US: New Cigar Store in Red Deer

Source from:  Red Deer Advocate 05/04/2015

There are few places Jeff Lawrence would rather be than in a humidor.

The owner of Cheap Smokes & Cigars Canada, whose newest franchise opened recently in Red Deer, gushes with enthusiasm as he describes the temperature- and humidity-controlled rooms in which cigars are stored.

"You feel like you're in Jamaica or Cuba, and it smells like cigars," said Lawrence.

"If you're a true cigar lover, a walk-in humidor is where it's at."

The Red Deer store at 5B, 3301 Gaetz Ave. boasts such a feature, with the cigars inside displayed by country of origin and with information cards.

"They come from all over the world, but the majority of the cigars that we have come from four countries: Dominican Republic, Honduras, Nicaragua and Cuba," said Lawrence. "Ninety-seven per cent of the cigars in the world are made in those four countries."

But Cheap Smokes & Cigars also carries cigars from places like Europe and even Canada, with approximately 200 names to choose from.

"People really gravitate to the Cubans, but the reality is there are phenomenal cigars from all over the world," said Lawrence.

Customers can spend anywhere from $2.50 to $70 for a cigar, with special-order products going for as much as $150.

Lawrence, who oversees six Cheap Smokes & Cigars franchises in Alberta, with three more scheduled to open within months, happily looks after quality control.

"Every single thing that's in there has been smoked by me and approved."

Cheap Smokes & Cigars stores also sells about 200 types of cigarettes.

"We basically carry every cigarette that you can legally get in Canada," said Lawrence, adding that the stores pride themselves on living up to their name when it comes to prices.

They also sell chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco and E-juice, as well as related accessories.

"We're a tobacconist, so by definition we carry only tobacco and tobacco-related products," said Lawrence.

Access to the store is restricted to people 18 and older, which enables it to display it products prominently. That helps customers discover new and different options, he said.

Cheap Smokes & Cigars got its start in Airdrie, where Lawrence lives, in 2009. He opened a second outlet in Olds the following year, and then began selling franchises.

Outlets now also include Red Deer, Grande Prairie, Fort McMurray and Calgary, with other franchises sold for Okotoks, Fort Saskatchewan and Edmonton.

Cheap Smokes & Cigars even has its own iTunes app, with users able to access store and product information through it.

Business at his stores are on the upswing, said Lawrence, with many young people eager to learn about cigars.

Interest is even higher in the United States, where lower taxes allow consumers to buy cigars and cigarettes for much less.

The Red Deer Cheap Smokes & Cigars store is open Monday to Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Enditem