Cigars International is building a store, bar and lounge at The Strand at Town Center.
The city issued a permit Dec. 28 for Bethlehem, Pennsylvania-based Cigars International to build the project at a construction cost of almost $3.39 million.
Brothers Group Construction Co. of Jacksonville is the contractor for the 6,586-square-foot building on about a half-acre at 4808 Town Center Parkway.
The proposed retail building would have a 2,140-square-foot outdoor seating area as well.
The business owner is Cigars International Florida LLC. The land is owned by CTO Realty Growth, based in Winter Park.
Cigars International, which sells online and in stores, has 10 locations in Pennsylvania, Texas and Florida, where it has sites in Tampa and Lutz.
Cigarsinternational.com says that its 6,000-square-foot-plus Tampa and Lutz stores feature more than 1,300 cigar brands, full-service bars, indoor and outdoor lounges, flat-screen TVs and ventilation systems “to keep ya fresh as can be.”
“Whether you’re from New York City, Philadelphia, Orlando, Tampa, Dallas or Houston- our retail locations are a short drive within three great states Pennsylvania, Texas, and Florida,” says Cigarsinternational.com.
“You’ll have a helluva good time just kickin’ back or browsing the largest selection of premium cigars you’ve ever seen.”
The Strand is anchored by Hobby Lobby, Best Buy and PGA Tour Superstore. Colliers Vice Presidents Nancy Sumner and Katy Figg represent the landlord.
Cigars International will be built on vacant land next to Diamonds Direct.
JEA issued a service availability request for the project in June 2022. Cigars Jacksonville filed construction plans and other information with the utility Jan. 6, 2023.
The St. Johns River Water Management District and the city previously reviewed plans for a 6,621-square-foot store for Cigars International LLC at 4906 Town Center Parkway.
Dynamic Engineering Consultants of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, is the civil engineer. MKSD Architects LLC of Allentown, Pennsylvania, is the architect.
Cigarsinternational.com’s “Big List of Cigar Brands” shows 1,274 brands.
Its top 25 brands start with Macanudo, Diesel, CAO, 5 Vegas, Ashton and Diva. It offers mellow, medium and full cigars along with samplers and gifts.
It also sells humidors and accessories.
The Florida stores feature bars and lounges with indoor and outside seating.
The Tampa Superstore’s menu includes coffee drinks, cigar pairings, bottled and draft beer, wine, martinis, cocktails and liquors.
It does not serve food, but the Tampa store has food trucks a few days a week.
Store hours at the Tampa location are 10 a.m.-midnight Monday; 9 a.m. to midnight Tuesday-Thursday, closing at 2 a.m. Friday-Saturday; and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday.
Bar hours start at 11 a.m. daily.
In addition to the coffee and alcoholic drinks, the Lutz store menu also shows soft drinks, tea and snacks such as pretzels and chips.
The Lutz store hours are the same as Tampa except for closing at 7 p.m. Sunday.
Bar hours start at noon Sunday and 11 a.m. Monday-Saturday.
The website says: “Be yourself and have a great time as you survey over 500 of the world’s finest brands in a relaxed, laid back atmosphere.”
The site says each retail store is fully humidified. “In other words, you’re stepping into one giant humidor, which smells downright glorious, mind you.”
Cigars International says it is an online and catalog-based retailer of cigars owned by Scandinavian Tobacco Group A/S.
It says it distributes 19 million catalogs annually and sells directly to 885,000 U.S. consumers.
The site says Cigars International, established in 1996, has become the fastest-growing retailer and an industry leader in online and direct marketing of premium to value segmented handmade cigars and tobacco accessories.
The Tampa Bay Times reported in July 2019 that Bethlehem Shared Services proposed its first Southeastern U.S. location north of Tampa International Airport.
It said that owner Scandinavian Tobacco Group of Denmark bought Thompson Cigar in 2018 and announced in 2019 it would close Thompson’s outlet store and distribution center in Tampa by year-end.
In July 2021, thecigarsmokingman.com reported that both Cigars International locations in Florida were designed to replicate a Northeast tobacco barn and feature a large-scale timber truss, with exposed beams on the interior and exterior of the buildings.
The site said the locations feature “expansive, glass-encased, walk-in humidors, indoor cocktail bars and lounges with comfortable leather seating for a true cigar shop feel, plus sweeping outdoor patios with multiple firepits, rocking chairs and bars serving adult beverages.”
It said “state-of-the-art ventilation” along with Wi-Fi and USB ports are available throughout both locations, and both are staffed with “highly-trained cigar experts to enhance the experience of CI guests.”