Tobacco Business

[ 54 ] TOBACCO BUSINESS [ SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER | 21 ] The next morning, he reached out to a friend and asked if they could open the store for him. When that friend and others found out why Froman was reaching out for help, the community he had built within Embargo Cigars all stepped up to help. “That day, we had four customers step up to learn how to work the POS. We had two employees come back that hadn’t been working because of the pandemic. My girlfriend made a comment, “Look, all these people absolutely love you! They’re stepping up to keep the shop open in your absence.’ And I said, ‘It’s not that they love me, it’s that they love the shop. They love what we’ve created.’ And I say ‘we created’ because, for my friends and my family, it’s taken a lot to create what we’ve created—a unique lounge. We’ve never closed a single day since we’ve opened. We’re here for Christmas, we’re here for New Years, we’ve been here for Thanksgiving. The cigar lounge, for me, is a family.” The camaraderie, relationships forged and networking that takes place in Embargo Cigars is not something Froman takes much credit for, but it does make him proud. There is some sacrifice on Froman’s part that is required to keep Embargo Cigars open seven days a week for 12 to 14 hours a day because he has other business ventures to tend to and a family that requires his attention. Still, he remains dedicated to Embargo Cigars and the family and friends that are also invested in the cigar store and lounge. Regardless, he says he wouldn’t go back and change anything relating to how he runs his business. It all comes down to what he knows is required to be a great tobacconist today: passion and a love for the industry and the products he sells. Becoming Unbreakable Since opening his store in 2017, Froman has learned his fair share about tobacco retail, from what products work to how to build and retain a customer base. As much as Froman loves the industry and cigars, he issues a cautionary warning to those that want to jump into the tobacco retail business but haven’t done so yet. “Don’t get into the business—not if you’re looking to make money,” he says. “I don’t know of anyone who would want to start a shop right now, and if they did, if they were in their right minds. Obviously, this is an industry that people have passion for. If you want to open your own shop, talk to a financial analyst, talk to your psychologists, talk to your friends and family. After you make your decision, talk to your therapist again because to be successful, you’ll need to put a lot of time, love and passion into it. That is going to take a lot of you and the ones that love you. Without that support, I don’t know how successful you’ll be. If you want to get into the business, do it for the passion, not for the fame and fortune.” Froman has also learned that, on a personal level, it’s very hard to break him—literally. He hasn’t let his accident from last year stop him from showing up each day, engaging with customers in the store, and passing on his passion for tobacco and cigars to them. “What have I learned about myself? Whether it’s a car or lack of sleep, they haven’t killedme yet. I just keep going. It’s the love and appreciation that I get from our customers that keeps me going through days, weeks and months of continuing to work at the shop as we continue to grow.” In the face of adversity or obstacles, Abe Froman is one tobacconist that won’t back down from a challenge. As Embargo Cigars quickly becomes one of Arizona’s most prominent cigar lounges and retail stores, Froman is feeding his passion for the industry by continuing to learn and expand his knowledge of tobacco and cigars. Years after being told his concept for a retail store that focused on smaller brands wouldn’t work and facing a pandemic and serious personal injury, one thing is clear—Abe Froman is unstoppable and unbreakable. TB Froman has made Embargo Cigars stand out with its selection of boutique cigars and a lounge that's open to all.