J.C. Newman Opens Cigar Workers Park
Cigar workers were the foundation that helped build the Florida city of Ybor, and a few generations ago the city once produced more than 400 million cigars annually. On Tuesday, J.C. Newman Cigar Co.—the last major cigar company that still makes cigars in Ybor City—cut the ribbon on Cigar Workers Park, dedicated to the hundreds of thousands of people who have worked in the area’s cigar industry since 1886.
The park is located across the street from J.C. Newman’s cigar factory and corporate headquarters in Ybor, which is a part of Tampa. It’s a regal, red building known as El Reloj.
“It takes a tremendous amount of skill and dedication to roll cigars,” says Drew Newman, the fourth generation of Newmans to own the company. “Rarely does anyone who enjoys a cigar get to see and thank the people who roll them. By dedicating this park to the cigar workers of Tampa, my family and I want to show our appreciation for their tireless work in making Tampa famous as the ‘Fine Cigar Capital of the World’ and ‘Cigar City.’ By building a small park, my family and I hope that we can show the connection between cigars and nature, and improve our neighborhood for residents, visitors, and our wonderful staff.”
Newman, who wore a sweatshirt with the words “Cigar City,” cut the ceremonial ribbon opening the park. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor was also in attendance, along with Newman’s uncle Bobby, who is also one of the owners of J.C. Newman.
The park has interesting elements of cigar history. The pavilion was made using wood taken from a tobacco barn in Quincy, Florida, owned by Oliva Tobacco Co., a major tobacco grower and broker that is headquartered in Tampa. Planks from the barn were also used to make the park’s distinctive fountain, which is illuminated in blue at night. Some of the bricks used in the project were reclaimed from the 1800s. It also features several native trees and plants, and houses that are home to a colony of thousands of bats.
Cigar Workers Park was designed by Rowe Architects, Conner Landscape Architects, and Common Bond Design, and was built by Specialized Services Group. It is free and open to the public from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., seven days a week. The park is, of course, cigar friendly. “After taking a tour of our factory, exploring our cigar museum, and taking a cigar-rolling class,” says Newman, “our new park is a perfect place for visitors to relax and enjoy a J.C. Newman cigar.”
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