This past week, I drove up to Nashville, TN to spend a week with my son and enjoy some quality time with him. As part of the trip, I made it my plan to drive the long way to Nashville, and stop over in Tuscaloosa, AL to visit R & R Cigars. You may ask why would I do that? The simple answer is, I noticed that one of my sponsors; Hiram & Solomon Cigars was doing an event there the week before, and the poster peaked my interest. I did a google search and checked out what R & R Cigars was all about and made it my business to stop there on my trip up to Tennessee.
The “R & R” in the name of the shop stands for Randy & Reagan or Reagan & Randy, depending on whether you are speaking to Randy or Reagan Starner. The Starner’s are a father/son team that got together to create an amazing cigar shop in the home of the Crimson Tide – Tuscaloosa, AL. Randy is the father, Reagan is the son, and what they built is more of a cigar mansion than a shop or a lounge.
I contacted the R & R team and let him know I would be coming up and would like to stop over for a couple of hours. As we drove up to the shop, I quickly realized this is not any ordinary shop. As I said, it is a cigar mansion. A 116 year old mansion to be exact, with the original wood work throughout, a beautiful wrap around southern porch, and large wooden columns in the entry way.
Parking is easy at R & R, as they have a decent size lot and parking on the street also. The front of the mansion has a well groomed lawn and shrubbery which sets the stage for an experience like no other.
As you walk up the steps of the front entrance and through the front door, your eyes can’t help but be fixated on the large staircase which is a centerpiece of this building along with the wood floors and area carpets throughout. R & R Cigars has actually 7 different seating areas between the first and the third floor of the mansion. Each room has its own theme which we will get into in a moment. But first let me introduce you to Reagan Starner, the co-owner of R & R Cigars. In the following video, Reagan and I sat down for a little chat in the sports lounge of R & R Cigars.
The Mansion
Now lets take a stroll through the mansion. The next video captures the beauty of this cigar haven from room to room, across the patio, and up and down the stairs. R & R holds events on a regular basis and at times, they even set up an outdoor tent for large gatherings to accommodate all. They have a full liquor license and stock over 80 different beers and 150 liquor selections including some of the best scotch and bourbons to be had. They don’t have a formal bar but instead offer table service where your drinks are brought to you.
The Humidor
As Reagan explained to me, the humidor can be a bit deceiving. Though the room it self is average in size, each shelf is stocked 3 boxes deep so there is well over 1,000 facings in the R & R Humidor which includes both big box and small boutique brands.
Contact and Hour of Operation
- R & R Cigars is located at 2703 6th St Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
- Phone: 1-205-722-2741
- Email: [email protected]
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RRCigars
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/randrcigar/
R & R Cigars is open 7 days/week with the following hours:
- Monday – Thursday: 10 AM to 11 PM
- Friday/Saturday: 10 AM to 11:59 PM
- Sunday: 12 PM to 10 PM
I would like to thank Randy and Reagan for their fine hospitality during my visit. If you are in the area of the home of the Crimson Tide, Tuscaloosa, AL – then make this a must visit on your agenda.
Thanks Jimmie. We love the review and pictures. It was great having you at R&R. I hope you get to return for a longer stay. See you down the road.
For sure – so many shops never enough time !!