Tabacalera USA has named Steve Lochan its new General Manager for its Casa de Montecristo retail premium cigar stores. Lohan succeeds Rob Maneson, who was named CEO of Tabacalera USA’s JR Cigar division back in March. In his new role, Lochan will report directly to  Javier Estades, head of Tabacalera USA.

“Steve, along with the Casa de Montecristo team, will lead the exciting expansion plan and development of the Casa de Montecristo retail stores,” commented Lochan in a press release.

Lochan comes from outside of Tabacalera. He brings over 18 years of sales and management experience. Most recently, he served as vice president of operations, strategy and execution at Toys “R” Us. In that role, he led store operations across 875 locations focusing on the strategy and tactics involving brand building, pricing, specialty retail communications and mentoring and developing managers, among other responsibilities.

Tabacalera USA operates eleven stores in its Casa de Montecristo program. This includes a mix of stores owned directly by Casa de Montecristo as well as licensed-based partnerships with some of the top established premium cigar retailers in the U.S.A. As per Tabacalera USA, the Casa de Montecristo designation is awarded to “premium cigar stores and lounges that exemplify the luxury, quality and lifestyle that have been associated with the Montecristo brand.”  The eleven stores include:

– Casa de Montecristo Chicago
– Casa de Montecristo by Smoke Inn (Boynton Beach, Fla.)
– Casa de Montecristo by Prime Cigar & Whiskey Bar (Miami)
– Casa de Montecristo by Cigar Inn at 2nd Avenue (New York City)
– Casa de Montecristo by Cigar Inn at 73rd Street (New York City)
– Casa de Montecristo Dallas
– Casa de Montecristo Austin
– Casa de Montecristo Nashville
– Casa de Montecristo by Tampa Humidor
– Casa de Montecristo Washington, D.C.
– Casa de Montecristo by JR Cigar (Mooresville, N.C.)