOTA LIGHT?" JACKET Deluxe Cotton Brash Denim (soft to die touch). Hyion Lined ~ zipper 5m~L side pockets, n'bbed cuffs, and waisl~od. "SMOI~ sbtched on the ~nt, and the'GOT A L~4T" logo stitched on the back. Color. Bla~k M~de in S'mz - ~. M, L XL, 2XL Price - PH,OH E 1-800-5 -0984 T!56750316

T 9 8 A 'C C ,O P R O D U C T S & P R O M O T i O N S Philippine's Fighting Cock, Double Happiness It may be hard to find more fascinathlg im- agery than that in- duced by Splendid Seed Tobacco Company's Fighting Cock and Double Happiness frontmarks, which both embrace the fading tradition of lush cigar box art. The Philippine sport that "captures the com- plex spirit of the native Filipino like no other" -- cock fighting -- is the in- spiration for the Fighting Cock brand. They feature a sun-grown Javan wrap- per from Indonesia and Is- abela binder and filler. The cigars are named after former champion roosters of the Philippines: C.O.D. (Churchill, 7 x 47), Texas Red (Square, 6½ x 50), Smokin' Lulu (Perfecto, 5¼ x 48) and Rooster Ar- turo (Robusto, 5 x 50). The roosters themselves were seven-time winners at the Super Derby, held annual- ly in the world's largest cockpit, Ararmta Coliseum in Quezon City, Metro Manila. Double Happiness, historically the sentiment most commonly associ_at- ed with Chinese wed- dings, is also ttm senti- ment Splendid Seed at- Travis Club Cigars from Finck IFinck Cigar Company, cigar manufacturers for over 100 years, have introduced Travis Club, a line of premium long filler cigars made of Dominican Olor and Pilo- to, and Brazilian Mata Fina filler; Cormecticut Ibroadleaf binder; and Connecticut shade wrap- per. Contact Finck Cigar Company in San Antonio, Texas at (800) 292-4427. tributes to visitors of Tabaqueria de Filipinas, the mansion in old Mani- la, Philippines where its cigars are made. Double Happiness are constructed with Connecticut shade wrapper and blends of Is- abela binders and fillers. Shapes are comprised of Ecstasy (7 x 47); Nirvana (6 x 52); Bliss (5½ x 48); and Rapture (5 x 50). Contact: Splendid Seed Tobacco Company, 5850 San Felipe, Suite 120, Houston Texas 77057, Tel: (800) 841-3136, Fax: (713) 782-9488. ICaptain Black Pipe Tobacco Cigars in Original, Sweets ~ aptain Black Pipe To- I the Captain Black Pipe To- | ibacco Cigars are pipe Ibacco brand, the top-selling • d tobacco cigars made pipe tobacco in the country. from 100% pipe tobacco filler offered by Lane Limit- ed of Tucker, Georgia. The cigars are an extension of Two varieties -- Original and Sweets -- are each sold in windowed boxes con- raining five tipped cigars. Red ,Kamel adds Menthol Version, Kamel Menthe B.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. is launching Kamel Menthe, an extension of Red Kamel cigarettes. The menthol cigarette, J available in a regular and light version, is being distributed in the same four cities as tL,~d Kamel -- New York, Los Angeles, San Frarxg~o, and Dallas. Kamel Menthe features a new style pack that slides open from the side. TI5,6750317

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'G i F 1" S & A C ,C E S S § R ! E S Jump on the Express Train For those customers who just can't fit all their cigars into a desktop humidor, Stewart-Beckwith of San Jose, Califor- nia has introduced The Stogie Express. Ideal for the home or office, this unit is modular and can be built into a multi- ple number of humidors. Constructed with a mahogany finish and solid brass knobs, the humidity system included is designed for high volume use. Circle Reader Service No. 1 A Place for Pipes Looking for a convenient, attractive place to store your pipes? Well, look no more be- cause Mastro de Paja, with their Italian craftsmanship, is marketing this handsome enclosed pipe rack. Perfect for the office or home, this rack holds up to 10 pipes. Circle Reader Service No. 2 0 Purchase a Heirloom Begin a tradition with a Heirloom Humidor from On Display of Richmond, Virginia. Constructed with select cherry wood for strength, the interior is lined top, bottom, and sides with Spanish cedar and solid brass piano hinges insure a perfect alignment of the lid. TI56750319

Show Your Support Display your love of cigars and the U.S.A. at the same time by wearing this unique shirt offered by Arango Cigar Company of Skokie, Illinois. Made in America of 100% cotton with an embroidered logo, these shirts are available in sizes L & XL. CirGle Reader Service No. 4 Catch Olympic Fever Purchase a piece of history through a Collector's Edition Official Centennial Olympic Games Stein by Anheuser-Busch, Inc. of St. Louis, Missouri. Standing 8" tall, this unique stein is crafted in Brazil and is distinguished by official logos of previous venuses in detailed relief. Circle Reader Service No. 5 Made in the U.S.A. C.A.O. of Nashville, Tennessee, has added a new humidifier to their product line. The C.A.O. Regulator is equipped with a water-absorbing inner element antibacterial solution that allows for the use of regular tap wa~er while a developed solu- tion controls the amount of humidlty inside the humidor. Cir¢~ Reader Service No. S Time to Torch Besides lighting your tobacco, the pockat micro torch from the Blazer Corporation of New York, can also be used to fuse plastic and rubber, melt a frozen lock, and n~us other ap- plicatic~s. The torch is refillable aru:t TI56750320

Zippo Salutes Pinup Girls. ~ 1996 Li m it cd F.d i t ion C ol 1¢¢t ib le o f the Year The Fr~z~r .~ea.~'ons companion collectible set also available /rur~.,r ~orm.~tion, pt~.~." e~ntact you¢ Zipp~ wh~d~,~ale d~ributo~ or Zipl~ M~t~f,~cturin¢,, Bradto~I PA. USA I~tp: t ~ w~ZIPtK~f~.¢om PLF_.AS~ C~IC~E AD N~ 7t ON RF__A{~R SER~C~ CARD TI56750321

H.J. Bailey & Co ................................................................................ 30 .................................................................................................. 66 Brown Leaf Company ........................................................................... 5 ................................................................................................. 28 C.A.O .................................................................................................. 67 .................................................................................................. 75 Caribbean Cignr Company ..................................................... 29, 35, 46 ...................................................................................... 40, 74, 77 Cavalier Products ............................................................................... 56 .................................................................................................. 72 Cigar Dossier ...................................................................................... 28 .................................................................................................. 56 Cigars by Santa Clara ........................................................................ 18 .................................................................................................. 25 Cod Company .................................................................................... 22 .................................................................................................. 48 Creations by Milano ............................................................................ 19 .................................................................................................. 27 Cristom Pipes ............................................................................... 39, 59 .................................................................................................. 28 Cruz Real ........................................................................................... 37 .................................................................................................. 64- Danby .............................................................................................. 7,63 ................................................................................................ 114 Finck Cigar ......................................................................................... 17 .................................................................................................. 44 Arturo Fuente ..................................................................................... 43 .................................................................................................. 46 Kretek Imporls ........................................................................... Cover 2 .................................................................................................. 83 K.G.M ................................................................................................. 51 .................................................................................................. 29 Leon Jiminez ...................................................................................... 65 .................................................................................................. 58 Mastercraft ......................................................................................... 25 .................................................................................................. 60 Mike's Cigar ........................................................................................ 45 .................................................................................................. 96 M&N Cigar ............................................................................................ 3 .................................................................................................. 91 Music Cily Marketing .......................................................................... 66 .................................................................................................. 66 Nat Sherman .............................................................................. Cover 3 .................................................................................................. 32 La Native ............................................................................................ 61 .................................................................................................. 33 On Display .......................................................................................... 18 ................................................................................................... 49 Pheasant ............................................................................................ 31 .................................................................................................. 54 Philips & King ................................................................................. 4, 11 .......................................................................................... 70, 116 Prestige Wood .................................................................................... 66 .................................................................................................. 61 Quintin ................................................................................................ 21 .................................................................................................. 57 Santa Fe Natural Tobacco .......................................................... Cover 4. ................................................................................................ 1 O0 John Snedeker ................................................................................... 10 .................................................................................................. 37 Slewart Beckwith ................................................................................ 34 .................................................................................................. ,52 Suerdieck ........................................................................................... 49 .................................................................................................. 50 Tampa Rico ........................................................................................ 71 .................................................................................................. 55 Villiger ................................................................................................. 26 ................................................................................................ 117 VinoTemp ........................................................................................... 23 .................................................................................................. 38 W.O. Larsen ....................................................................................... 10 .................................................................................................. 39 This index is provided for reader reference, Due to late additions and changes, we cannot guarantee its accuracy. MHK[ HI]PCLASSIFIEDS THE SMOKESHOP CONTEST will resume October ® WANTED! ILql)A EXHIBITORS! Booth space is sold out for the August 21-24 show. We neeA Io rent/share booth sp~ce to present our leather cigar cases to retailers. Adventure Imports Ltd. Tci(310) 39'2-3683 te~:ax (310) 396-6978 CLUB IMPORTS. cigar and cigar acces- sory wholesaler looking for manufacturers reps. Several territories open: Midwest, California, Nevada. Send resume and references to Club Imports, Inc. 2505 Cesar Chavez San Francisco, C~ 94124 CREEPLE PIPES ~T COLLECTABLE OBACCO PIPES s13.95 EACH Smoke shop Sacramento, Calif largest mall location. $126k net on sales of $621k in 1995. Growing ~ year. Priced at $3.90k wl inventory at $150k West Coast Brkrs 916-863-1374 T156750322

.A iven the mind~ montt~ of electronic sound bites and mudslinging familiar to today's voter, it's hard to remember when elections were times of great intellectual debate.., public affairs full of raz-matazz, speeches, parades, band concerts, handbills, buttons, ban- ners, a ham, and a cigar -- always a dgar. From the smoke-filled rooms of Tammany to the free stogies handed out in the Bowery, cigars have .been part of American politics since the Civil War. With four of every five men smoking cigars (1880-1920), elections were once profitable days for cigarmakers, wholesalers, and retailers alike. It wasn't so much that candidates themselves bought boxes of cigars. ~N K~' Some did to be sure, but fifty dollars worth of cigars would stick one in the pock- et of every appropriate voter, even when offering "have another for later." Give-away cigars were bought in large boxes, usu- ally from a party friend, who'd give a "special deal" to the campaign and likely as not forget to stick a tax stamp on the box as it went out the back door. The box wasn't anything fancy, mind you, but the dgar itself had a nice looking wrapper and a band with the candidate's picture. Appearance was more im- portant than taste, as the majority of giveaways lan- guished in trinket drawers as souvenirs until age and abuse took thei~ toll. A few early 20th Century campaigns used cigars as fund raisers. Cigars purchased at bargain prices, usually 2¢ or 3¢, were packed in fancy boxes (which only added a quarter cent or so per cigar) and sold at inflated prices at ral- lies and fund raising dinr~rs. Collectors recognize these highly desirable surviving boxes by the admonition "Vote for..." generally emblazoned above the candidate. The cigarmaker's most profitable election time cigar gimmick was the straw poll. History shrouds whether it was a cigar maker or retailer who originated the idea of pro- raoting cigar sales by encouraging smokers to "vote" for their candicla~e of choice by buying a cigar from the ap- century merchants displayed boxes of nickel cigars repre- senting the Democratic and Republican candidates side-by-side atop the counter. Total sales were recorded on a slate on the wall, presumably presaging the outcome of November's election. These campaign "your choice" brands were produced by many regional cigar companies and sold to retailers throughout the country. Examples of "your ch6ice" cigars are known as far back as the 1870s and they were last seen in the Roo- sevelt/Wilkie campaign in 1940. Election cigarettes are known from the 1960s and '70s, but the only cigars for the Eisenhower/Stephenson, the Humphrey/Nixon, and the Bush/Dukakis ~! 0.~.¢x'~'~." "F'~ : campaigning were made of bubble gum. Some cigar brands were only marginally political in that they depicted politi- cians but weren't associat- ed directly with a particu- lar campaign. From 1865 to 1948 you will find hun- dreds of boxes bearing the portraits of politicos, na- tional, state, and local. Party identification is sel- dom indicated on these boxes, the focus being on the man himself. Most of these brands were created by passionate cigarmakers as genuine expressions of support to honor popular figures. Collectors recognize them because the cig- armaker's name is inevitably printed large and in red, whereas the maker of campaign boxes is never identified. Cigar brands and labels picturing politicians whose ca- reer is waxing, waning, or over were often created and sold regionally by the~qe seeking to capitalize on the popularity of favorite sons. One New York cigarmaker cranked out millions of AI Smith cigars for more than 20 years while Smith was governor or running for the Presidency. Other presidential and state candidates have gotten s'tmilar but less vigorous or h~g-lived s~uptx~rt. Clinton may smoke cigars, and JFK's humidor may have elidted a record price, but flaere is little other relation- ship today between cigars and politics, with the exception of the continued barrier against the importation of Cuban smokes~ Only a handful of rare a~tique boxes remain to re- TI56750323

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