For the fourth consecutive year, Davidoff Cigar hosted its annual the Golden Band Awards Show at the IPCPR Trade Show. This year the awards were held at the Sugar Mill in New Orleans. The awards program is meant to honor and the company’s best Appointed Merchants that according to Davidoff “truly embody the Davidoff Standard of Excellence”. The awards were announced at an event held for the company’s appointed merchants at the 2015 IPCPR Trade Show.
Davidoff used the evening to update its Appointed Merchants on the company’s progress. The company once again reported growth across its core brands (Davidoff, Camacho, Avo, and Room 101). There wasn’t too much in the way of what’s ahead going into 2016 and assured it had a healthy pipeline in terms of continuing to deliver product innovation.
Davidoff Escurio was the theme of the night as the theme of Brazil was present throughout the awards banquet. A secondary theme was the 140th anniversary of Oettinger Davidoff. Hans-Kristina Hoejsgaard reflected on the 140 years, but made it clear the company will continue to move forward with innovation. Hoejsgaard stated, “We need to understand our history to understand the future, we will never be a prisoner to that history”
Hoejsgaard also announced the “Oettinger Davidoff Crop to Shop Scholarship” for retail sales team excellence. The program is worth $14,000.00 and entail a all-expenses paid trip for training at Davidoff facilities in Honduras, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic. It also includes one week training at a Davidoff Flagship Store in the U.S. or Switzerland.
In terms of the winners, after winning the Davidoff Performance Award for a Single Location three years in a row, Tobacconist of Greenwich captured the big prize of the evening – the Davidoff Appointed Merchant of the Year Award. Jeff Borysiewicz and Corona Cigar Company became four time winners as Corona repeated as the Davidoff Performance Award Winner for multiple locations.
Best New Appointed Merchant
Winner: Havana Phil’s Cigar Company (Greensboro, NC)
Churchill’s Fine Cigars (Atlanta, GA)
Cigar Realm (Ashland, VA)
Harbor Cigars (Destin, FL)
Tobacco Locker (Port Charlotte, FL)
Best Merchandising
This honors the Appointed Merchant who best meets the Davidoff Brand merchandising expectations.
Winner: Tobacco Shop of Ridgewood (Ridgewood, NJ)
Club Humidor (San Antonio, TX)
Franklin Cigar (Franklin, TN)
Queensbury Cigar and Pipe (Queensbury, NY)
Tobacconist of Greenwich (Greenwich, CT)
Best Davidoff Performance (Single Location)
This is awarded to the Appointed Merchant with a single location that has the highest level of Davidoff brand purchases.
Winner: Blend Cigar Bar (Indianapolis, IN)
Cigar Box Enterprises (Aventura, FL)
Georgetown Tobacco and Pipe Store (Washington, DC)
Maxamar Cigars (Orange, CA)
Regency Cigar Emporium (East Greenwich, RI)
Best Davidoff Performance (Multiple Locations)
This is awarded to the Appointed Merchant with two or more locations that has the highest level of Davidoff brand purchases. Corona Cigar Company repeated as the winner.
Winner: Corona Cigar Company (Orlando, FL)
Club Humidor (San Antonio, TX)
Emersons of Norfolk (Norfolk, VA)
Lone Wolf Cigar Company (Los Angeles, CA)
Smoke Inn (Palm Beach, FL)
Davidoff Growth Award (Single Location)
This is awarded to the Appointed Merchant with a single location that has the largest percentage and dollar increase of Davidoff brand sales. Cigarz on the Avenue repeated as the winner.
Winner: Cigarz on the Avenue (Winter Park, FL)
Cigar King (Scottsdale, AZ)
Florez Tobacconist (Summit, NJ)
Iwan Ries & Company (Chicago, IL)
Tinder Box (Waldorf, MD)
Davidoff Growth Award (Multiple Locations)
This is awarded to the Appointed Merchant with a two or more location that has the largest percentage and dollar increase of Davidoff brand sales.
Winner: Casa de Montecristo (Countryside, IL)
Churhills Cigar Shop (Birmingham, MI)
Diebel’s Sportsmen Gallery (Kansas City, MO)
Tedfords Pipe and Cigar (Mill Valley, CA)
The Cigar Inn (New York, NY)
Appointed Merchant of the Year
This is awarded to the Appointed Merchant with the largest percentage and dollar increase of the complete Davidoff of Geneva Distribution portfolio.
Winner: Tobacconist of Greenwich (Greenwich, CT)
Regency Cigar Emporium (East Greenwich, RI)
Serious Cigars (Houston, TX)
Smoking Lamp (Charleston, SC)
Tobacconist of Greenwich (Greenwich, CT)
Up Down Tobacco Shop (Chicago, IL)
Industry Service Award
Bestowed upon an individual from our Appointed Merchants who has done the most to sustain the premium cigar industry and to advance the industry’s agenda in legislation, regulation and the community.
Winner: Jim Clark Straus Tobacconist (Cincinnati,Ohio), Harris Saunders, Cigars and More (Birmingham, Alabama)
Zino Davidoff Legacy Award
This is awarded to an individual in our industry, from amongst out Appointed Merchants, who has stood out over the yers as a true champion of what premuim cigars and premium cigar retailing is all about.
Winner: Keith Rumbo, Club Humidor (San Antonio, Texas)
Past Winners
For reference, here were the previous winners. These winners were given the opportunity to carry the ultra-limited Davidoff Golden Band cigar.
Best New Appointed Merchant
2015 Havana Phil’s Cigar Company (Greensboro, NC)
Best Merchandising
2012 Island Smoke Shop (Key Largo, FL)
2013 Prime Cigar & Wine Bar (Boca Raton, FL)
2014 Cup O’ Joes (Queensbury, NY)
2015 Tobacco Shop of Ridgewood (Ridgewood, NJ)
Best Davidoff Performance (Single Location)
2012 The Tobacconist of Greenwich (Greenwich, CT)
2013 The Tobacconist of Greenwich (Greenwich, CT)
2014 The Tobacconist of Greenwich (Greenwich, CT)
2015 Blend Bar Cigar (Indianapolis, Indiana)
Best Davidoff Performance (Multiple Locations)
2012 Humidor Of Westmont (Westmont, IL)
2013 Ambassador Fine Cigars (Scottsdale, AZ)
2014 Corona Cigar Company (Orlando, FL)
2015 Corona Cigar Company (Orlando, FL)
Davidoff Growth Award (Single Location)
2012 Ambassador Fine Cigars (Scottsdale, AZ)
2013 Angry Moon Cigars (Palm Beach Gardens, FL)
2014 Cigarz on the Avenue (Winter Park, FL)
2015 Cigarz on the Avenue (Winter Park, FL)
Davidoff Growth Award (Multiple Locations)
2012 Cigars by Chivas (Pasadena, CA)
2013 Corona Cigar Company (Orlando, FL)
2014 Humidor of Westmont (Westmont, IL)
2015 Casa de Montecristo (Chicago, IL)
Industry Service Award
2012:
John Andersson, W. Curtis Draper (Washington, DC)
Craig Cass, Tinder Box of Charlotte (Charlotte, NC)
Jeff Borysiewicz, Corona Cigar (Orlando, FL)
Christian Hutson, Just for Him Cigars (Springfield, MO)
2013:
Finnie Helmuth, The Humidour Cigar Shoppe (Cockeysville, MD)
Curt Diebel, Diebel’s Sportsmens Gallery (Kansas City, MO)
Gary Pech, Old Virginia Tobacco (Woodbridge, VA)
2014:
David Garafolo, Two Guys Smoke Shop (New Hampshire)
Gary Kolesaire, Tobacco Shop of Ridgewood (Ridgewood, NJ)
2015:
Jim Clark, Strauss Tobacconist (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Harris Saunders, Cigars and More (Birmingham, Alabama)
Appointed Merchant of the Year
2012 Tinder Box Waldorf (Waldorf, MD)
2013 Maxamar Cigar (Orange, CA)
2014 Tinder Box of Charlotte (Charlotte, NC)
2015 Tobacconist of Greenwich (Greenwich, CT)
Zino Davidoff Legacy Award
2012 Diana Silvius, UpDown Cigars (Chicago, IL)
2013 David Berkebile, Georgetown Tobacco
2014 Curt Diebel, Diebel’s Sportsmens Gallery (Kansas City, MO)
2015 Keith Rumbo, Club Humidor (San Antonio, TX)
