US
J.C. Newman Cigar Co. has begun a multi-million-dollar renovation to convert 2,078 square feet of third-floor storage into space for hand-rolling.
This comes as the industry is warning that it might go bankrupt in the face of US Food and Drug Administration plans to begin regulating premium cigars.
Drew Newman, general counsel for J.C. Newman, said, “The FDA remains a threat. We are betting on the future and that we can keep the Tampa cigar-making tradition going.”
Tampa is home to a number of manufacturers where cigars are rolled by hand, but only the Newmans still produce cigars on a commercial basis locally, using machines in their 97,000-square-foot Ybor City factory.
Construction of the hand-rolling space is expected to be completed in time for J.C. Newman’s 125th anniversary in January. Twelve people will work in the hand-rolling section, while another 135 people will continue working the machines that turn out more than 500 blends.