Touring Ybor City’s Last Cigar Factory
By Bob Sanchez
In July, a small group from the Sun City Center Photo Club toured the J. C. Newman Cigar Company to see first-hand how cigars are still made in Ybor City. For the senior rate of $12 per person, company historian Holden Rasmussen served as our tour guide for about an hour to show the entire process, both for hand-made and machine-made cigars.
The building is called El Reloj, a three-story, block-long building that dates back to 1895 and is the only remaining cigar factory in Ybor City. There’s nothing modern about the process as workers either hand-roll cigars or operate antique machines that seem to operate as well today as they did a century ago. The main difference is in the workforce – an old photo from the 1920s shows a vast room filled with white men, elbow to elbow at work. What a difference a century makes!
The Newman Company promises that “this historic cigar factory will please cigar enthusiasts, history buffs, and those with interests in manufacturing and technology,” and the tour doesn’t disappoint. Photo Club member Christina Brittain said it was “amazing to witness every facet of production in this living, thriving factory/museum,” adding that the tour is “a truly memorable experience.”
The family-owned company clearly takes pride in its premium cigars and its employees. Rasmussen told us that every worker we saw on the floor has been employed there for around 20 years. Newman also has factories in Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. Their Cigar Family Charitable Foundation “supports low-income families in the Dominican Republic with education, health care, vocational training, and clean water.”
The cost for the tour is $15 for adults, and $12 for seniors, students, and veterans. All ages are welcome. The guide is knowledgeable, and the old factory is fascinating. By the way, there are elevators for those not inclined to climb stairs.
Visit “jcnewman.com” for their schedule and to book a guided tour.
IN THE TOP PHOTO: J. C. Newman’s company historian Holden Rasmussen talks tobacco with, from left to right, Nick Fader, Barbara Klimczak, Fran Beeson, and Christina Brittain.
NOVEMBER 2024 NEWS is HOT off the Press!
In this issue… SAVE the DATE for “Hi, Neighbor!” on November 7 and Veterans Day on November 11, sail with Cygnet Yacht Club, check out some phenomenal photography, review the 2025 budget, meet the candidates for SCCCA Board, enjoy some Music on...
Receding and Reaching Out
Receding and Reaching Out By E. Adam Porter When you hear phrases like “worst in a century” or “first time in generations,” those descriptors can feel like an abstraction. Sure, they mean something, but is it something we can really fathom? Something we...
October 2024 NEWS is HOT off the Press
In this issue… Take a Brief Trip to Albuquerque, then stroll down memory lane to the beginning of SCC on Cherry Hills, get the latest LRPC Update, save the date for “Hi, Neighbor!”, learn about Little Free Libraries, hear All About the Bees,...
Back to School Back to Nature
Back to School Back to NatureJust the way it should be in Camp Bayou By Gezil Andrews I’ve been in the area three-plus years so Camp Bayou was a new venue for me – After my first visit, this weekend, I rated it “well worth the wait!” I visited the camp...
SEPTEMBER 2024 NEWS is HOT off the Press!
In this issue… Get back to nature, cruise around on three wheels, uncover a secret from the past, meet the SCC Maintenance Team, cheer on some lawn bowlers, cruise on an airboat, read about a hero, and take two different paths to the past. Then...
Firefighters Complete Training, Take Posts
Thirty-four new firefighters started their careers this week with Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (HCFR) after a graduation ceremony in mid-July. In a ceremony at Riverhills Church of God on Friday, the County’s newest firefighters received shields for...
0 Comments