The Wooden Indian Expeditions

**Smoked!** · 05-25-2010, 09:19 PM

Ybor Cigars Plus

Speaking of Ta-Ta’s… Ybor Cigars Plus is “Home of the Biggest Hoots in Ybor.” For those who may question such a bold assertion, the answer is: “Yes, I did check out every pair in town… just to be sure.” Talk about weapons of mass distraction! This cigar girl maintains the humidor, offers selection suggestions, and runs the bar. That’s talent! Once again, I failed to capture the moment digitally. <sigh> Moving right along…

Here’s the front of the store. You can see the basic set-up for most of the retail stalls on the avenue. Out front, they have a humidor in the display window on one side and a rolling table on the other. Many of them have a bar or café style set-up inside. This particular shop has a decent size bar specializing in Cuban Mojitos (is there any other kind?), and they have a small stage in the back for a band. Ms. Talented said they have live music in the evening on weekends. My guess is that the whole street is much more interesting in general entertainment terms on a Saturday night. Go figure.

Live roller –
This shop featured a live roller who was working on one of the house blend toros. Live rollers are much more proficient than deceased rollers or zombie rollers. You can see the photo detail of the table, press and other related tools. I give creativity points for the use of rain gutter for the scrap collector on the lip of the table. I take back the points because she was smoking a Marlboro light. That’s not right! It’s, like… a sacrilege.

I asked a few question’s about sourcing for leaf stock and wrappers, but neither of the ladies seemed to have any idea. In all fairness, both of the cigar girls were very pleasant and engaging. I bet Ms. Talented would be a great at a cocktail party. I bought a couple house blend cigars and I think BW picked up a couple, too.

There’s more to see in Ybor! Next stop: Nicahabana - home of the Cigar Pixie. Stay tuned!

**D_M_S** · 05-27-2010, 05:34 PM

Nice thread, good work

**Smoked!** · 08-27-2010, 03:28 PM

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Nicahabana

Guys and Gals, this is going to be a speed-readers view of Ybor from here on out. It seem like this trip was a long time ago… in a cigar shop far, far away. There’s probably a Star Wars joke coming. Prolly.

Front Window -

Storefront -

Anyway, the third stop on the grand tour was the Home of the Ybor Cigar Pixie. She was cute. These gals were selling some of the more interesting figurados on the street. I think this is where BW pointed out the baseball bat cigar. I never saw one in person before. BW picks up on things many of us would walk by with no notice or miss completely. He’s a detail guy. Sorry, no photo of the bat, but I do have for you a good look at the humidor and a couple fancy sticks I bought. (The Padron was a gift. Thank you!)

Figurados and Padron

Now, for your viewing pleasure, I would like to present “The Cigar Pixie” - and that same miscreant that was following me around at King Corona. Hey, Buddy, that mask ain’t foolin’ no one – and get your hands off the merchandise! This guy is just shameless.

Next: On to Stop 4 - La Herencia de Cuba.

**badwhale** · 08-27-2010, 09:48 PM

Vader...what a jackhole....look at him there with a freakin' corny "Florida" tee shirt on...what a dork. I bet he got that from his mother-in-law.

Will

**Smoked!** · 08-29-2010, 07:50 PM

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It was mid-day when we visited the La Herencia de Cuba shop and lounge. At that time only the owner and his son were present. Everything in the store and the lounge was spotless and well organized. The gentleman pictured below was a top-rated Master Roller from Cuba. He once managed a factory for a very popular brand and was responsible for the production of hundreds of factory cigar rollers. The shop reflects his high standards.

I watched this guy work for about fifteen minutes. No doubt, he could roll these things in his sleep. There was very little waste and the consistency of the finished product was impressive. Check out his work space. This represents an organized mind. (BW pointed out his immaculate digital cleanliness.) I like the flag on the corner of the desk.

This shop is on the east end of the cigar strip, so we crossed over to the north side and started working our way back. Stay tuned!

**Smoked!** · 08-31-2010, 05:31 PM

Metropolitan Cigars - Ybor City

Here is the storefront for Metropolitan Cigars. I believe they’re under new management.

The building that currently houses Metropolitan Cigars was once a mom and pop drug store. When the Ybor redevelopment craze started, the pill-pushers… um, I mean, ‘purveyors of high quality, thoroughly tested, life saving pharmaceuticals’, decided to sell the building and retire. The buyers capitalized on the cigar boom and then sold it to the new management. Well, at least that’s the story.

The two partners now running the shop are both experienced in the cigar trade. They both worked for distributors and mail-order houses well known to us all. The gent I spoke to seemed to be in touch with current trends. I hope they do well.

What differentiates Metropolitan from the other shops on the Ybor strip is the large selection of national brands and absence of a house brand. They also stock a broad array of humidors and accessories. It is very much a traditional cigar depot. I liked it.

Hey, look! A cigar store Indian! w00t!

Another view of the entry:

The entire store is a walk-in humidor. You can see the humidifiers in the photos below as well as the cedar lined walls. Everything is laid out in clean, easy to navigate displays. Simple is good.

Humidifier System –

A few photos of the interior follow. Another difference at Metro is that they have no lounge. Shop. Purchase. Rock on.

Register Counter-

Display on Left –

Display on Right –

Next up is a pair of shops that share a storefront… very curious.

**Smoked!** · 09-06-2010, 02:48 PM

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El Sol and Big Four are two shops under one roof. On the right is a ‘museum’ with various collectibles like cigar box label dies, cigar art prints, and a cool humidor thing that would make Frank Lloyd Wright proud. On the left is the cigar shop and business office. El Sol manufactures a complete line of cigars in Tampa and Central America. They claim to be the oldest cigar store in Tampa, having first opened their doors in 1929. The business is still operated by the original founding family.

The manager/curator was a little too busy to talk to mere mortals so I don’t really know what may be the current inside story. It’s not like I didn’t ask. Since all these shops, bars, and restaurants are competing for the same finite pedestrian traffic, it seems likely they make a better living selling cigars online and t-shirts on fleabay. It makes sense to move toward that business model. An alternate theory: Perhaps they’re just not people… persons.

In lieu of an actual conversation with an employee, I will share this quote from the company website: "Cigars are not vitamins, they're an enjoyment. But the pleasure that a cigar offers goes beyond the smoking, for me anyway. Tobacco has a kind of romance. After these many years, I still get a kick out of opening a fresh box and seeing that row of cigars, all a uniform shade, the wrappers stretched like silk, that sweet aroma wafting up. Even lighting a cigar is a pleasure for me. I'm never alone when I have a cigar going. I don't just taste tobacco, I don't just see a cigar. I can see, taste, smell and feel the earth, the sunshine, the rain and the air trapped in every leaf." ~ Guy, the Founder.

Wow. Mostly I get a tobacco flavor and a lot of smoke. Obviously, I’m doing it wrong.

Moving right along… The El Sol side has a few boxes of cigars on display, but clearly the main enterprise in the shop itself is selling cigar related merchandise. They do have some cool art prints and t-shirts. I am not inclined to research the matter, but they probably list their non-tobacco wares on various internet outlets. Online cigar sales naturally have to run through the store’s website.

I saw a pair of Wooden Indians behind the counter, but the boss seemed very protective of them. Ok. No problem. Cigar Store Indians are typically sculpted holding a traditional tomahawk, knife, bow, or spear. Many also hold forth a cigar bundle. Few are depicted brandishing a rifle. The pair appears pictured below.

The Big Four side also had a decent Wooden Indian. It’s actually one of the better renditions I’ve seen lately. The Chief stands about five feet tall. The details and colors are quite good. Check it out:

This is the Frank Lloyd Wright inspired cigar humidor/display. … Ok. Mr. Wright had nothing to do with it. However, other than the Wooden Indians, it was perhaps the most interesting piece in either store. I wish I had more detailed photos. It is quite tall, standing perhaps seven feet from top to bottom. All of the drawers work, they are connected centrally to allow rotation and adjustment. Each box is cedar lined and contains cedar separators. There is a set of industrial strength rubber casters for easy movement of the entire unit. Sweet! I bid $1.00. … U.S.

Loads of tobacco related goods and artifacts are for sale on the museum side:

These twin cigar-related enterprises are worth a look for hobbyists searching out tobacciana collectibles or cigar art prints. As long as you’re in town, you may as well stop by and check it out. That way you’ll have a rightful claim to having visited the oldest cigar shop in Tampa. So, in sum, I guess I’m saying ‘go there and get the t-shirt.’ It sure beats those touristy Florida shirts some jokers pick out. Ugh.

Disclaimer and Full Disclosure:
Do not smoke too much; it is bad for you. I have the utmost respect for our Native American brothers. They never wear metallic armor. Ice cream is good. Sometimes I use Stay-Puft marshmallows in hot cocoa. I have no financial interest or ownership interest in any cigar shop, store, retailer, wholesaler, distributor, manufacturer, packager, shipper, stevedore, roller, farmer, harvester, or tobacco farm land lease holder, nor do I receive any other benefit, explicit or implied, from the inclusion of or review of any establishment herein named, referred to, or otherwise described. One guy did give me a free cigar. I watch the Big Bang Theory on CBS. We should promote more old-school pirates. Arrrrgh. The most common commodity in this country is unrealized potential. I think Wooden Indians are cool. I wish more Cigar Store Indians were made from actual wood. Please, no flash photography. Yahtzee! Never trust a Ninja Carpenter. FrankLloydWright did not design cigar humidors.