Khalil: The passion for the product. Cigars are an artisan craft. This industry is one of the few where makers of the product are as passionate as the consumers of the product. It’s a business that allows you to make fantastic relationships. Barboza: I don’t think anybody wakes up or as a kid thinks, “Oh my god, I want to be in the tobacco business.” So, funny story: I’m from Colombia. I came here back in ’97. I had just started college and was going to pharmacy school, and I needed a part-time job. So I started working at the kart. Over time, I liked the business, and I liked the people that would approach me. While I worked at the cigar kart, there was a real estate boom, and I made a little money. I liked the cigar business and knew that I could improve it and make it a little more profitable by doing stuff that nobody else had done. I ended up giving up pharmacy school, and I invested a lot of money to buy this store. That was back in 2004, and from there, I just worked toward my own vision: I wanted something high-end. I wanted something nice, something special that people would actually enjoy coming into. What does it mean to you to be recognized by Davidoff for your work and your store? Cafagno: Davidoff is the greatest company in the world! I don’t just say that because of my relationship with them; I say that because the people who run the company have the same values I have. They are loyal, they are respectful, they give you what you give them. They have honor, and they have vision. To me, being recognized by Davidoff is the greatest honor in the premium cigar business; it means you are continuing on the path to consistent success and growth. That, to me, is the most important aspect of success—having a partner that has your back 100 percent—and Davidoff has always had my back, as I have had theirs. The people from Davidoff are not run-of-the-mill sales people shoving products down your throat; they are genuinely interested in my successes, and I take pride in the successes we have achieved and continue to achieve. Khalil: When you think of a luxurious smoking experience, you think of Davidoff. For our name to be synonymous with the Davidoff brand is a fantastic honor. Barboza: To me, it means that the gamble worked. I had a kiosk, and I moved into the store during COVID, which was a very difficult time for all retailers. It’s thanks to Davidoff and their backing. What’s it like being a Davidoff Appointed Merchant? Cafagno: Being a Davidoff Appointed Merchant is a high honor. It is a great responsibility. Each day I come to work, I realize I have been privileged to be an ambassador of the finest tobacco product in the world, an ambassador to one of the most luxurious brands in the cigar business. I take that very seriously when it comes to following through with the best service in the business. I am selling a product that has rules, unbendable rules, and when you look at the brand Davidoff, I understand the importance of it in the cigar community, and I am grateful each and every day that I have the privilege to sell the product. Khalil: Being able to offer a brand like Davidoff helps bring in a high quality of customer. Just by carrying the brand, the customer knows they are purchasing their cigars from a knowledgeable and trusted source. Barboza: Davidoff is a totally different brand. The people that smoke Davidoff have a different mentality from other brands. Davidoff, as a company, they become your family. Juan Barboza, owner of the Cigar Box, credits his store’s partnership with Davidoff as helping to attract the key clientele that fit his store’s location and product price point. 72 TOBACCO BUSINESS | MARCH / APRIL | 22
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjgzMDM=