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Was...Help a brother out!

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antaean

Did this happen to you?
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Mar 7, 2006
Messages
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I'll be going to the Tampa area tomorrow for an overnight stay on business. A real quicky trip. I've read a bunch of threads here about the Tampa area and a few cigar shops to visit, but don't really get an impression as to specialty or specially-priced cigars in the area.

I won't have any time for entertainment, site seeing, etc. Basically this is a fly in tomorrow am, work late, work most of tuesday and fly home. Probably get about 2 hours free time besides eating...have to eat. My hotel is in/near Temple Terrace.

Can someone recommend a shop for a quick stop to pick up some recommended smokes? The cigars could be some special rolled-on-site, or something like tats, anejos, Opus, PAM, etc. I'd like to pick up a box of something if possible.

Any advise is surely welcome. Thanks in advance,

Cheers,
antaean
 
I'm leaving Tampa tonight. Ybor City is an old cigar rolling town that's now full of restaurants and bars. I happened to wander down there last night and there are still several cigar shops around and some of them roll right there. I don't know the quality of any of them, though, and I was only able to get into one before they all closed last night. A little bit further south on 22nd Street is Tampa Sweet Hearts. I hear they have a good selection, but I was never able to make it there because they closed before I ever got out of my training class.

Good luck finding something. :)

---John Holmes...
 
Go to Tampa Sweathearts (Tue-Fri 9:00am- 5:00pm) for good prices on Fuentes, and just walk down Ybor City's main street to find a few locally rolled cigars. Shouldn't take more than an hour to do both.
 
The Colombia Resturant has a roller in their cigar shop. Try their Cuban Sandwich in the resturant...Best I've had.
 
ybor is a must see. Great cigar shops for local rolled and coronas has the best micro brew and cigar patio around to people watch.
 
cigarsarge said:
The Colombia Resturant has a roller in their cigar shop. Try their Cuban Sandwich in the resturant...Best I've had.
Click to expand...


:thumbs:

Across the street, about a block up, is Metropolitan Cigar - good prices on Fuente and the like....no seats.
A few blocks up on the opposite side is King Corona - if you want a good quick meal and a smoke and coffee/drink....it's the place. Sit outside and order ...smoke a cigar and watch the foot traffic! You can take thetrolley up and down from each place.

Enjoy your trip!
 
Flight leaves at 7am tomorrow AM...got to get to bed....

Again, thanks for the tips. Hope I can squeeze in a short trip to Ybor City area.

Cheers,
antaean
 
Have a good time, as best as you can with the business. Enjoy!! :thumbs:
 
My business trip took me south, almost to Sebring. I met a BOTL named Wayne S. who insisited on having me sit down with him to smoke some A. Fuente Hemingway Exquisitos. Nice smokes and very nice BOTL. Now this man was a virtual stranger to me but we were working on the same project from different angles. I think someone is going to get a very nice surprise package in S. Florida!!! He passed me a handful of these before I departed early Monday evening for Temple Terrace.

Finished up my meetings on Tuesday and had to get going to catch my flight home. Only had about 30 minutes to spare on my way to the Tampa airport, so I swung down to the Ybor City area. I easily found Metropolitan Cigar and decided to stop in. It was about 3pm when I got to the shop. I met Antonella and her son-in-law Gary in the shop. The streets seemed deserted and no other customers were there. These were extremely friendly and helpful folks who really made me feel at home.

Antonella asked what I might be looking for. As I glanced around I could see piles and piles of Don Carlos and A. Fuente singles along with a few bundled cigars. I asked for a box of some Don Carlos #3 or #4, but only the #4 could be found. There were also some #2 and some other vitolas. Taking a chance, I asked if she had some Opus X. Antonella replied that coincidentally they had received a surprise shipment of FFOX Super Belicosos, FFOX Small Belicosos (xXx- Power Rangers), and FFOX Robustos this morning!!! Due to the small allotment she was limiting purchases to 4 cigars per customer. I asked for 2 Super Belis and 2 Small Belis. Antonella was concerned that the cigars would be uncomfortable on my flight home so she put the smokes in a nice sealable plastic bag with a Chateau de la Fuente humipouch. She also warned me to be sure that they were in my carry-on or else "they will just disappear". We chatted for a little bit and I also grabbed a box of the DC #4.

Prices for the FFOX were $11.95 for the Small Belicosos and $14.95 for the Super Belicosos, which are a bit higher than the MSRP noted in MMM's pinned thread, and the DC#4 were $175. Of course, 7% sales tax was also applied.

Needless to say I felt like a kid in a candy store. These may not be the best prices around, but I can't get these smokes locally anyway.

Had a great half hour in the shop. When I left Gary stopped me in the street to let me know that Cigar Dave would be in the Detroit area along with some deals. He also let me know to feel free to call in any order I like instead of using their website.

Met some very nice people in Florida and had terrific experiences both days I was down there. My thanks again guys for the pointers...wish I had a digital camera, but now I gotta go have a smoke!!!

Cheers,
antaean
 
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