If you are a cigar lover and I know you are because you are reading this article, then you need to make a trek to Florida’s Ybor City. Founded by Vicente Martinez-Ybor in 1885 as a cigar-manufacturing center, Ybor City today is one of only two National Historic Landmark Districts in Florida. Ybor City is the home to a number of small cigar shops that roll their own brands. It is also the home to the oldest, still operational cigar factory – J.C. Newman. The main street is 7th Ave and it where you will find all the nightlife action and most of the cigar shops. This past October we took a trip to Ybor City and strolled down 7th Avenue. We hope you will enjoy this article as much as we enjoyed the day.
Starting on the corner of 15th Street and 7th Avenue we started the stroll heading east on 7th.
La Faraona Cigars – 1517 E 7th Ave
The first shop you will come to is La Faraona Cigars owned by Odelma Matos, a Cuban immigrant and daughter of Cuban Tobacconist “Tabaqueros” processors of tobacco and smoking supplies. Odlema is a “Torcedora,” a female roller trained by “Torcedores” the master rollers in Cuba. The original La Faraona brand was created in 1987 in Havana, Cuba within the manufacturing tobacco company of Jose Manuel Guira.
This is one of those quaint cigar shops that you will experience as you stroll the avenue. You will be warmly greeted as you enter. La Faraona Cigars has cigars ranging from $3.00 to $10.00. They also have a terrific selection of Humidors available.
One added specialty is a unique La Faraona Cigars mold that creates a cigar that looks like the following. I have not fired this up yet, but when I do we will have the review up as soon as possible. You can check out their website here:
King Corona – 1523 E 7th Ave
Continuing east only a few feet away from La Faraona Cigars on 7th avenue you will come to King Corona. This is a traditional cigar shop, they don’t roll their own here. They carry many of the leading brands of cigars and have nice outside seating area to relax and people watch on the avenue. This is by far the largest shop on the stroll. Besides cigars they have other cigar related gear and apparel including a wide selection of Guayabera shirts and straw Fidoras. So if you want to get your stogie dress on this ia great place to find the authentic gear.
The window display at King Corona is a site to see. It is a depiction of Ybor City and the roots to Cuba and many of the famous cigar smokers of the past.
As you stroll down the avenue you will be greeted by an old-world charm of red brick buildings, wrought iron balconies and narrow brick streets. There are many quaint stores to shop for items other than cigars and lots of restaurants and cafes to sit and relax all of which are cigar friendly on the outside seating areas. After leaving King Corona walk across the avenue and you will come upon the statue of Vicente Martinez-Ybor – the founder of Ybor City.
Vicente Martinez-Ybor
Tabanero Cigars 1601 E. 7th Ave
Now if you look across the avenue you will see Tabanero Cigars. This is by far the largest factory on the avenue. It used to be located further east but was recently located to this new location in the center of all the foot traffic. If you have been to Ybor city in the past, Tabanero Cigars now resides where the old JJ’s Cafe and Bar was. I really liked Tabanero Cigars, it is an old school cigar factory with the rows of rollers in the front and stores of cigars throughout.
Tabanero Cigars believes in quality and that goes all the way to draw testing every cigar made so that you the consumer don’t have a puff issue.
Th
ere is a wide selection of vitolas and blends available, all hand rolled on site.
As noted on their website:
“We specialize in fresh, local Tampa Cigars.
Keeping the Cuban, Ybor City and Tampa Cigar alive.
At Tabanero cigars we are different we believe in Tampa Cigars
We are the only Tampa cigars factory to make all long filler Tampa Cigars, and carry other Tampa Cigars in addition to our brand. Every 100 handmade Tampa Cigars sold a local Cuban American roller will take home to their family $80 to $120 dollars per day. Your palette will enjoy a fine, fresh, handmade, long filer, Tampa Cigar that has only been on the shelf twenty days. This benefits our customers with a fine smoke as well as our American industry.”
Check out the Tabanero Cigars website for more details .
Long Ashes Cigars 1728 E 7th Ave
Cross back over 7th Ave and walk a block east and you will come upon the Long Ashes Cigars Company. This is a rather new shop and has not only a selection of their own cigars but also some name brands also.
Michael Cincunegui, owner of Long Ash Cigars, comes from a long line of cigar makers and aficionados. Michael, born a fourth generation Tampa native and fifth generation Floridian, has inherited a long history of blending his Tampa background with Ybor City’s rich heritage of fine cigars. Tampa, after all, is known as “Cigar City.”In the late 1800s, Michael’s great great grandparents migrated from Cuba and Spain to Key West, Florida to work in the cigar factories.
They feature a special sweet tip cigar that uses a process that coats the head of the cigar with the sweet coating made from the same vegetable glue that attaches the cap. This provides a sweet taste on top of the already delicious tobacco. Of course the sweet tip is an option and you can get their vitolas with or without it. I tried the sweet tip lancero when I was there and it was unique and quite different from what I am used to smoking.
Long Ashes has more than cigars to offer, they also have quite a selection of cigar art, cigar-box guitars, and purses and of course a wide selection of humidors and ashtrays and accessories. Just about anything hanging on the wall is for sale. Their website does not yet promote these items but they told me that is coming soon. If you see anything you like you can contact them, tell them you saw it on Stogie Press.
La Herencia De Cuba – 1817 E 7th Ave
After leaving Long Ashes, cross the avenue again and walk just a little east and you will come across an interesting little shop and cafe known as La Herencia De Cuba. What was most interesting about La Herencia De Cuba is the wall decor. I have to show a picture of the inside from when it was first opened.
Over the years and after many visitors, the owners have allowed everyone to sign their names on the walls to mark their place and presence in this local establishment. The result is that of walls covered with names of visitors. I was offered a marker to make my visit known also.
La Herencia De Cuba has rich history in the cigar business. As their website notes:
From two generations of tobacco harvesters and cigar rollers was born Roberto Ramirez .At an early age of 9 Roberto was taught about the fundamental elements of tobacco and its origins by his Grandfather and Father. Equipped with this knowledge and experience he left home at the age of 14 to a nearby town called Baez located in the same province to enhance and manifest his skill as a cigar roller. In time he increased his skills as well as his discipline . His adoration , love and dedication coupled with countless hours and days soon were recognized. In 1976 he was awarded Top Cigar Roller in Cuba , this title he would win yet again .
If you are lucky you may catch Roberto rolling cigars at this shop but most of the time he is in Esteli Nicaragua at Tabacalera Ramirez S.A which is owned by the owned by the Ramirez Family. We were not so lucky to have met Roberto on this visit. Perhaps next time.
Meanwhile if you are interested learning more about their cigars you can visit their Facebook page here:
Ybor Cigars Plus – 1725 7th Ave
After signing your name at La Herencia De Cuba, walk west on 7th Ave about a block and you will come up to Ybor Cigars Plus also known as “1725” as it stated on their cigar bands. . I know, with a name like “Cigars Plus” can it be authentic? Well some times simple is good and this little shop and pub will surprise you. As you walk in, there is a cigar rolling table in the window where they roll their own. This, of all places, seemed to be where the locals hang out. It is dimly lit and they were playing music in the corner of the bar. I was thirsty by this time so I ordered a Mojito to sit back and relax while firing up one of their dark rich maduro creations. They also have a beautiful; espresso machine and make one of the best Cafe Cubano your lips will ever touch.
If you want to learn how to roll a cigar they will teach you and then of course you get to smoke what you rolled. Having an old Cuban friend here in Florida I have had that experience and decided to pass on a rolling lesson. This was our last stop so I sat and listened to the cuban music and drank a few mojitos and puffed away on that Ybor Cigar Plus stogie. The bartender was pleasant and had the best smile of all the people we met.
Here are some photos of Ybor Cigars Plus
Well we hope you enjoyed taking this stroll down Ybor City’s 7th Avenue to visit the best cigar shops Cigar City has to offer. It was nice to learn that many of these shops are relatively new to the scene and that the cigar business is picking up again in Ybor. So the next time you are in the Tampa Florida area be sure to take a stroll down 7th Avenue and buy some local sticks. You won’t be disappointed and can assure you. If you want to learn the history read our other article on the history of Ybor City.
Nice write up of my hometown. Tampa is so big and spread out, that sometimes I forget how much history there is. It’s also important to support the local businesses and shops too. Thanks for reminding me why I love this town so much. I’ll have to stroll down 7th ave soon and visit a few of these shops
It is a wonderful town and I am happy the industry is thriving there.
I was last in Ybor City around 2006 with a writing group, but we enjoyed fine dining at the Columbia and watched cigar rollers and enjoyed cafe.
Yes the Columbia is awesome