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U.S., Canada has strict regulations prohibiting cigar
smoking in restaurants and businesses without special
licensing, which Armstrong and his partners had to
navigate. The project also required rezoning the area
and going through an approval process for renovations
of the historic building—and all of that was in addi-
tion to operational fundamentals such as curating the
cigar selection and hiring experienced barbers able to
deliver an appropriate level of service. Copious funds
were invested—$67,000 on wood for the venue’s humi-
dor alone—along the way.
“We have an entire selection of vintage cigars, rare
royal reserves and cigars aged for 10 years,” explains
Armstrong. “But we also curated our selection based on
every price range and flavor profile to make sure that
people were given a great experience at every level.”
The range of cigars offered is impressive, running
from a $1.87 cigarillo to premium cigars priced as high
as $2,500 and more. “We have a 1958 pre-embargo,
21-inch Partagas on display,” says Armstrong. “We came
into this with some really great connections, and I’ve been
researching and adding boutique lines. I think I literal-
ly tasted every single cigar available at IPCPR this year.”
The company has also invested in training employees
with the cigar knowledge they need to guide cigar smok-
ers on their purchases. “Being able to help cigar smokers
evolve their palates is important,” says Armstrong.
Expertise is just as key on the barber side of the busi-
ness, he adds. “Getting quality barbers was a real chal-
lenge, although it helped that we are in a multicultur-
al city,” Armstrong notes. “We were able to hire people
who had relocated here from all over the world—a bar-
ber who moved here from Paris and another who was a
Syrian refugee.”
Developing a Destination
While both cigar sales and barbershop services will
bring in revenue, Armstrong and his partners see events
as a big part of the company’s business model. “I think
momentum is building on the wedding/groomsmen and
special events side,” he says. “Not everyone wants to go
to a strip club; they like the idea of coming to a place
where they can all have a hot towel shave, pick a cigar
and enjoy it out on the patio together—it’s the male
equivalent of a group of women going to a spa.
“We’re also really excited about several cigar events
we’ll be hosting, including an upcoming event with
Rocky Patel,” adds Armstrong, who ultimately envisions
gala events akin to the VIP night the company hosted
for its grand opening—which featured a scotch tasting,
cigar-rolling demonstrations, a DJ and Latin dance per-
formers—becoming a regular affair.
“We did not open this place to be a tobacconist; we
opened to be a destination,” he explains. “We want cigar
smokers to be telling each other, ‘When you go to Toron-
to, you have to check this place out.’”
TB
Cigar Company
& Gentlemen�s
Barbershop
Continued