Cigars and Florida

Florida’s connection to the cigar industry is deeply woven into the state's cultural fabric, turning a coastal region into the historic "Cigar Capital of the World."

Here is how Florida became the epicenter of American cigar manufacturing.

The Key West Beginnings (1830s–1880s)

Long before Tampa took the crown, the heart of Florida’s cigar industry was Key West.

 Proximity to Cuba: Located just 90 miles from Havana, Key West was the perfect location to import premium Cuban tobacco leaf without paying massive tariffs on finished, imported cigars.

 The Pioneer: In 1831, William H. Wall established the first prominent cigar factory on the island. By the 1870s, dozens of factories filled the streets, employing thousands of skilled Cuban immigrants who brought traditional clear Havana (all-Cuban tobacco) hand-rolling techniques with them.

The Rise of Ybor City & Tampa (1885–1920s)

Labor strikes, political unrest, and a devastating fire in Key West prompted manufacturers to look north. In 1885, Spanish-born cigar mogul Vicente Martinez Ybor bought 40 acres of scrubland just east of Tampa.