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TOBACCO BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL
JULY/AUGUST 2014
Customers also enjoy being able to hang out and enjoy their
products in the company of friends in either of the store’s two
fully-licensed bars. “It’s certainly not the main part of our
business; it’s really here to serve customers with something
added on to their experience,” relays Stracco. “That’s a key
tenet we make our employees understand: we’re not just selling
cigars…we’re selling an experience.”
According to Stracco, his store’s success boils down to
having great products with great marketing, and to providing
employees and customers with an excellent education in an
inviting environment. “We use the entire store to hold big
events that feature cigar manufacturers, and we also have live
music on Friday and Saturday nights,” he explains. “We have
events, such as Bike Night [one Thursday per month], where
we have bands perform outside, and guys come in on their
motorcycles, have a drink, and listen to music.
“We also have Cigar Fest, which lasts two days,” says Stracco.
“It’s the Sturgis motorcycle rally of cigars. We’ve had Jonathan
Drew [co-founder of Drew Estate Cigar Company], Alex
Goldman [president of Royal Cigars], representatives from
the Bolivar family, and many others come in to meet and greet
customers, and the customers love coming in to meet them,” he
says. “They enjoy talking about cigars they love, especially with
the people who make those cigars. It’s a great source of fun
and information, and it creates a lot of camaraderie between
everyone.”
TBI
trench marketing
