After more than 20 years of growth as an e-commerce cigar retailer, and following the successful opening of a small physical retail space, Best Cigar Prices wanted to expand its facility and open a one-of-a-kind cigar lounge at its 25,000 square-foot facility in the CAN DO Corporate Center in Drums. When company officials decided they needed expertise to make the idea a reality, they turned to CAN DO for help.
As a result, the company recently opened the 3,000-square-foot addition that, according to officials at Best Cigar Prices, houses the only cigar lounge of its kind in the country and has brought 25 new jobs to Greater Hazleton.
Best Cigar Prices, formerly known as New Global Marketing, was founded in New York in 1997 in a private residence. In 2007, the company moved to a 10,000-square-foot facility in Kingston, New York, before relocating to its current location in the CAN DO Corporate Center in 2011. Jason Harding, senior copywriter for Best Cigar Prices, said CAN DO’s assistance was among the top reasons the company chose Greater Hazleton for its new location.
“We have found CAN DO to be easy to work with, informative and responsive. In the last year or two specifically, the relationship has grown in several areas. We needed special guidance related to opening a restaurant in the Corporate Center. These waters were difficult to navigate but CAN DO helped us through the process,” Harding said. “We also requested a digital sign at the entrance to the park, which CAN DO stepped up and agreed to do. These are game-changing items for our business that we could not have achieved without CAN DO’s help. Also, our CEO, Greg Fox, now is on the CAN DO Board of Directors and serves as part of the CAN BE Committee.”
Best Cigar Prices has grown from those humble beginnings inside a private residence into a global e-commerce company that services approximately 200,000 customer transactions from 150 countries worldwide annually. It offers a selection of more than 8,000 unique cigars from more than 800 top brands. Harding said the company’s rapid rise gave officials the idea to bring a unique cigar experience to the area.
“Support and demand for our retail location greatly exceeded all expectations, and we realized there was a real interest for the premium cigar lifestyle in this area. It was then that the idea for the Pub was born,” Harding said. “We believe that our new establishment will add to the value of the community by providing a safe, clean and modern space for patrons to relax and enjoy premium handmade cigars, great food and top shelf spirits responsibly. In addition, we will be bringing about 25 new jobs to Drums.”
Harding called Best Cigar Pub a “completely immersive cigar culture experience” and said patrons will have the advantage of being connected to the rest of the Best Cigar facility, which contains the company’s massive humidor and giant inventory of cigars and accessories. The Pub addition will also house a comprehensive Cigar Museum with more than 50 artifacts on display, a lounge area with 32 big-screen TVs and a more than 500 square-foot putting green. Among the specialty food and beverage selections at the bar is the company’s own barrel of Best Cigar Pub Jack Daniels Whiskey that was made exclusively in Nashville, Tennessee.
“Guests can essentially shop our entire website selection in person. In addition to the massive selection and easy access, patrons will be able to enjoy a fine cigar in the comfort of our state-of-the-art air handling system. This system exchanges 100% of the air inside the Pub with fresh outside air every three minutes, ensuring a clean, non-smoky environment,” Harding said.
Harding praised CAN DO for its guidance and support throughout the entire expansion process. “It is obvious in every interaction we have that CAN DO truly cares about the community, especially economic development and job growth. They try to make our lives as easy as possible so we can do our small part to contribute to these goals,” he said.
