68
TOBACCO BUSINESS
JULY/AUGUST 2013
trench marketing
BY MICHAEL GELFAND
W
hen Mike Purser and his son Aaron spotted an
empty storefront on one of the most trafficked state
highways in the county, they instantly recognized it
as an ideal venue for a cigar store. After a short conversation
with the building’s owner, the duo found themselves venturing
into the cigar business. Soon, the whole family was involved—
Aaron as the shop’s owner; his father as the on-site, de facto
manager; and his wife Charlotte as keeper of the books and
email list.
Although the Newfoundland, New Jersey storefront was far
from large, the Pursers were able to make the most of every
square foot, most notably with the installation of a 12-foot-
by-12-foot walk-in humidor lined with Spanish cedar from
Brazil and featuring a state-of-the-art humidification system.
Southbound Cigar Shop specializes in boutique cigar brands
that the owners—avid cigar aficionados—find by monitoring
new releases, testing them and stocking those they find
interesting.
“We have all the popular cigar brands that people like—
Montecristos, Macanudos, Romeo y Julieta—but we really
like to have cigars with unique flavors and designs—limited
editions that smaller, less well-known companies come out
with,” explains Purser, who points to Viaje cigars as an example.
Selling Sticks
at
Southbound
a father and son team up to pursue their
shared passion—boutique cigar brands.
Mike Purser
of Southbound
