Tony Hernandez chats with Cesar Marminallo, owner of Cigar Boutique of Little Havana, as they each enjoy one of their favorite cigars. Photo credit: Brandon Blanco
LITTLE HAVANA–The rich aroma of hand-rolled cigars fills the air, and the vibrant spirit of Cuban craftsmanship comes to life as customers enter the Cigar Boutique of Little Havana.
Rows of cases filled with premium cigars – Padron, Arturo Fuente, Olivia, Plasencia – line the shop tucked away on the less-busy end of Calle Ocho, the famous thoroughfare that also goes by the name of Eighth Street.
Marmanillo, who is celebrating a decade of running the cigar boutique, said he does not mind being away from the rush of Domino Park, restaurants and the iconic landmarks that attract visitors and locals.
“This is a quiet area from all the music and heavy traffic in Little Havana,” Marmanillo said. “My customers come here to experience shopping for the right smoke in peace.”
To that end, Marmanillo invites his customers to smoke their favorite cigar in the shop.
Longtime friend and customer Tony Hernandez is a frequent visitor who often takes Marmanillo up on his offer.
Offering the right product
“I smoke two cigars almost every single day and I love the camaraderie it brings,” said Hernandez, founder, president and CEO of the Latino Broadcasting Co., a multimedia content provider specializing in Latino targeted programming.
As the owner of a small business, Marmanillo said he puts a high premium on what the customer wants.
“My shop is unique because I think it is the service, the product I bring,” Marmanillo said. “Being a small boutique owner, I got to bring in the right produce for my customers.”
“I had not a single idea about cigars, but I knew retail and I had the experience in retail,” said Marmanillo, who took over El Credito Cigar Factory at 1100 SW Eighth St. and renamed it the Cigar Boutique of Little Havana.
El Credito was one of the oldest cigar factories in the United States. Hand-crafted cigars were produced and sold on the premise, but Marmanillo got rid of the cigar production, saying it is simpler to buy the cigars in bulk than roll them in the shop.
His cigars sell from $10 to $100; a case of 60 bundled Olivia cigars goes for $145. Marmanillo said it is important not to steer new cigar customers the wrong way, especially when it comes to pricing.
Guiding the customer
“Price is first. I don’t want to sell them a $100 cigar or a strong cigar and then they’ll never enjoy a cigar ever again,” Marmanillo said. “I want to guide them the right way when they enter my boutique and show them blends that I have personally smoked.”
Good business, he said, is about listening to what the customer wants.
“Most cigar smokers are loyal to certain brands, but for the new up-and-coming generation, they are all over the place,” Marmanillo said. “They want to try a little bit of this company and some of that company.”
Marmanillo said though his shop may not see as many customers as other Calle Ocho cigar shops, he does a strong business through online sales.
Mark Torres, a former U.S. Army captain in Chicago, has shopped with Marmanillo for several years.
“Even not living in Florida anymore, I still order my bundle of cigars from Cesar every few months, and the process is smooth,” Torres said.
For customers who do come in, Marmanillo, 62, is all about customer service. He’ll
even walk a guest through how to light a cigar and cut it before smoking it.
“You try to guide them the right way,” he said of his customers. “I don’t want them to be short-term. I want them to be long term. Over the many years, I have built many great relationships, both locally and abroad and when I mean abroad, I literally mean from across the world.”
