Premium Cigar Association: Tell us about the business.
Steve Hendrick, owner: The Ol’ Havana Cigar Lounge is the only indoor cigar smoking lounge and cigar shop in the Prescott, Arizona, area. Our walk-in humidor is stocked with the finest handmade cigars, including Padrón, Oliva, My Father, Montecristo and many more of our customers’ favorites. The comfortable and well-ventilated lounge creates a casual yet elegant environment for the good people who relax and unwind here with their friends, or in blissful solitude.
The welcoming community of the premium cigar industry was most helpful as we constructed, decorated and stocked Ol’ Havana (olhavanacigars.com).
Why join the PCA? What do you hope to get out of your PCA membership?
It has always amazed me how proponents and even cigar brand competitors have come together to create a welcoming fellowship, united to benefit the industry. The PCA is common ground where the industry can rally the cause.
What’s the best piece of advice you received from someone about your store?
Make sure your walk-in humidor remains stocked with cigars your customers prefer and want to buy. It’s not a cigar museum. Don’t restock the slow sellers. Make more room for the ones that fly off the shelves.
Did you attend this year’s PCA Trade Show? What were your impressions?
I attended the PCA show in New Orleans this year and was very pleased with the quality of the cigar manufacturers’ displays and the valuable information made available to everyone who attended. This is not just a “grab a free cigar” event, but a chance to speak directly to the famous founders and boutique cigarmakers who are rapidly rising in popularity.
What’s been your biggest challenge with the business and how did you address it?
Getting the word out that you have something special to offer is key. However, you must keep an eye on the effectiveness—the return-on-investment—of advertising. We’ve found that newspaper and radio ads are a flash in the pan, gone in an instant. Customers searching for you have the best advertising device in their pockets. Google, Yelp, Instagram and other web-based media is our friend.
If you had to give a piece of advice to someone in the business, what would it be?
Research before you invest. Frequently visit the places where cigar smokers gather and where they currently buy. Create a business plan that entices these buyers to you. What makes your business more attractive than the others? High overhead and payroll expenses are profit killers.
This story first appeared in PCA The Magazine, Volume 2, 2026. To receive a copy of this magazine, you must be a current PCA member. Join or renew today.