Tampa, Fla. (WFLA) – For over a century, Ybor has been known as Cigar City. This is a title won through a generation of hand-covered craftsmanship that helped build the region’s economy, but the small cigar business said today’s economic pressures are threatening its legacy.
The Tabanero Cigars have been rolling in Tampa for 15 years, but their owners say that legacy is not an issue when the margin disappears. He is now moving production overseas just to catch up.
“As a small business, we have been a cigar lounge for quite some time, and we were hoping someone would save us.
Makeda said rising tariffs and inflation threaten the core of his business. Over a decade of branding and loyal customers have not been enough to protect his store from economic tensions. He has seen slowing down before, but says this cuts deeper.
“So we tried to understand how we can expose this to people, because the idea of waiting for the economy to turn around doesn’t work in a new era,” Janko said.
Rather than waiting for relief, Makeda said he transferred a portion of his production to Nicaragua’s reduction costs, keeping prices reasonably high and keeping the doors open.
“We feel like we’re starting over again, with the difference of having a brand for the past 15 years, but looking at the numbers it’s like starting over from scratch,” Makeda said.
Makeda said they are doing what they can to stay in business. He said there is no room for error in the current economy.
