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Please click on the links below to view an announcement of particular interest:

Roanoke Tobacconist Celebrates 100-Year Roll (3/4/12)

Retail and real estate reporter for The Roanoke Times, Amanda Codispoti, wrote a very nice piece in her Retail Roundup segment about Milan Tobacconists' 100 years in business. We have reprinted the full interview here -> Retail Roundup Interview

City and State Resolutions Issued in Recognition/Celebration of Milan's 100 Years (2/16/12)

Please bear with us as we shout out the following news from our rooftop. We just learned that the Commonwealth of Virginia's General Assembly and our fair city of Roanoke have issued resolutions in recognition and celebration of Milan's 100 years in business. We couldn't be more honored and humbled by the acknowledgements. To paraphrase, the resolutions commend Milan Tobacconists on the occasion of its 100th anniversary as an expression of congratulations and admiration for the companys many contributions to the Roanoke Valley. To view the resolutions, please click on the links provided -> Virginia Joint Resolution ~ City of Roanoke Resolution (PDF, Pages 6-7)

An Evening with Jorge Padrón (9/30/10)

Last Tuesday night, Jorge Padrón strode into the store with nothing more than a great deal of charm and boxes of Padrón Family Reserve No. 46 cigars in tow. [It amazes us that Jorge still does EVERYTHING himself - event coordinator, salesperson, travel agent, etc.] Shortly thereafter, Padrón fans began to arrive, and Jorge spent the rest of the evening in the spotlight. The No. 46 cigars, on the other hand, disappeared immediately.

At one point when Jorge was addressing the crowded store, he shared a heartfelt story that caught us by surprise. About 20 years ago, Jorge entered the tobacco shop of Don and Myriam Roy in Coral Gables, FL, to introduce them to Padrón Family cigars. (Don is Renée Meyer's dad and Renée was working in his shop the day of Jorge's visit.) Don liked the cigars, appreciated the Padrón's commitment to quality, and was impressed by the young man, so he opened an account with Jorge. It turns out that Don was Jorge's very first account, and that held obvious significance for Jorge because he recounted the story of meeting Don and Renée like it was yesterday. Renée did not even realize she had met Jorge before Tuesday's event. The story told us a lot about Jorge Padrón...and Renée's memory (but that's a Roy family trait, so all is forgiven).

The feedback from event-goers keeps coming in and it has all been positive. Everyone really enjoyed meeting and spending time with Jorge, the camaraderie of other cigar smokers, and the chance to win some great door prizes. Speaking of which, both Patrick D. and Charles S. won a Padrón 1964 Anniversary Cigar Sampler containing one each of their "A", Torpedo, Exclusivo, Diplomatico, and Imperial cigars. John K. won a box of Padrón 2000 cigars, and John T. a XIKAR travel humidor. Other door prizes included an Italian leather cigar travel case, lighters, and cutters. Congratulations to all the winners!

Thanks to all who joined us for a fun time! For those who couldn't make it, we've added event photos below.



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An Evening with Don José 'Pepín' Garcia (7/26/10)

On Thursday evening, Don Pepín and his entourage arrived at Milan Tobacconists in Downtown Roanoke to spend time with his fans, and the turnout was spectacular. Numbering over a hundred, people waited patiently for the opportunity to speak with Pepín (through his translators Jose and John or directly if they were fortunate enough to know some Spanish) and have their picture taken with the cigar legend.

Even with the language barrier, it was obvious to anyone who spent even a little time with Pepín that he is a genuine, unassuming gentleman who has handled his success in the cigar industry with grace. We learned that 1) Pepín's favorite cigar is his son's Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial, 2) if you are walking around with an unlit cigar, he will magically appear with a lighter to fire it up, 3) he always looks good in pictures (we took zillions), and 4) he absolutely loves cigars, which, of course, came as no surprise.

Pepín's "brother from another mother" Rene was our master cigar roller for the evening, although Pepín did step in to make a couple of beautifully rolled cigars himself. Rene was trained in Cuba under Pepín's tutelage and has been rolling cigars for 48 years. John said Rene could make a cigar with his eyes closed, which seemed completely plausible to onlookers. Rene's artistry was spellbinding.

Door prizes included My Father Cigars t-shirts, lighters, and a cigar ashtray, but our grand prize winner Matt A. received a Savoy humidor signed by the cigar master himself!

Thanks to everyone who joined us for a memorable evening with Don Pepín Garcia and the My Father Cigars group!



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The Passing of a Local Dignitary - Joseph H. Milan, Jr. (5/21/10)

Joe Milan passed away on Tuesday at the age of 87, and he was laid to rest today.

From all accounts, Joe led a full, productive, and happy life. Wherever we saw Joe, he was laughing, joking, and giving out hugs and pats on the back. He was never without an entourage of family and friends.

Joe (at far right in picture) and two of his five brothers, Ellis and Herb, joined Milan Tobacconists (then Milan Brothers) in 1938, and ran the shop until 1994 when it was purchased by Don and Myriam Roy. We met Joe in 2000, about the time we purchased Milan Tobacconists from Don and Myriam. He was always supportive of the directions we took with Milan Tobacconists, including attendance at the grand opening of our relocated store and several subsequent events. He may not have stayed long, but his presence always caused a stir similar to that of an important dignitary entering the room. Upon reflection, Joe really was a dignitary in our small town.

Famous and infamous, witty, sarcastic, and charming, Joe Milan had a style all his own. Roanoke will never be the same without him. We offer our sincere condolences to Joe's family, and hope that they will find peace and comfort in the knowledge that he lived an amazing life.

 David and Renee Meyer



Private Club Aims to Keep Cigar Smoking Sociable - The Commonwealth Cigar Club Offers a Comfortable Setting for Tobacco Aficionados (5/10/10)

Duncan Adams, reporter for The Roanoke Times recently visited with David Meyer, co-owner of Milan Tobacconists, and Kelly Morrison, Milan's digital media manager, to learn about the Commonwealth Cigar Club, a members-only club in downtown Roanoke. The Commonwealth Cigar Club, brainchild of David and Renee Meyer, had just announced its official opening to new members. We have reprinted the full interview here -> Commonwealth Cigar Club Interview

An Afternoon with Erik Nording, Famous Danish Pipe Carver and Namesake of Rocky Patel's Nording Cigars (3/10/10)

It's 2:00 p.m. on a Tuesday, and fans await the arrival of famous Danish pipe carver Erik Nording. Right on time, and full of energy and enthusiasm, in he walks, one of the most personable, charming, and humble people you may ever have the pleasure of meeting. Our customers knew they were in for a treat, and so did we.

Erik introduced himself to each and every person in the store and chatted like old friends. In the meantime, his traveling companion Mark Rudacille of Rocky Patel Premium Cigars set up a display of Erik's hand carved pipes and Nording cigars at the tobacco bar. The oohs and aahs from those watching the pipes being taken from their cases drew everyone to the tobacco bar like magnets. (That, and the complimentary Nording cigars Mark was handing out.)

Between requests for autographs and questions from his in-store fans, we were able to squeeze in most of the questions submitted from those of you who were not able to join us. *Click here to read the interview!*







