04/19/2024
Interesting read!
Sunday’s shared the news that our 113-year-old El Reloj factory in the “Cigar City” of Tampa, Florida, is the last large cigar factory still operating in the United States. In the past 15 years, all of the other remaining traditional cigar factories in America closed:
• In 2008, Altadis closed its Alabama factory.
• In 2009, Hav-a-Tampa closed its Tampa factory.
• In 2014, Finck closed its Texas factory.
• In 2015, National Cigar closed its Kentucky factory.
• In 2017, FX Smith closed its Pennsylvania factory.
• In 2018, Swisher closed its Jacksonville factory.
• In 2022, Avanti closed its Pennsylvania factory.
The United States has a rich cigar-making tradition that dates to 1612. At the time of the American Revolution, cigar to***co was grown, and ci**rs were rolled in all 13 American Colonies. When my great-grandfather founded our company in 1895, there were 42,000 licensed cigar factories in the country. Today, El Reloj is the only one of the 42,000 still operating.
We are proud that El Reloj is the last large cigar factory still rolling millions of ci**rs in the United States. However, we are equally proud that there are more than 50 other small businesses rolling ci**rs in America – including in Tampa. We strongly support all of them, and we want to do everything we can to help each succeed.
Today, we roll ci**rs today just like my great-grandfather did a century ago. Our family’s only goal is to continue handcrafting premium ci**rs the same way for another four generations and 128 years.
In celebration of our company's 125th anniversary in 2020, we restored El Reloj and transformed it into the premier destination for cigar tourism. Last year, we welcomed 15,000 visitors to explore our cigar museum, take a guided factory tour, learn to roll their own ci**rs, or host a private event. In the coming years, we are expanding the El Reloj District with a hotel, cafe, cigar lounge, to***co barn, and more. If you have not already done so, we invite you to visit El Reloj to experience the American cigar tradition!
