Cigar Report, Today

There is not a more exciting time in the cigar industry than right about now each year. Retailers and manufacturers from the US and abroad take over a city -- and smoke it out for three or four days. Although the available venues each year are getting more and more scarce, the industry settled into the Sands Convention Center in Las Vegas two weeks ago for perhaps the last time.

I love this business. I love talking with people and sharing cigars with people...especially customers. However, for these few days I'M the customer! Row after row, booth after booth… hundreds of vendors set up shop displaying their full array of 'old stand-bys' as well as new launches. I smoke my way through each booth trying to find the right NEW products to add to the stores' selection, and weed through some of the new products that aren't the right fit for the stores.

It's an opportunity to spend time with my fellow retailers and talk shop -- find out what they're doing in their own stores...what works and what doesn't, what's selling and what's sleeping. It's also a unique opportunity to spend some great time with manufacturers. From Manuel Quesada and his family from MATASA and Litto Gomez from La Flor Dominicana, to Alejandro Turrent, Christian Eiroa and Carlos Fuente, Jr AND Sr. To get some face time with these folks and understand better where they're coming from and where they plan on going -- it's just such a privilege.

For sure, we'll be keeping you updated on the latest and greatest launches from the show as they make it to store shelves -- so stay tuned!

Michael Herklots

7/29/08

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