So it has been a little while since my last blog post. I could blame it on a number of things like being too busy with law school, or running around doing events, or going from shop-to-shop, but those would just be excuses. The honest truth is: I pretty much forgot. But I am back and more excited than ever for 2012! We had some major things happening for Tosa Cigars toward the end of 2011, but in the end I decided that the best route right now was to keep doing things as I am doing them now.
So what are some highlights that we hope to accomplish by the end of 2012? Well, most of those goals are internal numbers, so I am not going to say :). But there are some things I can share: Tripling the number of shops we are in by the end of the year, coming out with a second blend, making an appearance at this year's IPCPR, and adding a new size to the current blend. It is a lot to accomplish along with the items I am not mentioning, and I still have school to worry about, but I have full faith in our team that we can accomplish these and maybe even more!
As always, we love to hear from everyone on their thoughts on the cigars or even just a simple hello! And to those people who email or message me on Facebook and Twitter asking if they can buy cigars from me, the answer is simple: No, but any one of our retailers on our website are more than happy to take orders and send you our sticks! So please, they have given us so much in support, the least we could do is push business toward them. Take care, and Happy New Year!
Mike Gabrail
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Friday, September 16, 2011
Release Party
Last weekend, on Saturday September 10, we threw our official release party for Tosa Cigars. We had a little under 60 RSVPs, and almost 100 people showed up! It was beyond amazing, and I promise pictures and interviews from the event are to come. But the event told me something that I had always assumed, but never really 100% knew, and that is that enjoying cigars is something that more people thank you would expect appreciate.
Part of the excitement was the arrival of Bruce Lewis, of Torano Family Cigar Company, to Cleveland to specifically attend the event and to talk with me about the future of Tosa Cigars. Bruce has always been extremely kind through emails and on phone calls, but he is even better in person. And his tobacco knowledge and palate are unbelievable. We smoked so many different cigars, with him pointing out different things I was tasting and feeling that I had never been able to pick out during a cigar before.
But above all that, the real enjoyment was seeing all these different people smoking something that I spent almost a year blending and really enjoying it. There was great food, great drinks, but most of all great cigars. And it was a preview of things to come for the future of Tosa Cigars, in respects to where the brand is moving, and even in terms of future events we will be hosting at shops. So if you couldn't make it to the release party, be sure to look out for an event at a local store near you!
Part of the excitement was the arrival of Bruce Lewis, of Torano Family Cigar Company, to Cleveland to specifically attend the event and to talk with me about the future of Tosa Cigars. Bruce has always been extremely kind through emails and on phone calls, but he is even better in person. And his tobacco knowledge and palate are unbelievable. We smoked so many different cigars, with him pointing out different things I was tasting and feeling that I had never been able to pick out during a cigar before.
But above all that, the real enjoyment was seeing all these different people smoking something that I spent almost a year blending and really enjoying it. There was great food, great drinks, but most of all great cigars. And it was a preview of things to come for the future of Tosa Cigars, in respects to where the brand is moving, and even in terms of future events we will be hosting at shops. So if you couldn't make it to the release party, be sure to look out for an event at a local store near you!
Monday, September 5, 2011
Up and Coming Cigar Leadership in Ohio
When people ask me what state our company is based out of, they are extremely surprised to hear "Ohio." And then when they remember that there is a pretty die-hard cigar community in Cincinnati, they are even more surprised to hear that we aren't out of Cincinnati, but in fact Cleveland. But I think things are about to change in terms of people hearing more about the Ohio cigar scene now than before. Take for example our start: Many people consider us the first cigar manufacturers to come from Ohio. Now, this could be up for debate but there is no doubt we are the first to be getting to the scale that we are aiming for, and that we have achieved. The national recognition we are garnering has not been seen by any other cigar company in Ohio, and that is something we are very proud of.
Next, you have Cigar Explorer, which is a Columbus based cigar production company that reviews cigars, covers events, covers cigar news, from companies and shops all over the country. But their base is in Columbus and they have come a very long way in their year of operation. And they are only growing in size of and coverage, and it seems everyone you talk to knows about Dan Reeve and Mario Takeyama.
Next, you have New Havana Cigars, with Dan Welsh being the forefront of that one. Also based out of Columbus, this is a shop that boasts one of the most sought-after collections of cigars, often getting sticks that are considered nearly impossible to obtain. But Dan has secured himself as an extremely respected nationwide cigar enthusiast, but his base is again in Columbus.
And lastly, you have Cigars In Review Magazine, based in Northeast Ohio. This magazine, run by Joe Baker, Tony Bellatto, and a host of others in Ohio is a free magazine given to shop owners all around the country with pieces ranging from interviews with Charlie Torano, to articles by Glynn Loope. And recently at the IPCPR Trade Show, they had every bag contain an issue of Cigars In Review. So to say that this year-old magazine has come a long way in recent months is a gross understatement.
But you can't just leave it at that. There are a whole host of shop owners and managers that have had considerable clout in the cigar industry, one in particular whose name I would normally mention, but he might kill me if I did that :). I am not saying we are the official Mecca of the cigar industry, and I am not saying we sport the most brilliant cigar aficionados around, but we are creating a name for ourselves here and all around the country. Stay tuned in the coming days, weeks, months, and years and you will see Ohio as one of the focal points of the cigar industry.
Mike
Next, you have Cigar Explorer, which is a Columbus based cigar production company that reviews cigars, covers events, covers cigar news, from companies and shops all over the country. But their base is in Columbus and they have come a very long way in their year of operation. And they are only growing in size of and coverage, and it seems everyone you talk to knows about Dan Reeve and Mario Takeyama.
Next, you have New Havana Cigars, with Dan Welsh being the forefront of that one. Also based out of Columbus, this is a shop that boasts one of the most sought-after collections of cigars, often getting sticks that are considered nearly impossible to obtain. But Dan has secured himself as an extremely respected nationwide cigar enthusiast, but his base is again in Columbus.
And lastly, you have Cigars In Review Magazine, based in Northeast Ohio. This magazine, run by Joe Baker, Tony Bellatto, and a host of others in Ohio is a free magazine given to shop owners all around the country with pieces ranging from interviews with Charlie Torano, to articles by Glynn Loope. And recently at the IPCPR Trade Show, they had every bag contain an issue of Cigars In Review. So to say that this year-old magazine has come a long way in recent months is a gross understatement.
But you can't just leave it at that. There are a whole host of shop owners and managers that have had considerable clout in the cigar industry, one in particular whose name I would normally mention, but he might kill me if I did that :). I am not saying we are the official Mecca of the cigar industry, and I am not saying we sport the most brilliant cigar aficionados around, but we are creating a name for ourselves here and all around the country. Stay tuned in the coming days, weeks, months, and years and you will see Ohio as one of the focal points of the cigar industry.
Mike
Friday, August 19, 2011
Independence Smoke Club
Wednesday, August 17, we had an event with the Independence Smoke Club at a bar/restaurant in Parma, OH called the Tradesman. First thing's first, the front was a massive patio with beautiful brick layouts and large 10 foot gates guarding the entrances. When you walk into the patio, there is a covered area with the bar and TVs, where patrons would sit around, grab a drink, and watch the Indians game, while the rest is an open area with seating all over the place and a cornhole set for those wanting to enjoy a nice toss.
But enough of the scenery, let's talk about how the event went: Amazing. We had a great time, with about 30-40 people showing up, trying some samples, and then buying a few sticks to enjoy later on! Everyone was wonderful too, they all wanted to sit and talk to me about the whole process behind starting the brand with the blending to figuring out what would possibly get a 22 year old into the cigar industry. But that was an easy answer, with me just asking them right back "Why are you here right now? Clearly it is not because you hate cigars. The same answer just led me to try and make it my life."
The early reception of our brand has been incredible to say the least. I am very proud of the blend we have and I am looking forward to working on the next one with hopes of having two blends at our booth at next year's trade show. But there is still plenty of work to be done and the hard part is not even close to being done yet. These events are an incredible help though. We got picked up in two more Cleveland shops just because the owner/manager was at the event and liked what they saw!
Things are going great, and we couldn't ask for much more.
But enough of the scenery, let's talk about how the event went: Amazing. We had a great time, with about 30-40 people showing up, trying some samples, and then buying a few sticks to enjoy later on! Everyone was wonderful too, they all wanted to sit and talk to me about the whole process behind starting the brand with the blending to figuring out what would possibly get a 22 year old into the cigar industry. But that was an easy answer, with me just asking them right back "Why are you here right now? Clearly it is not because you hate cigars. The same answer just led me to try and make it my life."
The early reception of our brand has been incredible to say the least. I am very proud of the blend we have and I am looking forward to working on the next one with hopes of having two blends at our booth at next year's trade show. But there is still plenty of work to be done and the hard part is not even close to being done yet. These events are an incredible help though. We got picked up in two more Cleveland shops just because the owner/manager was at the event and liked what they saw!
Things are going great, and we couldn't ask for much more.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Early Shop Visits
Going to new shops is a LOT of fun. You meet the owners, you meet the usual customers, you meet the random customers that no one knows. You walk in, completely intimidated at first because people know you're not a regular, or they know you're there to sell something. But you get through it and you get comfortable and one way or another, you're either going to walk out of there with an order or you're not. And that kind of takes the stress off of it, because what is the worst they say? No?
The first few shops I visited this week since the cigars arrived, I was pretty nervous. But I got over it after the third or fourth one. Some of them want to sit there and chat with you about life, business, the direction of the cigar industry and the different things the states and feds are doing to help or hinder it. Others just want you to drop the cigars off and basically get the Hell out and call back when they've had a chance to smoke them.
I have no doubt that there are going to be shops that welcome us with open arms. I also have no doubt, and have already experienced, a shop wanting absolutely NOTHING to do with you. But it's all a numbers game. So many shops out of so many shop calls and visits will take the cigar. And so many customers out of so many that try the cigar will like it. We're in this for the long haul, so I have no reason to doubt that I will grow a following and be in this business for many years to come.
Mike
The first few shops I visited this week since the cigars arrived, I was pretty nervous. But I got over it after the third or fourth one. Some of them want to sit there and chat with you about life, business, the direction of the cigar industry and the different things the states and feds are doing to help or hinder it. Others just want you to drop the cigars off and basically get the Hell out and call back when they've had a chance to smoke them.
I have no doubt that there are going to be shops that welcome us with open arms. I also have no doubt, and have already experienced, a shop wanting absolutely NOTHING to do with you. But it's all a numbers game. So many shops out of so many shop calls and visits will take the cigar. And so many customers out of so many that try the cigar will like it. We're in this for the long haul, so I have no reason to doubt that I will grow a following and be in this business for many years to come.
Mike
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Keep Fighting, New York Tobacconists!
Last week was a wild week when it came to cigar legislation. One of the worst states in the country, if not the worst state in the country (in terms of smoking and tobacco laws) almost managed to pass a cap on their cigar tax at $1.00. Early in the week, it made it through the New York State Senate and the rest of the country held their breaths and though "Is this actually going to happen?" And then it went to the General Assembly, with all the momentum in the world... And the General Assembly went on recess. The General Assembly ignored all their responsibilities, all of their duties, all of their constituents and the potential fatal future of many cigar shops and decided, instead, to go on recess.
The good news is, the fight isn't over yet. The bill can still be debated and set up for a vote when they come back from the recess, but cigar retailers are now forced to sit and wait longer. To sit there and question whether they should just give up and close shop, or hope that some sense is knocked into that state's legislatures when they come back from their recess. The good news it, we are more organized than ever right now throughout the country, and the whole country wants to see New York succeed in passing this cap because the rest of the states need hope that they will not be in the same position as New York is in. But with the ever expanding reach and influence of Glynn Loope and Cigar Rights of America, the cigar industry's organization is better than ever. And it is made up of people who refuse to lose this fight for traditional liberties.
It's funny, yesterday was July 4th and I was watching the John Adams miniseries on HBO, and Paul Giamatti (who played John Adams) was constantly with a cigar in hand. It made me wonder, what would John Adams and the other Founding Fathers say today if they could see the direction our country has taken in terms of standard rights such as smoking? What would he say if while traveling through New York City right after the revolution, a soldier came up to him and told him he had to put his cigar out? And what if he were warned of the health risks of cigar smoking every single day he lit one up by those around him? Maybe he would point to his 91 years of life and ask them to explain that one to him. This July 4th season, let's remember some of our basic liberties, ones that many people don't even pay attention to, and just think about what we can do to bring these back, in all ways big or small.
Mike
The good news is, the fight isn't over yet. The bill can still be debated and set up for a vote when they come back from the recess, but cigar retailers are now forced to sit and wait longer. To sit there and question whether they should just give up and close shop, or hope that some sense is knocked into that state's legislatures when they come back from their recess. The good news it, we are more organized than ever right now throughout the country, and the whole country wants to see New York succeed in passing this cap because the rest of the states need hope that they will not be in the same position as New York is in. But with the ever expanding reach and influence of Glynn Loope and Cigar Rights of America, the cigar industry's organization is better than ever. And it is made up of people who refuse to lose this fight for traditional liberties.
It's funny, yesterday was July 4th and I was watching the John Adams miniseries on HBO, and Paul Giamatti (who played John Adams) was constantly with a cigar in hand. It made me wonder, what would John Adams and the other Founding Fathers say today if they could see the direction our country has taken in terms of standard rights such as smoking? What would he say if while traveling through New York City right after the revolution, a soldier came up to him and told him he had to put his cigar out? And what if he were warned of the health risks of cigar smoking every single day he lit one up by those around him? Maybe he would point to his 91 years of life and ask them to explain that one to him. This July 4th season, let's remember some of our basic liberties, ones that many people don't even pay attention to, and just think about what we can do to bring these back, in all ways big or small.
Mike
Monday, June 20, 2011
Some hopeful news out of Columbus
So the other day, I read about the New York legislature's move toward a cigar tax cap. Now, if you keep up with cigar politics at all, you would know that New York's cigar tax is not only egregious, it is irresponsible on the part of the legislature. At 75%, the tax helps to more than double the price of a cigar, once other taxes and profits and factored in. But finally, someone in that state has stood up and basically said "Enough is enough," and that person deserves to be recognized as a Freedom Fighter for cigar rights.
Anyways, once I read about this, I began to think about my own state's OTP tax, and although it may not be too high right now (Ohio has a 17% OTP tax), the risk of it rising is not something that I wanted to sit and wait around for. So I contacted some people in Columbus to see if we could talk about introducing our own cigar tax cap legislation for the State of Ohio, and the behind-the-scenes response has been incredible to say the least. People really understand where I am coming from and they really want to help to save small retailers in Ohio.
Obviously it is extremely early in the game to get too excited about the potential outcome of these preliminary discussions. But with a little effort, the correct timing of the political landscape of the state, and some luck as well, I think this can be something that we pull off in Ohio, and something that other states begin to copy and pull off themselves! After all, it wasn't until I read about New York's early successes (And that fight is far from over) that I thought to maybe try and do something like that in my own state. This is how these things get done, all it takes is a sound argument and persistence and you can convince anybody to do anything!
Mike
Anyways, once I read about this, I began to think about my own state's OTP tax, and although it may not be too high right now (Ohio has a 17% OTP tax), the risk of it rising is not something that I wanted to sit and wait around for. So I contacted some people in Columbus to see if we could talk about introducing our own cigar tax cap legislation for the State of Ohio, and the behind-the-scenes response has been incredible to say the least. People really understand where I am coming from and they really want to help to save small retailers in Ohio.
Obviously it is extremely early in the game to get too excited about the potential outcome of these preliminary discussions. But with a little effort, the correct timing of the political landscape of the state, and some luck as well, I think this can be something that we pull off in Ohio, and something that other states begin to copy and pull off themselves! After all, it wasn't until I read about New York's early successes (And that fight is far from over) that I thought to maybe try and do something like that in my own state. This is how these things get done, all it takes is a sound argument and persistence and you can convince anybody to do anything!
Mike
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