Keeping Tampa’s Cigar Tradition Alive Drew Newman of J C Newman Cigar Co

Tampa Bay Community Network Unplugged

In this episode of Hillsborough Heritage Exploration, host Jimmy Flint-Smith sits down with Drew Newman, fourth-generation owner and General Counsel of the J.C. Newman Cigar Company, to discuss how Tampa’s last operating cigar factory continues to preserve a proud tradition more than a century later. Founded in 1895 by Julius Caeser Newman, the company began rolling cigars by hand in a family barn in Cleveland, Ohio, before moving to Tampa in 1954 then the cigar capital of the world. Today, J.C. Newman operates out of the historic El Reloj factory, built in 1910, which remains the only large cigar factory still producing cigars in the United States. Drew shares the story behind his family’s mission to “roll cigars 100 years from now, the way we do today,” the restoration of the 114-year-old El Reloj building, and their ongoing efforts to keep Tampa’s cigar-making heritage alive. From creating a public museum and cigar tours to restoring the nearby Sanchez y Haya building, the Newmans are breathing new life into Ybor City’s historic heart. This conversation celebrates craftsmanship, family legacy, and Tampa’s enduring connection to its cigar-making roots.