A Cigar Hustler Podcast Episode 376 - Starbucks goes simple, doge Pays Up and The New Cigar King
Transcript
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OK, this Friday February 28th we
are releasing Postonia San
Andreas at Cigar Hustler.
It's an in store only event.
It's not available online yet,
but if you are in the area or
want to be in the area come and
hang out with us.
Deltona, FL Cigar Hustler from
6:00 to 11:00 for the release of
Postonia San Andreas in our own
store. 829 Deltona Burlar You
didn't give me the address. 829
Deltona Blvd.
Deltona, FL 32725.
Deltona, FL 32725.
It's a nice coffee cup.
Or e-mail Greg Gregg at I Want
to Come See you.com.
Welcome to the Cigar Hustlers
podcast episode 376, where
cigars industry talk and
unfiltered opinions collide.
Sit back with your Co host Mike
Stepankevich and Mike Palmer as
they bring you this week's
trending stories at Cigar News.
And me, I'm Bootsy Engineer.
Make sure these two don't burn
the plays down.
Grab a cigar, sit back and let's
get into them.
That's it.
Cigar Houses podcast.
Now we're going.
This is new all.
Right.
So as you can see, there's been
an atmosphere change.
We are in the private lounge
today.
Yeah, trying to mix things up a
little bit, but go ahead.
And Mr. Palmer?
Well.
First, let's show these.
OK?
These were gifted to me at the
Island Gym event last week.
They were made by Bad Monkey.
His name is Greg, they are OOP.
I have.
What is this contraption?
These are more manly cigar poker
things.
Holders, holders, do you hold
the end of it?
And he made them for the
podcast.
So mine is a microphone.
Michaels is also a microphone.
And then on the top, he has the
crown because he is the king And
my, my little skull guy.
I don't know.
You probably can't see it on the
camera.
He has headphones on.
So we'd like to thank Greg for
these.
That was very nice of him.
I got to tell you man, there is
a ton of detail on this thing.
Yeah, it's pretty cool again.
I don't know, but like not
really a huge fan of somebody
giving me a sharp object with
you in striking distance.
Well, a little further apart
over here in this room.
Because I don't know, man.
He's a retired state trooper and
he makes these as a hobby,
right?
But he does have AI.
Just lost the card.
I dropped the card.
It was bad Monkey.
If you look at Bad Monkey on the
web or on Facebook web, on the
Internet, on the Internet, on
the interwebs, on the interwebs.
I don't know if he sells them or
not, but he does have them there
because his wife told him he had
too many.
So there you go.
They're very cool all.
Right.
Thank you so much, Greg.
Yes, thank you.
Appreciate that bro, what are we
doing for paycheon?
We are.
Hold yours up.
We are doing the Oliveros.
Can you see that Bootsy?
He a little bit.
It's blind.
It's Claire.
Dom it.
Yep.
There you go.
The Oliveros Grand or rotorno
#2.
They should be amazing.
Can't wait.
Look at the cello on these
things.
It's practically brownness.
They've been sitting for a long
time.
Sure, they will be delicious.
Oh, OK.
All right.
All right and trending news,
beloved Roberta Flack passed
away this week.
The singer of Killing Me Softly.
Is this before your age?
Do you know who she is?
I.
Don't know.
I thought you're just going to
review what we're talking about.
First, I am, but I'm just just
a.
Little, no, I have no idea how.
That all right, Starbucks is
trending with simpler, easier to
make drinks.
No more extensive fancy name
drinks.
OK, Washington Commanders has
released a defensive tackle.
Yes, AWNBA Star has decided that
she wants somebody else over
Drake and the Doge.
I put Dodge.
The Doge may be paying all of
his $5000 from the hidden
government treasures, but don't
spend the money yet.
Oh.
OK, let's get into that.
Well, the and cigar news.
Tell me.
Previews Raul Rainier is
starting his own brand.
World's most complicated initial
offering.
Davidoff likes a new coffee.
I mean a new cigar.
King Gurkha is getting fat.
Oh, Garo celebrates with a new
cigar.
Shipping.
Maybe shipping, They're not
sure.
The new Davidoff king makes a
New Castle bigger.
OK, Kentucky may get more cigar
lounges.
And then finally, a new
consultant shows you how to sell
cigars.
Michael.
Thank God.
You've been doing it wrong.
All these.
Years.
I believe it.
I believe it highly.
Qualified.
Oh, I can't wait.
Highly qualified.
OK, we also have on Patreon.
A new member has entered the
portal.
Yes, actually 2. 2.
I'm not sure if you're aware of
the other one.
OK.
All right.
One just happened yesterday.
Oh, I didn't hear about that one
yet.
I actually heard about it last
Thursday, but it was released
press release yesterday.
It's very interesting to see the
shake up in Q1 and where we got
another month left of this.
So there's more.
There could be more to come.
There'll be more to come.
All right, Today's World News.
Roberta Flack, Grammy winning
Killing Me Softly singer with an
with an intimate style.
Oh, she sings with an intimate
style.
Died at 88.
Roberta Flack, the Grammy
winning singer and pianist whose
intimate vocal and musical
styles made her one of the top
recording artist of the 70s.
When were you born again?
84.
An influential performer long
after died Monday, She was 88
years old.
She died at home surrounded by
her family, publicist Elaine
Stuck said in a statement.
Flack announced in 20/22 she had
ALS, commonly known as Lou
Gehrig's disease, and could no
longer sing.
Little known before her early
30s, Flack became an overnight
star after Clint Eastwood used
the first time Ever I Saw Your
Face as a soundtrack of one of
cinema's more memorable and
explicit love scenes between the
actor and you know, you know
what?
You probably have no Clint
Eastwood.
No, the actress that did the
love scene with very explicit
for the times, Jake Gyllenhaal.
I don't think he would have been
born at the time.
Donna Mills.
It is 1971 film Play Misty for
Me.
The hushed hymn like ballad with
flex graceful soprano afloat on
a bed of soft strings and piano
topped the Billboard pop chart
in 1972 and received a Grammy
for Record of the Year.
Oh, very interesting stuff.
We'll miss Miss Roberta.
Well, I know the song killing me
soft.
Killing me softly with his song,
Killing me soft.
That's all we can say when we
get in trouble.
Yeah, The Fugees redid it.
Oh, did they?
Yeah.
Oh, They have not released a
statement.
The Fugees did not release a
statement yet, no.
No, you think they would.
They used their song.
So but that song wasn't the hit
that.
That hers was.
That no, but killing me softly
came later.
What's he doing?
What's?
Wrong.
No, it's in.
Did you see the green light that
that's just the sleeve.
He's he's thinking he's had
technical problems.
At least he's holding things up
going.
Help me, help me, help me from
over there.
Yeah, I got to tell you though,
I really don't like not having
headphones.
It's been awkward.
Yeah, it's a little weird.
I didn't think it would look
good in here.
Oh yeah, we should totally do
it.
Still the same, you did a good
job.
All right, Starbunks, Starbunks.
Starbunks.
Starbunks.
That's all you got for the That
was Roberta.
That was Roberta.
Yeah, that was the news.
She had ALS.
She died.
She's 88.
And you know, that was the way
it.
Goes Are you going to miss her?
I am a fan of that song.
I didn't never, never saw her
live.
You never saw her live.
No, I was born in 67, so when
the song came out, I was three.
I was doing other things with
the time.
Got it.
You ain't familiar with the
song?
You haven't found your pee pee
yet?
No, at three, I'm sure I know.
Where it was found your pee pee
at 3:00.
Sure it was, yes.
OK.
That's.
A very quick potty trained.
Oh, you're a fast potty trainer?
Yes.
That's that's good news.
Well, when you have older
sibling, you're like, oh, this
is what you.
Know this is how you pee.
This is how you pee.
You peeing the thing over there?
Peeing the thing.
Peeing the thing, And then we go
to Starbucks.
Sure, Starbucks is overhauling
its menu if your favorite drink
is among the 13 to get 80
sixths.
I checked, Michael, you're safe.
There is no cold foam, Nitro,
whatever yadda yadda you.
Nitro cold brew.
Yeah, that's fine.
They're still doing that.
Yeah, you can't.
It's the simplest basic.
It's very simple.
That's the problem.
All their drinks are a little
complicated and the IT takes a
long time to be made I guess,
right.
So Starbucks drink menu is
getting an overhaul.
Next week, the coffee chain will
remove some of its less popular
hot, cold and blended drinks
starting March 4th in an effort
to speed up service and lighten
the load of baristas.
It's very complicated.
OK.
Is that it?
Is there a list?
No, there's a list.
I have more to talk about.
This is where we discuss.
I was waiting for you to go
through the whole thing and then
I could discuss.
That big orders with complicated
modifications have made it
difficult for baristas to keep
up, lending to two dissatisfied
leading sorry, dissatisfied
customers and a decline in
company sales, Bloomberg
reported.
Spot of our plan to get back to
Starbucks.
We're simplifying our menu to
focus on fewer, more popular
items executed with excellent,
Starbucks told today.com.
This will make way for
innovation, help reduce wait
times, improve quality,
consistency in a line with our
core identity as a coffee
company.
The decision is part of Chief
executive Officer Brian Nicole
Nicole overhaul goal to
streamline the company's
operation.
In a letter to employees Monday,
Nicole announced there will be
layoffs.
They don't need the complicated
people anymore.
For 1100 global corporate
employees, the layoffs won't
impact store baristas.
Oh, our intent is to operate
more efficiently, increase
accountability, reduce
complexity and drive better
integration.
Nicole said in the letter.
Which 13 drinks are getting cut
from the menu.
We have the list.
Oh boy, these are drinks being
86 along with they alternative
suggest we not we.
I cut the alternative out but
the iced matcha lemonade.
OK.
Espresso.
There's one that's like complete
bullshit that boots likes.
It's just like.
A the IJ.
The Apple thing is still there
though.
Thank God.
The heated apple.
Juice is still there, he just
gets hot apple juice.
Oh, thank God.
This is my coffee.
It's pretty funny.
Whenever we were on the road and
we're running around with him,
like, who wants coffee?
Like, who needs coffee, right?
First of all, when it's like all
of us except for Dum Dum, it
needs apple juice.
And he's like, yeah, I just want
my warm apple juice.
Anybody.
Heated apple juice.
I don't drink coffee.
Yeah, I guess that's.
You know what, dude?
Good for you.
I don't like I'm trying to drink
less of it.
Oh, not me, I'm bulking up.
Yeah, you need to.
Caffeine bulking season.
Life of the road warrior buddy.
The Iced Matcha Lemonade
Espresso Frappuccino and Cafe
Vanilla Frappuccino.
The White Chocolate Mocha
Frappuccino is gone.
The Java Chip Frappuccino is
gone.
What is a Frappuccino exactly?
Anybody.
Know it's like the frozen.
That the frozen part.
So I think there's a lot of
frozen things that are going.
We're eliminating the blender.
The Blender Java chip their.
Ice cream machine's broke.
Yeah, yeah, like McDonald's the
Kai Cream Frappuccino, Caramel
Ribbon Crunch, OK Cream
Frappuccino.
It's got a long ass name, Double
Chocolatey Chip Cream
Frappuccino, Chocolate Cookie
Crumble Cream Frappuccino and
White Chocolate Cream
Frappuccino.
So anything Frappuccino,
anything with cookies.
OK.
White hot chocolate.
Only the black hot chocolate.
Oh, thank God.
OK.
You don't like the white?
No, I like the black.
Is that the red or the white?
Royal English breakfast latte.
OK, never had that but it sounds
good.
It's gone now.
I'm never going to have it.
Honey almond milk flat white is
gone.
Damn, I don't think I've ever
ordered any of those.
That's for those healthy
drinkers.
Those are like the milk
Frappuccinos, like the milkshake
coffee things.
Yeah, actually they're trying to
streamline the customers also I.
Don't want the sugar?
Here's.
What's kind of happened with
Starbucks?
The last CEO, he went in an
interview, he talked about after
6:00, you you cannot get in
touch with me.
I'm done.
I'm spending family time.
It's over.
Oh, wow.
Yeah.
And sales kind of plummeted,
right?
Because how that guy operated is
how everybody else operated.
Well, he's done.
I'm done, right.
I don't know in what world, like
if you contact me anytime past
6:00, we have, if it needs
correspondence, it gets
correspondence, right?
Sure.
And employees are approving
orders 24/7, you know if they're
there or whatever, right?
And we're constantly doing that,
right.
So if you, if I have the
mentality of hey, I'm not.
Yeah.
No Saturdays, no Sundays, 6:00
I'm done.
Right, it's over.
I walk out that door and I said
I'm finished.
Sales would plummet like things
wouldn't be done, people work
would get piled up on people and
eventually those are your hard
work, 'cause they eventually
say, hey, screw this, I'm not
doing this anymore.
And you just kind of right.
So that guy, he torpedoed
Starbucks right now, the guy
that came in, I think that
that's the Chipotle guy.
Brian, Nicole.
Oh, is it?
Yeah, So what he's doing is he's
just trying to streamline things
and make it more.
Efficient and make it more
efficient.
Which makes sense.
He's also pledged to improve the
customer experience by getting
back to the company's coffee
house roots and making stores
feel cozier with handwritten
notes on cups and ceramic mugs
for two stay orders.
If he could get them to clean,
that'd be good too.
They're usually by the end of
the day.
They're usually pretty rough
looking.
Yeah, well, you know, they went
hard in the paint when it came
to like, no smoking or anything
outside or anything like that,
right.
You know, I think that's a
mistake.
There should be a Starbucks
cigar lounge.
You can't smoke outside of a.
Starbucks.
No, you cannot really.
Not generally speaking, no.
I guess it depends on who's
working if they tell you to put
it out or not.
Well, that's one of the rules.
I mean, you know, I can't
imagine some Teeny Bob routine
coming up and say Sir, Sir.
Making a Frappuccino comes
outside.
Yeah, he can't be bothered.
No.
Well.
They're making less Frappuccinos
now, so maybe they have more.
Time.
Oh, maybe it frees them up and
down to harass you outside for
smoking.
Commanders are letting go a
defensive tackle Jonathan Allen
because he's seeking to be
traded.
The Washington Commanders have
granted defensive tackle
Jonathan Allen permission to
seek a trade, a source confirmed
amid multiple reports signaling
an end to their eight-year
relationship.
Allen A2 time Pro Bowler hit a
OH, hit a cap of $22.3 million.
Washington would save 16.3
million in cap space whether he
is traded or at least before
June 1st.
Seattle has inquired about Allen
before the 2023 trade deadline,
according to multiple sources,
but with a new coaching staff,
it's uncertain if the Seahawks
would remain interested.
Plus they got to pay him $22.3
million.
Yeah.
I mean, the question is, do you
think he's worth it?
You know, eight years in, he
might be getting a little long
in the.
Tooth.
Oh, defensive.
Technically, yeah, he'd been hit
quite a few times.
He'd been hit quite He's usually
the guy doing the hitting.
Well, he still gets hit too.
Impact.
We're pushed.
Yeah, what do you know about
Allen boots?
Not much, I mean not a a huge
name really on that team.
The the more bigger names is you
know, was Chase and the other
guy on the other side?
Jane Daniels.
Yeah.
So I mean.
He makes a base salary of 15.5
million and he's not one of the
big names?
No.
Is that low paying?
Someone fucked up on the pay
scale.
Yeah, I'm shame.
I mean, if you I go sit the
bench for $15 million.
If the guy's A2 time Pro Bowler,
right?
I mean, he's got to be good at
what he does.
Sure.
Realistically, you don't hear a
lot about the defensive players.
No, you don't.
There's probably 3 or 4 that
really people know about that
aren't entrenched in the NFL,
right?
But you know, hey, whatever,
wishing the best.
I think what's really even
funnier though, is something
that you're not covering is the
fact that the Packers are trying
to get the tush push eliminated.
Oh, that was the unidentified
team.
What is the tush push?
So the tush push, yeah, the
unidentified team is the
Greenwood Packers.
So the tush push is the
quarterback lines up and the
running back is behind him and
and then what happens is 2
people push him through the
offensive line to score.
The only team that's really
successfully mastered that is
the Philadelphia Eagles.
Everybody else who's tried it
does a shit job of it.
So.
So now they're trying to get it
eliminated, which I think is
absolutely ridiculous.
It's stupid.
Yeah.
Just learn how to stop it.
I mean, I've seen it be stopped
before, right?
Well, the problem is the center
cuts underneath.
OK.
So actually cutting, cut,
blocking is illegal.
OK, I guess if it can be seen, I
don't know.
Yeah, that's the problem.
It can't be seen.
Cause yeah, they can't see it
when he's doing it because
people are pushing somebody over
the top of him.
Oh, is that that your analytics
from that?
Yes, that's your analysis.
There he goes.
Well, he saw it a lot in the
Super Bowl, remember?
Yeah, in the blowout to your
boys Kansas City Chiefs, I.
Don't follow my wife's team.
Yeah, now, now you're not
interested in that.
No, not.
My team, no trouble.
It's a base salary of 15.5
million, though none of it is
guaranteed.
Oh.
Well, that sucks.
Yeah, that's we're going to pay
you 15.5, but maybe not.
Well, he's been paid before and
it's probably, you know, you
can't get injured.
There's I don't know.
I guess it's the next part then.
Allen, 30, missed 9 games this
season with an injury.
There you go.
Torn pectoral muscle that was
initially said to be season
ending, but during surgery
doctors discovered the tear was
not as severe as feared,
allowing him to work back into
the lineup.
Allen played in the final two
regular season games as well as
three post season contest.
He finished with three sacks, 3
tackles for a loss of seven
quarterback hits.
In eight seasons with
Washington, he has recorded 42
sacks and 108 starts.
That's pretty good.
Is that good?
So yeah, that is pretty good.
So he's probably looking just to
get a solidified check.
Yeah, he wants to get into a
deal somewhere.
Yeah, 'cause when you start
getting injured and you start
getting sidelined.
And he's older.
Yeah, defensive.
Those injuries don't go away.
No, yeah, he's going to be in so
much pain later, if he's not
already.
He'll be rich in it, babe.
That's true.
I guess you can afford the pain.
WNBA star Cameron Brink says
Kendrick Lamar saw a clip of her
choosing him over Drake.
WNBA star Cameron Brink probably
never thought an answer to a red
carpet question would eventually
produce the highlight of her
life.
Brink, along with other WNBA
future stars, was asked by by
Complex last April to choose
between Kendrick Lamar and Drake
as the WNBA draft, and the
Stanford alum was the only one
to stand out among the players
and give K dot the nod over
dizzy.
Which one's K dot Kendrick
Kendrick OK and Dizzy is
Kendrick Drake.
Why could I have to give them
weird names?
It's.
Just a.
It's just a.
Nickname.
So apparently she was the only
one on the red carpet that
picked the one guy over the
other guy.
Well, look, I mean.
Else went the other way.
That's what's always been kind
of fun of me, like if people, a
lot of people picked apart the
halftime show and all these
other things.
I thought that Kendrick
delivered exactly what he was
supposed to deliver and.
Oh, that was a halftime.
You're right.
Yeah.
I I think for sure he's a better
artist than Drake.
Does Drake have more hits?
Sure, whatever.
But reality is, if some of those
rumors are allegedly true, I
wouldn't want to be endorsing
Drake, that's for damn sure.
I think this was Palmer.
You, you, you do know that this
was a beef?
This is a what?
There's a song that Kendrick
Lamar, that.
Is well, yeah, I've heard that
from the Super Bowl.
That song was about the other
guy or something.
But this is just some
interviewer went hey pick one
that you like the best or 1 you
want to date or whatever the
hell it was.
Super controversial, right?
Well, one, allegedly, you know
right?
Which one?
The what?
Drake.
That's the guy that was the dog
fighter guy, wasn't he allegedly
dog?
Fighter.
That's Michael Vick.
Yeah, Oh, Michael Vick, that's
a.
Totally different sport.
This is a rap artist.
I don't know, they have weird.
They all have.
Maybe he has a.
Dog fighter.
That's the dog.
The dog fighter.
Oh my God.
Maybe he has dogs, I don't know.
He might have dogs.
He's got a cat.
Go back to Roberta Flack.
I know who she is, OK.
She's so.
Weird.
Does she have dogs?
No, she didn't.
She had no service dog.
She had ALS.
Don't make fun of her.
Cam explained that on a recent
episode of her Straight to Cam
podcast, she was approached by
an alleged Did Lamar associate
at the USC and Notre Dame
women's basketball game in
November, who revealed that
Kendrick saw the clip and gave
Brink her flowers as a Hooper,
claiming to be a fan himself.
There you go, Attaboy.
That makes sense.
Is a.
Hooper, someone who plays magic
ball.
Yes, that's what it is.
OK.
Just making sure, yeah.
It's WNBA Hooper.
Oh, that's what they just call
women players, Yeah.
They just call it.
The hoop bet.
Yeah, the hoop bets.
Could a $5000 DOGE stimulus
check really be happening?
Probably.
Not I hope.
We all hope.
The idea of $5000 refunds from
the ongoing drive to reduce
federal spending has been
floated, but don't add that
bonus to your account just yet.
That's because DOGE, the
Department of Government
Efficiency, ideally must meet
its 2 trillion savings goal to
make the kickback feasible.
Any refund that much?
Ready.
Didn't he?
What?
Didn't he just find No.
Is he in the billions now?
Is one of.
Those he's, I think he's still
in the billions.
In the billions.
He's getting close I'm sure,
though he's.
Getting close.
He just needs one more
government agency.
Oh, look, it's all Eclipse very
quickly when he says, OK, we're
going to take a look at the
Pentagon.
And they're not letting him in
there.
Oh, oh, they sure are.
Oh, did you hear that our
Governor DeSantis of Florida is
doing a Florida Doge?
Yes, and he's contemplating
removing property taxes.
I don't own any property.
I'm OK with that.
Most of the property taxes don't
get paid down here anyways.
What are you talking about this?
Is one of the biggest states for
veterans that there is for
disabled veterans.
OK, but I pay property taxes.
Well, I'm just saying most of
the property taxes.
Get a couple of goats in a cow
on your property and say you're
agricultural and there's no
property taxes.
Farmland.
There's farmland.
Yeah, it's fine.
Yeah, dog.
Big dogs.
Have them chase goats around
your yard.
Yeah, but that's a stuffed
animal in your yard.
It's still a cow.
It's still a cow kickback
feasible and the accomplishment
is something even Elon Musk, the
unofficial leader of Doge, said.
Maybe.
How is he unofficial?
Isn't he in charge?
I don't know how all that works.
Don't you have to get like
elected or something?
This is a whole no.
No, you don't have to get
elected to be in charge of
government agency, but I do
think you have to be whatever
approved or whatever it's called
that they've had everybody been
doing lately.
OK.
Yeah, no, I don't think he's
been approved or anything like
that.
This is a new, this is a new
thing.
This is a new thing.
I'm just in charge.
Yeah, I'm in charge.
How much?
How much we got to pay you?
Yeah.
You don't have to pay me.
I got enough.
I got 400, Billy.
What are you going to pay me?
You have to pay me the 5000.
Let's see, the unofficial leader
said.
It may not be doable back in
January.
Still, President Trump on
Wednesday said the
administration is considering
giving 20% of DODE savings to
citizens.
His comments make His comments
come a day after Musk said he
would confer with Trump about
the idea.
We'll talk about it.
No, no, we're doing it.
It's fine.
It's a great idea.
I love it.
It's a huge.
Idea.
It's a huge idea.
It's my idea.
It's the best idea I've had
today.
It's a good idea.
It's.
A fantastic idea.
Even if the idea of $5000
stimulus checks involves
Congress would need to approve a
dispersal of funds for
taxpayers, that's where the
problem is.
Oh yeah, Why?
Don't they do it like the last
one just drops in your bank
account?
It just shows up one day in your
bank, right?
Hey, on the cigar news, Michael.
Oh, on.
What about the booty?
You got one over there, buddy.
Hey, go to switch and make sure
you're on Palmer.
I'm on Palmer.
Oh, so he can, you know, do
stuff he's not supposed to?
Do do, do do do do do do.
Here we go.
Oh yeah, there's no music.
Now I got to program another
board.
All right, Hooters is getting
ready to file bankruptcy,
according to Bloomberg report.
Aw, no more chicken wings.
The casual dining franchise is
working with creditors on a plan
to restructure its operations.
No more chicken wings, Hooters
is.
Taking stage directions again.
The Hooters is working with the
Ropes and Gray Law Firm to
assist with the filing process.
The company has not made a final
decision on seeking Chapter 11
protection, but a filing could
take place in the next two
months, according to Bloomberg.
The Atlanta based sports bar
chain showed her dozens of
underperforming.
You can speak up.
Oh, it says quieter.
They can hear him on the
microphone.
We just can't hear him over
here.
Oh.
We had headphones.
June 2024, Hooters joined a
growing list of eateries.
Not the whole thing, just that
one statement.
Oh, just the one.
Just the one stage during.
I was in paragraphs here.
Hooters joined a growing list of
eateries that face the harsh
realities of inflation and
changing consumer habits.
Since 2018, Hooters has seen a
12% decline in the number of
restaurants.
Oh no.
Starting with 333 at the end of
the year and the finishing with
293 in 2023, the publication
reported.
I'm sorry.
Come on, keep going.
Based on data from restaurant
consulting firms should almost
be done.
Technomic first Golden Corral
now Hooters.
We saw a Golden Corral still
open in Fort Pierce.
We.
Were going to stop in and take
pictures of it and stuff.
But it looked too nasty on the
outside to go in.
Yeah, yeah.
We're not doing it.
We're not going in there.
The inside's great.
You guys could have had carved
steak and.
Mia Vanna is launching cigars by
R&R Raul right here.
You don't want to talk about how
detrimental that's going to be
for boots.
Yeah, OK.
Oh, you want to talk more about
it?
It's.
Horrible.
It's horrible.
The food there's really not that
good.
I'm not surprised.
No, it's terrible.
The food is terrible, Yeah.
The food there's terrible, yeah.
I remember when we went to
Golden Corral because there was
no other options.
I don't even remember where we
were where we were either.
Yeah, but.
Oh, it was after Greg's of the
bachelor party.
Oh yeah, we hated.
For breakfast on the way out of
Kissimmee.
Yes, man, was he excited.
He was so excited, he was, and
they knew him when he walked in.
Yeah, they're like.
He's like the mayor of Golden
Corral town.
Where you been?
He busted out his gold member
card.
Right.
Flashing around.
Yeah, it's insane.
They gave him two plates.
Yeah, you know, you take this
extra one with you.
Yeah, you don't know.
No worries, argue Bag.
Get your waffle.
He knows the the secret menu at
Golden.
Corral and the chocolate
fountain.
Yes, the chocolate fountain.
Yes.
All right, let's get into some
cigar news.
All right, Cigars by R&R roll.
Rainier, who owns the ME Havana
factory in essarily Nicaragua,
will be offering his own brand.
Next month.
Rainier will launch Cigars by
R&R Very Very Good, debuting 9
different blends, 99 in an
initial offering.
OK.
The 9 blends are divided into
three different brands, each
brand offered in three different
blends and each blend offered in
three vitolas.
OK.
There's a lot going on here.
This man's cigars.
It's going to be Toro.
It's going to be Toro, Robusto
and Gordo.
I believe that is it.
They are scheduled to ship
during the first week of March.
Grand Corona is described as the
strongest of the offerings,
listed as a full.
Listed as full, all three blends
use a binder from OMA, Tempe,
Nicaragua over a blend of
Nicaraguan fillers.
The three wrapper options are
Grand Corona Connecticut
Broadleaf by R&R, Grand Corona
Habana Escuro by R&R, Grand
Corona Mexican by R&R.
So only three blends?
3 wrappers.
The opposite end of the
spectrum.
This is.
This is just for that one brand.
There's three brands.
Each brand has three wrappers.
Each wrapper has three sizes.
The rule of three.
Rule of three, alright.
The opposite of the spectrum is
Pax Romano Romana Romana ROMANA
Romana described as mild medium.
Unlike Grand Corona, the blends
vary a lot more.
Pax Romana Connecticut by R&R
The Connecticut Seed Binders
Mexican San Andreas fillers
Dominican Republic, Nicaragua
Pax Roma Habano by R&R with
Ecuador and Habano Claro rapper
Binders Nicaraguan Condega
fillers Dominican Republic in
Nicaragua.
Pax Romana Mexican by R&R rapper
Mexican San Andreas Nicaragua
Binders Nicaraguan Halapa Filler
is Dominican Republic in
Nicaragua.
That's a lot.
That's a lot.
There's one more.
You're kidding me.
No, there's only two.
There's three.
Oh my God.
You want to skip?
No.
Yeah.
It sounds like guys making a lot
of cigars.
Making a lot of cigars a.
Lot of cigars.
Did you leave the last one for
the?
Is it the best one for last?
No, actually, no.
So to kind of elaborate, so
Postonia has 1234 core sizes or
core blends, right?
One of them we're not even
producing anymore.
So we essentially have three,
and we've been doing it for a
decade, right?
And this guy's banging out nine.
How do you know what's going to
work and what's not?
Well, not going to work.
He owns his own factory, he
doesn't carries all this extra
tobacco.
But he's not his own grower.
He doesn't have his own farms.
This just is Luciano's behind
all this.
He also claims to be the record
holder for the world's longest
cigar, which rolled in Pompano,
California, where there also is
a members only lounge called MI
Havana.
Oh, OK.
So he not only makes the biggest
offering, but he makes the
longest do.
You think he's miking that right
next to the He's torching right
next to the mic.
No, he's not.
He's burning the window.
OK.
Emmanuel Usolini named head of
Davidoff of Geneva.
Mussolini.
Usolini.
Usolini.
UCCELLINI Usolini.
Not quite Mussolini.
It was.
It was close though.
No M.
It's very close, very close, the
distant cousin.
Went through Ellis Island,
remove the M.
Davidoff AG has announced that
Emmanuel has been named as
general manager and president of
Davidoff of Geneva USA.
According to a press release,
Yusolini's last position was the
business unit director of
Lavazza Group, the Italian
coffee company, where he was
responsible for the
distribution, markets and
business in the American region.
So he's from Italy?
Team axis was what you're
saying?
Yes, I have tremendous
confidence that with his
experience and his innovative,
innovative, innovative and
dynamic mindset, Emmanuel will
accelerate our business into the
challenging U.S. market and take
it to the next level, said Beat
Houston, CEO of Ottinger
Davidoff in a press release.
Emmanuel has proven track record
of developing successful channel
strategies.
We are based on win win
propositions and understand the
importance of value of
relationships built on trust and
accountability.
Because you know, if you like
coffee, you also like cigars.
Yeah.
You know, it's kind of weird
you're seeing this happened in
more than one scenario.
I mean, like Bravado's now
pushing tremendous amounts of
coffee.
I don't know what's going on
there.
A lot of I mean, Kathy's always
made coffee.
He's not it.
There's.
Where do you realistically, how
do you grab a guy that's not in
this industry where you think
that there's some things that
would work right, Like there's
some some particular systems?
Go ahead, Boots.
Well, pairings is like a big
thing Now you know that's that's
become like a big.
Thing, yeah, but that's all
bullshit.
I don't, yeah.
I do, I think I don't drink
coffee.
Yeah.
I don't buy that for a second.
I just don't know, you know, I
mean, what systems did he put in
play where we are, where they
think that Davilov thinks that
that's advantageous to acquire
him?
Well, they're going to put
cigars in all bags now.
Oh, they're.
Going to go in a bag.
Like coffee bags?
Yeah.
Oh.
OK.
And it's going to be tight, yes,
like a sealed a little.
Breathe, hole on it where they
suck all the air out, Right.
Yeah, they're going to do that
now.
Oh.
That's what they're doing.
That's a great idea.
And the cigars are going to be
we drank, not smoked.
We're going to drink them now.
Yes, we're going to drink them.
We're going to mash them into a
liquid.
Right.
Do they paint those or spray
those?
Or do they paint them?
Do they paint those?
Like a coffee bean, you think
maybe they're doing this to try
to because sales are down or
numbers are down or whatever.
You think maybe they're trying
to do this to fill fill that
void?
And the solution to sales down
is hire a coffee guy.
Well, I mean, you know.
It's fresh blood, I guess.
Yeah, it's kind of to be
determined if the guy's going to
do his job or not.
But, you know, which is kind of
interesting.
We kind of monitor that.
But I think the reality is as
far as the cigar industry is
concerned, pretty much any
industry is concerned as far as
retail consumption.
You had to continue to press
forward throughout the entire
year.
You had to make these limited
runs and all these other things.
I don't know what's going on
behind me.
It makes me nervous when the
engineer gets up and walks away
from the table.
I thought something was wrong,
but you just needed an ashtray.
So you saw a major push with a
lot of these bigger brands of
more limited stuff and that
dropped faster and harder and
they had more inventory of those
things.
And I really think that they're
trying to boost up sales.
So Davidoff does have a fair
share of that, but they didn't
have an astronomical amount of
it.
So I would assume that 2024
didn't perform the year that
they wanted to and they're
probably trying to shake things
up.
That would make sense.
Well, they lost the guy a little
while ago.
The guy quit the guy that who
was in charge?
OK, so did he go somewhere else?
I forget what happened to.
Him.
I mean, generally speaking, if
you quit.
I don't know if he quit or got
fired, I don't remember.
Yeah, I would assume, I would
assume that the writing was on
the wall, you know, like you
can't fire me, I quit or hey,
it's probably this isn't working
out, you know, it's probably
best be part ways or whatever
the case may be, you know.
Oh, here we go.
Emmanuel succeeds Dylan Austin,
whose tenure ended last May Zach
Medwin and Alana Frazier have
been sharing the leadership
duties in the interim, and
neither of them are pissed off
that they didn't get the job.
They agree that a coffee guy was
the best choice, even if both of
them are more cigar inclined,
and they will return to their
positions as head of sales while
Frazier will remain head of
marketing and retail.
Emmanuel will begin his new role
on March 3rd.
His new role as Lightning Rod
to.
Take to the other two people
that apparently weren't
qualified to run the cigar
business.
Sounds like there was a smart
tactic on their behalf.
Like hey, you know what?
No, give him the head position.
Oh it didn't work.
Oh God.
I guess he's out all right.
Gurkha is releasing the Fat Boy.
Gurkha, the company that likes
to sue people for using their
name, has begun shipping a new
cigar line that is called Fat
Boy, has nothing to do with BBQ
or motorcycles, and is the name
would suggest.
The line is made-up of a large
ring gauge vitola.
The blend features a Habano
wrapper over an undisclosed
origin.
Oh, a wrapper of undisclosed
origin over an undisclosed
binder and filler.
The line is offered in three
sizes.
Because they really don't know
where they got the tobacco
either.
Girk of Fat Boy is a 4 by 60, a
box of 20, Girk of Fat Boy 5 by
56, Girk of Fat Boy 6 by 66.
The Girk of Fat Boy is a
wonderful addition to our
portfolio, said Jim Colucci,
president of Girk of Cigars.
So the other guy just sort of
has disappeared.
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
It's much.
It's much easier for him to just
go away after the backlash.
I mean, OK, so so he has his
backlash on social media, right?
And he pulls out, right?
If you're out of the limelight
and the brand's still working,
why would you go back into the
limelight?
That was the next question.
You think he's still financially
connected to the company?
I would think that 100% he's
still attached to the company.
This is my guess, but yeah.
Let's see Jim Colucci, president
of Gurkha Cigar, and a press
release.
Customers have been requesting a
return of the larger ring gauges
we used to carry and we thought
that the Fat Boy is a perfect
way to bring them back without
copying anybody else.
Kirk is having the Fat Boy Line
produced at an undisclosed
factory because again, they.
It's undisclosed.
They don't know what they got.
They don't know what they've got
or where they got it.
They have no idea.
They just showed up.
It's in Nicaragua somewhere.
It's in a third world country.
So I'm not saying the rapper
binder and filler and not word
of where it's made, but we are
very sure it's a cigar and they
came up with the name on their
own.
It's going to be, well, you
know, what was the think tank to
come up with Fat Boy?
I mean, you know, right, What is
kind of funny is I've been in
this injury 15 years.
You've been in this injury for
about 10, right?
I think what's really kind of
remarkable is you see these
cycles of these things that
happen over and over again.
It's the same thing, same
scenario.
So when you start to see this
impact of this draw like an
economy is kind of tightening,
people will look for bigger
cigars interpreting that as
value, right?
So you're starting to see that
swing again where the 60 ring
gauges.
Yeah, people have been asking.
Are coming back into that.
Do you guys have a larger
ringgage you got?
Any 60s you got any 60s So makes
sense.
If it's smart, it's it's a smart
sales tactic.
Sure.
I don't really like a lot of 60
ringgage cigars.
I don't think a lot of them are.
Good.
I don't like them.
They're too big.
I have a small mouth I don't
like not.
Only that, but a lot of the
flavor profiles are dull.
Well, that's true, yeah.
It's supposed to be more
tobacco, more flavor, right?
No, that's Aromacraft.
Less was it More tobacco, more
flavor?
Yeah, but they're the only one
who can claim that.
Yeah, but even, you know, some
of their bigger cigars that they
made in the past.
I, I, I would, I, you know what
that's, I kind of take that back
because like the brotherly
kindness is a big one.
It's like a 58 I think, or 56.
That's pretty good.
But more often than not, I'm not
gravitating towards that as a
consumer, No, I think that
there's better flavor profiles
than Corona Gordas.
And that's what happens.
You're going to see the 660 come
out and people are going to be
producing that, and then all of
a sudden, 4-5 years from now
you'll see that the Corona
Gordas are a bigger hit.
Right, something will cycle back
through.
Again, you know what?
This tastes better.
And it's like, OK, yeah, so you.
Don't want that big one anymore.
Right, this is ridiculous.
My mouth hurts, right?
Garo to celebrate 30th
anniversary with a noon line.
Debuting at PCA 2025.
This year marks a 30th
anniversary of Doctor Garo
Bouldakine.
What's his last name?
Bouldakine.
Bouldakine.
BOULDAKIAN.
Bouldakine sounds German or some
type of European.
German or some type of European?
Starting his boutique cigar
company, which originally named
Garo GARO Habano Fine Cigars.
To mark the occasion, he is
releasing a new limited edition
of the 2025 at the 2025 PCA
Convention and Trade show in
mid-april to markets 3 decades
in business, the company
selected a blend that features
an Ecuadoran Habano Carmelita
wrapper.
Oh, what is Carmelita wrapper?
No idea.
Carmel.
This is the second week in a row
we've had these weird names
attached to tobaccos.
Look, is it Carmel in color?
Probably.
It's probably a feminine type of
leaf.
Why would you think it's
feminine Lita Lita?
Carmelita.
Well, they couldn't say Carmelo
because that would be obviously
Carmel.
Carmelo.
Carmelo.
Carmelo The.
Candy bar.
That's that's an interesting
take on things.
An Indonesian binder and a
filler blend that includes the
Pennsylvania leaves, Dominican
Piloto, Cubano and tobaccos from
Nicaragua.
The company calls it medium to
full body with a sophisticated
profile that unfolds in distinct
phases, delivering unique
century journey from start to
finish.
The Garo 30th anniversary being
offered in three sizes, each
offered in a 25 count box.
Like I guess on the sizes
Michael, you'll never get.
These 3 sizes, Yes, Toro.
OK.
They this has numbers and it's
not numbers I'm familiar with.
So I don't think it is a Toro.
Probably it has numbers you're
not familiar.
With 7 by 47.
It's like Churchill. 30th
anniversary, 430th anniversary
is it four and three quarter by
52.
What's a robust though?
So it's almost a robust though.
And the Garo 30th Anniversary, 5
1/2 by 42. 5 1/2 by 42.
Yeah, Corolla Gorda.
That's more of Corona Gorda
esque.
Right, but these aren't your
standard yeah sizes.
So they were just off a little
bit when they measured them.
Yeah, somebody's measurements
were off at the factory.
That one guy must work there
now.
Is it the inside measurement?
Of the Toro I said 6 by 52, not
7 and by 40. 77 by 47, it'd be
good.
OK.
The Garo 30th anniversary is
scheduled to begin shipping
approximately 1 to two weeks, or
maybe 3 or 4 weeks.
Well, sometime in the spring,
but maybe the fall, we're not
sure.
After the PCA convention and
trade show, which runs from
April 4th, 11th to the 14th in
New Orleans.
Garo's Cigars distributed by SZ.
Wholesale SZ.
This is.
I figured it was not meant to be
said.
Well, well, that's pretty
interesting to make those cigars
in those particular sizes.
I wonder why they decided to do.
That I think somebody messed up.
I think they had old.
Molds or something and you know
when they put them together.
And like, this is what we got.
This is what we got.
You know, we've been around 30
years.
That's the way they used to make
them.
I mean, those are great.
I mean, it's yeah, they're a
little different, but those are
the the good sizes, you know,
Corona, Gorda, Toro.
But it's almost Corona Gorda,
it's almost Churchill.
It's almost a Toro.
Yeah, maybe the guy's got to
wear gag reflex or something.
Davidov expands Dominican
factory to double production
capacity.
Oh. 1200 employees with a new
highway access and larger
cafeteria.
More sandwiches.
More sandwiches and a related
story.
Luciano Marialis has released a
press statement saying that his
imaginary factory is expanding
to threefold. 12101 employees, 2
cafeterias and a video arcade,
and a life-size statue of
himself taking a wallet out of
basketball players pocket.
OK, probably not true about the
about the statue.
Oh, probably that'd be.
Seriously, for him to admit that
on public forum?
Probably not true about any of
it, but.
Yeah, maybe.
Yeah, it's all the right.
I don't.
Know it's all legend it's.
All legend Kentucky House passes
Cigar bar cigar Cigar bar bill
sends to Senate On Tuesday, the
Kentucky House of
Representatives approved House
Bill 211, which would allow for
the creation of cigar bars in
the state.
After a pair of floor amendments
were made, the bill passed by
Oh, I'm seeing that.
I'm seeing something moving.
The TV is driving me crazy.
The bill passed by 74 to 19
vote.
One of the amendments which
allow local government to permit
cigar bars without the
requirement of a liquor license.
While the other reworks a
requirement that cigar bars must
provide a smoke free area for
delivery so that the businesses
that are letter already in
operation won't be forced to
remodel their space to comply
with the law.
So it's just smoke free
deliveries?
Seems odd.
I'm not understanding that.
Yeah, so that means it.
So there has to be an A section
where somebody drops off
packages and it they don't have
to access be around smoke,
correct.
That's the craziest.
Thing I've ever.
So is there no, there's no cigar
bars in Kentucky, period.
I don't know.
It's one of the, it's, you know,
there was more regulation in
Kentucky for a long time.
And it sounds like they're
starting to walk some of that
back, which is good for
Kentucky.
The harder part here, Look, if I
drive on the highway right, and
there are diesel trucks that
emit smoke and my windows are
down, am I supposed to say to
them?
Well in Kentucky there are smoke
free roads.
They're smoke free roads.
Yes, in Kentucky it's completely
smoke free.
Driving to eliminate smoke free
only electric cars.
Only electric cars.
Because all cars give off some
type of smoke of some.
Kind some type of emissions or
something?
Yeah, it's emissions.
That's the word, right?
OK.
So they're worse than
California?
Just for smoke.
Just for.
They just had a problem with
smoke in Kentucky, Yeah.
Right.
No smog here.
No coal mines or anything like
that.
But those don't smoke.
They don't smoke.
No, just when they collapse.
If those catch on fire, it's a
problem.
Yeah.
Coal will burn.
I heard that they said they only
collapse.
It'll still require new bills to
comply with the requirement.
The bill still requires cigar
bars to meet the number of
requirements, including that
they must make at least 15% of
its profit from the sales of
cigars, pipes and related
accessories and the rental of
humidors.
Additionally, it must be limited
to persons at least 21 years of
age must have signage indicating
there is smoking allowed inside
and there.
So we got to put up a sign that
says you can smoke.
You can smoke here.
Except in the back where we take
packages, no smoke.
Except in the delivery section.
Well, yeah, I mean, everybody's
been beat there for years for
smoking so.
Be smoke free delivery section.
And additionally, if a cigar bar
shares a physical wall or common
and oh, this must be good.
Additionally, if a cigar bar
shares a physical wall or common
enclosed airspace with any other
structure, it must take
appropriate measures to ensure
the smoke does not pass into
those other structures.
You just build a wall all the
way up.
It's got to be smoke proof wall.
This smoke shall not pass.
They just paint that at the
time.
This bill will not roll back any
municipalities, local smoke free
law.
That's not the intention, Lewis
previously said.
This is not about having a cigar
in a regular bar or bowling
alley or a restaurant.
I like to smoke my bowl.
You bowl.
No, I don't bowl.
I can see you as a bowler now.
I don't.
You know what I mean with the
whole button up.
The bowling shirt.
I do like bowling shirts.
Team Palmer.
Like those, this was not.
He added he sees numerous people
coming to the state for the
Kentucky Derby and other events
and then crossing the border to
Indiana.
Indiana, where they realize
there is nowhere for them to
enjoy a cigar and a drink.
The bill?
That's not true.
Yeah, there's cigar bars in
Kentucky.
No, in Indiana.
No, he's saying people go to
Indiana where you can smoke.
Oh, got it.
Yeah, that's I went to.
Kentucky.
I mean, they sell cigars at the
Kentucky Derby.
Got it.
I guess you get you can't smoke.
I do The bill has been making
steady progress though the House
through the House as it is
introduced by Rep Chris Lewis
from Lewisville on January 10th
and received approval from the
House Government Committee on
February 10th, 12th and now
heads to the Senate for
consideration.
That's because he.
Probably drives to
Jeffersonville and goes to see
Riverside or Match.
Smoke cigars and realizes that
he's no longer in Kentucky, is
in Indiana.
It's literally 45 minutes from
anywhere in Kentucky.
Really.
Well, from Louisville, it's
right across a bridge, right?
Yeah.
Yeah, I went.
If this passes, we'd like to
announce the expansion of Cigar
Hustler, the old Kentucky home
Cigar Hustler, where Greg will
be moving with his family and
expanding the Hustler empire.
So, so it's, it's kind of blows
your mind, right?
The biggest bourbon state.
It has no cigars, but everybody
likes to drink bourbon with
their cigars.
Right, kind of blows your mind.
Really just missing some sales
there, huh?
It's mind blowing.
Mind blowing.
And there's other places that
make bourbon.
Tennessee makes bourbon.
Yeah, but Kentucky is one of the
biggest.
It probably is the biggest.
We don't pack Jack on this, you
know.
Yeah, that's true.
Jonathan Lipson launches the
cigar.
Profit.
Oh.
He's a prophet.
Cigar industry veteran Jonathan
Lipson has launched A Cigar
Profit, a specialized consulting
firm designed to help cigar
businesses sharpen their
strategy, build brand equity and
drive long term.
God, don't do that on camera.
I'm not.
It's not on me.
He's not on camera.
Don't give away the secrets,
Barber.
Yeah, I've seen how branch
thrive and where they lose
momentum.
That Lipson the Cigar profit
helps businesses make smarter
moves, refine their positioning
and create lasting impact in a
competitive market.
Is it profit like PROFIT or is
it PROP?
No profit.
PROFIT.
Cigar, cigar money.
Lipson brings more than 20 years
of experience in the cigar
industry to his company.
He is likely best known for his
12 years with Alec Bradley,
which included eight years as
the Director of sales and
marketing.
Following SC GS acquisition of
Alec Bradley Lipson transition
to be a senior brand manager and
it just again does events.
Yeah, that's pretty much what
that.
Is pretty much I did right?
Yeah, OK.
He was in charge of sales and
marketing.
They're by the company and now
he's a monkey going to the
events going.
That's pretty much, yeah.
It's ambassador was really kind
of flagged high there and you
knew that your head was on the
chopping block.
As soon as like numbers went
down, they instantly fired.
Right, that's an easy,
replaceable person.
So they kind of slid in under
the term brand manager.
They felt that that was more
effective and a little bit more
secure as a job occupation.
See he also worked with SCG for
March 2023 until June of 20240.
Sorry.
He transitioned to brand manager
at SDG also.
Got it.
What was his name?
Oh, he's a lot of Lincoln A.
Lot of brand management
transitioning.
So OK, so where's this guy been
and all this band?
He's been in the industry for
how many years?
20. 20.
For 20 years. 20 years.
He started off at Alec Bradley,
or he wound up at Alec.
Bradley.
I think Alec Bradley was where
he was at.
Oh, no, he was there.
No, he started as a regional
Sit.
Hold on.
Let's figure out where he
started.
Let's see this.
All the way to the back.
OK started out as a tobacconist
for the Holtz Cigar Company.
OK, started at Holtz.
And then he moved as a regional
sales manager for La Flora
Dominicana.
OK, LFD.
LFD and then he worked as a
brand manager for STG and then
he was sales and marketing
manager at Alec and Bradley
until they got bought and then
they made him a brand manager
again.
Like he did really good at
passing out cigars.
So we're going to put you back
in the passing out cigars you.
Can pass out more cigars, right?
And now?
He's.
Telling He's telling you how to
start his own company.
So, so we got four different
jobs, 20 year span, so an
average of five years per.
Yeah.
Well, one of them, he was only
there for a year, OK.
And this is on an average.
And this is the guy.
This is the guy.
This is the guy.
This is the guy that will save.
And a tobaccon is for whole
cigar company.
Means he worked in a cigar shop.
Pretty much.
Yeah, that must have been a
team.
You start off as a retailer.
Yeah.
Is there other companies like
this or is this the 1st?
Oh, I'm sure there's.
Other Oh, there, there.
Probably all sorts of people
tell you how to run your
business.
Consulting companies.
Consultants.
Oh yes, I'm sorry, consultants.
The cigar Provident has
partnered with Cigars
Consulting, A Nicaraguan based
procurement and logistics firm
with additional operations in
Honduras and the Dominican
Republic.
Cigars Consulting was founded by
Nasir Valoinza.
OK.
Whom Lipson has previously
worked with in the cigar
industry, Veloinza takes a
comprehensive approach to
procurement, including
relationships with cigar
factories across Latin America,
quality control, vendor
negotiations, and end to end
logistics from raw material
sourcing to finish goods with
distribution.
You can't make this stuff up.
No, we're excited to combine our
global procurement and logistic
capabilities with the cigar
profit strategic expertise of
changing jobs every four or five
years.
This partnership gives clients
the tools to streamline
production, control quality, and
optimize costs while growing
their brand effectively.
What the hell does this cost to
to hire this guy?
Do you think it's?
What does it cost?
Yeah.
What do you think it costs?
I mean, he has to make money
doing this.
So what would Let's say we hire
them?
For, it's probably a percentage.
Percentage of sales You thinking
of their boots?
I think it's both and they would
probably be like a flat base.
There's got to be a fee involved
because they they can't survive
on.
Percentage like a retainer
Retainer.
Yeah, it's probably a few grand
a month.
Oh, monthly.
Yeah, plus X amount percentage
in sales, right.
Yeah.
Like you know, if you're doing
pretty good money, I mean, if
you're consulting based, you
probably wouldn't want to be
tied to sales at all at all,
right?
You'd probably just want to get
as much money upfront.
And your pitch would probably
be, well, you know, if you're
going to invest in me and then
you're investing in your future,
the whole thing, right.
And then by the time you realize
that things aren't working out
the way that you thought they
would, it's at least you make a
lot of money, six months to a
year of you spending cash.
Sure for for this guy to tell
you.
Post more.
Yeah, it's not like it's, yeah,
it's not like he.
It's like, hey, it'll be 4000.
Here's the brand that I've
built, right?
Here's how it's been sustainable
over these years, right?
And here's why I'm added value
to it, right?
And not like a track record.
Right.
And here's how I can make this
work right.
And instead, it's OK, I've been,
I've worked at four different
businesses.
I've done everything from retail
to manufacturing to wholesale.
I'll give you every term that
makes it sound elaborate, all
the all the things that I've
done right.
Right, all the fancy words,
brand manager.
But in all reality, I haven't
really.
Done really anything.
Yeah, you know, I mean, Alec
Bradley became as successful as
it did because of catalogs.
Right.
And Alec and Bradley.
No, only the one that we like.
Which one we like, Bradley?
Bradley, Bradley, Bradley,
that's the one.
You used to have the moustache.
Because Bradley's a sweet man.
Yeah, we like Bradley.
We never really met Alex, so
we're just going to say.
We're just going to say we don't
like.
Him.
Well, you got to pick one.
Yeah, so one brother is clearly
better than the other.
As with you and Greg, yeah, and
me and my brother.
So yeah, that's.
That's crazy.
And.
Bradley wins that right.
So this guy has never owned his
own brand?
No, no.
No.
I'm sorry, he was probably
instrumental in Alec and Bradley
selling to making all that
money.
Oh, you think?
Well, that's what I would tell
people at a meeting.
Well, that's what he that's what
he's probably going off of.
Right, we'll get you big and get
you sold.
Hey, you guys remember Alec and.
Bradley, I would like to
announce the start of the
Hustler Consulting business,
please right with our 21 years
of combined cigar industry
knowledge.
Over 2 decades.
Over 2 decades of business.
Success.
Seven years of smoking I've
done.
You can add in seven more.
Years.
I got to be honest, at the end
of the day, a consulting
business for us wouldn't be the
worst thing because, you know,
you would sit down with a person
and you would analyze them and
get their perspective and talk
about things like, OK, you know,
your expectations are here when
they need to be here, right?
You're hiring, firing schemes.
All these other things that you
do are wrong.
I mean, I could break down a lot
of that stuff, sure, because we
actually have knowledge in that,
right?
I don't know if I'd want to do
that though.
That sounds like.
You send a couple of emails, you
send a couple emails, you make a
brochure.
Well, the qualifications here
are a lot better than his
qualification 100.
Percent.
Yeah, you own your own brand,
right?
You have your own wholesale
distribution.
Business.
I can do everything that the
Venezuela guy's doing, right?
All the logistics factory making
moving things from here to
there, right?
Making sure the product's
quality control.
Sure, I can do all that, right?
I still have people.
They're just not doing anything
right now.
They're just, they're just
between jobs.
No, there's other lines that I
wasn't involved.
With they're just, they're,
they've joined other consulting
firms, Yeah.
Other consulting firms, yeah.
Cigar Province currently
accepting inquiries from cigar
manufacturer and brand owners
and retailers who want to
sharpen their strategy and grow
confidently.
This story's courtesy of Cigar
Coupe, which is the only place I
saw it.
I think I'm not.
He covered this.
Yes, all right, we got a Shop of
the Week.
Do we have a shop of the week I.
Have a shop of the week.
Then yes, we have a shop of the
week.
Holy smokes, in the villages
where I was yesterday, yes,
today's Tuesday.
I lose track of the days
anymore.
They're a new retailer.
They're working hard, yeah.
They celebrated their
eight-month anniversary
yesterday.
They're doing some things right.
They're finding their way.
Be good.
It's not an easy business, it.
Is not an easy.
Business.
Did you offer us the consulting
business to them?
Did you hit them on some
consulting fees?
No, apparently, though we
should.
We could help you.
We could help you if you just
sign right here.
Sign right here the dotted line.
Give me a check.
Give me a check that's.
All you got to do to get
started.
OK, no post dated second party
company checks either.
Post dated third party out of
state.
None of those.
That's what it's called.
You gotta listen to the week,
Michael.
No, you do.
No, I have a listener.
How do you not have a listener
of the week?
I did Shop of the Week this
week.
I thought you'd do one, you'd do
the other.
No, I did all the stories.
You even check with me
afterwards, he didn't say.
Hey, I don't have a listener of
the week.
You walked in, sat down, we
started.
Basically we moved the things
around a little bit, shuffle,
shuffle, shuffle, and now you
got to take everything back in
the other.
Room Shuffle, Shuffle, shuffle
Hector Alfonso Senior.
Newest Patreon member hector
Alfonso senior newest Patreon We
wish him well in his medical
inquiries a.
Speedy recovery.
Yes, we miss you, Hector.
We miss you, Hector.
OK.
All right, he's been episode 376
Cigar Hustler podcast.
We'll just know what you think
about the new setup.
If you like it, don't like it,
one is back in the other room.
Give us some words.
We don't care.
Give us your Intel.
All right, thanks.
Got to go.
Bye.
All right, bye.
Show Notes
This week, we dive into the latest headlines, from the passing of legendary singer Roberta Flack to Starbucks simplifying their menu—say goodbye to those over-the-top custom orders! The Washington Commanders shake up their roster, a WNBA star makes it clear she’s choosing someone over Drake, and Dodge might owe you $5,000… but don’t start spending just yet.
In cigar news, Raul Reyner is launching a new brand with the most complicated initial offering ever, Davidoff crowns a new Coffee—er, Cigar King, and Gurkha is getting a little… bigger. Meanwhile, Garo might be shipping a new cigar, Kentucky expands its cigar lounge scene, and a brand-new consultant is here to teach you how to sell cigars.
All this and more on Episode 376 of A Cigar Hustlers Podcast! Tune in now!