Talking about Tabanero

The History of Ybor City

On March 16th The Washington Post published an article written by Jason Wilson, “For Ybor City in Florida, a Historic Cigar Town Faces a Cloudy Future.” We are going to expound upon the discussion he raised concerning our town and our craft.  Jason recognized that we are doing something wonderfully unique in Tampa.  “Every minute of every day in Ybor City is a good time for a cigar. in Ybor City, it seems as if — whether perversely or refreshingly — one enters a parallel universe where smoking cigars is still a totally natural part of life.”  This parallel universe, as Jason stated, is the rebirth an industry that was as culturally rich as the soil that produces the savory cigars that made Tampa the envy of the globe. Every renaissance is both the reclamation of the nostalgia of the past and the embrace of the hope of future prospects.  As we at Tabanero Cigars dedicate ourselves to this rebirth of Tampa as the cigar capital, we harken to the past voices.

The Beginnings of Tampa as the Cigar Capital

“Vicente Martinez Ybor created modern Tampa out of a marshy backwater, and the population grew from about 700 in 1880 to more than 37,000 residents in 1910. The best cigar rollers left Cuba for Tampa by the thousands. Ybor brought an expanded port, paved roads, hundreds of new homes and businesses, streetcars, insurance companies and health clinics.  In the early 20th century, Tampa had been the undisputed cigar capital of the world, outproducing even Havana. In its heyday, the city had more than 150 factories, employing about 10,000 workers and rolling more than 500 million cigars each year. Now, beyond the small storefront producers still rolling premium handmade cigars, only one large cigar factory remains.”

How the Past Affects the Present

Jason has correctly identified the nature of the past cigar industry as well as the challenge of the present.  Will Ybor have the large cigar factories that once were the pillars of the industry? Not likely.  However, that is not even part of the vision for the renaissance that Tabanero Cigars is helping to forge.  We believe that the new cigar industry will be a network of cigar boutiques known for the quality of hand-made cigars and not for the quantity.  A similar model might be the growth of ‘craft beer’ as opposed to mass produced beer.  

As more people begin to catch the vision for this nascent artisan boutique in Ybor than we will all see something beautiful blossom in Tampa.

Read the full article here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/for-ybor-city-in-florida-a-historic-cigar-town-faces-a-cloudy-future/2017/03/15/c6de6100-efa8-11e6-9662-6eedf1627882_story.html 

Tabanero Cigars Featured in Cigar Snob Magazine

We were recently featured in Cigar Snob Magazine! 

Read the full article below and find out more about why we love what we do. The featured Maceda Press Torpedo is named after Tabanero Cigars owner, Yanko Maceda. Find out more about the Maceda Press here.

Obama Hurting U.S. Small Business by Easing Restrict on Cuban Cigars: A David Garofalo Editorial

Is it a concern or a party? 

Opportunity to Smoke a Cuban Cigar

Why We See This as an Opportunity

We Are Excited!

Ybor City Cigar Festival - November 19, 2016

Enjoy the 2016 Photo Re-Cap Below and We'll See You in 2017!

Our Vision at Tabanero Cigars

Hand-Made Cigars in History

When we see pictures like this but 100 years ago the dreamers like me ask our self how it would be to be there at that time. What would it be like to the smell the aromas, see the people, hear the language?

Restoring Hand-Rolled Cigars in Ybor City, Florida

I ask myself if a factory in the US can get to 100 rollers again making 90k cigars per week, and in just six years we have gone from 200 cigars units per month to sell to 10k.

Do you believe that we have the quality, passion, and integrity to manufacture and sell 360k cigars per month hand-made in the USA by Cuban artisans?

I do, (and we all do at Tabanero Cigars), I don't pay attention to the naysayers. I concentrate in my Vision and to me this still the land of opportunities. I'm living a dream that it was impossible to fulfill back in Cuba.

Thank you for letting me share, 
Yanko Maceda

Tabanero Cigars - Featured on TV Show: Wild Travels

TV Show, Wild Travels makes a stop in Ybor City to learn more about Ybor's cigar heritage and passion that goes into cigar making at Tabanero Cigars. Click here to watch

Focus on Ybor | Meet Tabanero Cigars Passionate Owner, Yanko Maceda

Tabanero Cigars owner, Yanko Maceda shares his passion for the Cigar Industry and for Ybor City, Tampa, FL. Click Here to Read More!

Tabanero Cigars Wins A Prestigious Award

Cuban Immigrant Yanko Maceda of Tabanero Cigars Awarded the Adela Gonzmart Award

Yanko Maceda, of Tabanero Cigars was recognized June 12, 2016 for his ongoing contribution to Ybor City and the American cigar industry. Since the beginning, Yanko has been working hard to restore the legacy and heritage of the Ybor City cigar industry.

The award recognizes an individual, family or corporation for unique achievements that promote the cultural preservation and commercial revitalization of the Ybor community. The Gonzmart award is named after Adela and Cesar Gonzmart, the third generation of the Gonzmart family, that built Ybor’s Columbia restaurant. She also witnessed Ybor City's transformation from a cigar-rolling district to the nightlife destination that it is today.

Cuba: Preparing to meet America's demand for Cuban Cigars