70 TOBACCO BUSINESS | MARCH / APRIL | 22 In November 2021, Davidoff recognized some of its best retail partners during the annual Golden Band Awards. With categories that recognized retailers based on their store’s performance, growth and branding, these retailers have demonstrated they have the ability to not only sell a high-end cigar brand such as Davidoff but also to completely challenge and put their own spin on what it means to be a successful tobacconist today. Ben Stimpson, Tobacco Business’s managing director, interviewed several of the 2021 Golden Band Award winners to discover what it’s like being a partner with Davidoff, as well as what tips they had for other tobacconists looking to win in the competitive tobacco retail business. Among those interviewed were Sam Khalil of Casa de Montecristo and Juan Barboza of Cigar Box. Tobacco Business: Tell us about your store. Where is it located and what sets it apart from other tobacco retail outlets? Mike Cafagno: The Tobacconist of Greenwich is located in the heart of downtown Greenwich Connecticut, off of the “Rodeo Drive of the East Coast”: Greenwich Avenue. I believe what sets us apart from many other retail locations is the intimate and genuine relationship I have with 90 percent of my clients. We have a very limited selection of only five brands, and we represent those brands proudly. Most of them have been with us since they began selling cigars in the states. My father and I are the only two people who work at the shop. Sam Khalil: We are located in the Chicago suburbs. We take customer service to the next level. Our customers have access to some of the finest cigars in the world, as well as a luxurious VIP lounge like no other in the area. Juan Barboza: Back in the day, this guy had these cigar karts all over the mall, but he gave up on the idea about 20 years ago. Today, Cigar Box is in Aventura Mall, which is one of the best malls in South Florida, and has a combination of different high-end stores. Neighborhood-wise, the demographics of the area are very residential. At the same time, we have Sunny Isles Beach, which is a highend tourist destination nowadays. Most of the people in the tobacco business, at least in my opinion, are moody all the time. Me, I do it differently. I’m not trying to sell or upsell the customer something they don’t want. I want them to be happy. I try to establish some sort of friendship with my customers. So their defenses are down, they don’t feel that I’m selling to them, but instead I’m advising them on what to get or what they should try. It’s not about making money with the customer in one shot. I’d rather make a little money over time and get a customer that’s going to be with me for many, many years. Why did you want to get into tobacco retail? Cafagno: I got into this business by mistake. I was a customer and fell in love with the place. It had everything I aspired to be in life. Jimmy, the owner, took me under his wing and taught me the business. He taught me how to balance a checkbook, maintain relationships with some of the business world’s most powerful people— all customers and friends of his—he taught me how to be humble by constantly reminding me I wasn’t as good as I thought I was, he taught me loyalty, he taught me respect, he taught me follow through, and most importantly he taught me that if you say something, you do it. That is how I inherited this business. I worked for him, stayed loyal, and he promised me [that] one day if I continued that, I would not have anything to worry about in the future— and what he said came true. When Jimmy passed away, our handshake deal became a reality. I take care of his wife and business, and the business would become mine. I Mike Cafagno started coming to The Tobacconist of Greenwich as a customer when he was 19 years old. Today, he’s the owner and has been recognized for several years by Davidoff as being one of its top Appointed Merchants.
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