The most important special relationship that Blend has created has been with Davidoff. In October 2015, Blend and Davidoff entered into a strategic partnership in which Blend was renamed Blend Bar with Davidoff Cigars. Each Blend walk-in humidor shares the same look as the walk-in humidors at Davidoff of Geneva Since 1911 retail stores, but the partnership goes beyond that to include a marketing arrangement and access to exclusive cigars.
The Davidoff Edge
“We’re the only licensed Davidoff cigar bar in the world,” Johnston explains. “It is a completely new creation. We’re not a franchise, and we’re not a company-owned store. It’s a unique partnership with the intent of opening more stores in the U.S. and Europe. They help to merchandise in every store, and they help market us through their different channels. We also did an Indy 500 cigar to commemorate the 100th Indianapolis 500 in May 2016, which was unique. There were 1,000 boxes, and each one was numbered. It was a big success.”
If the plans of Johnston, Arbuckle and Holden remain firm, they will only increase Blend’s national presence. The trio hopes to open at least one new Blend store each year for the next five years, with locations in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Dallas-Fort Worth and along Florida’s Gulf Coast the most likely spots for Blend expansion.
“The great thing about this business is that I get to meet new cigar smokers every day,” Johnston says. “I’ve been involved in the cigar business since 1991, and the amazing thing is that there is still room for growth in this industry. The customer base is still growing, and that’s encouraging. Whether our customers are regular cigar smokers, occasional smokers or even nonsmokers they all want one thing—an experience that shows them they’re important to us. You’ve got to show the customer that you appreciate their business because that’s how you build a brand.”
This story first appeared in the March/April 2018 issue of Tobacco Business magazine. Members of the tobacco industry are eligible for a complimentary subscription to our magazine. Click here for details.
– Story by Stephen A. Ross, senior editor of Tobacco Business Magazine
