New Orleans is a cigar town, and visitors can easily find numerous venues for obtaining premium tobacco products, and a restful stop for enjoying a smoke. We have covered some of those locations in these pages.
One tobacconist to which visitors should give attention without fail is Mayan Import Company, which offers, in two area locations, full service for cigar lovers, including a large inventory of cigars and accessories, spacious lounge facilities, and pipes as well. Whether in the historic New Orleans Garden District at 3000 Magazine Street, or at 3540 18th Street in Metairie, you can find not only what you’re shopping for at Mayan, you can also expect a warm welcome from an attentive and well-trained staff.
Owned and operated by New Orleans native Marjorie Patel—since 2015 a Certified Retail Tobacconist via Tobacconist University—Mayan Import Company is a haven of calm in the midst of urban clamor. And it has been justly rewarded with a loyal following locally as well as frequent return visits among tourists. Patel says, “For most of the year, our foot traffic is pretty steady. It slows a bit during the heat of the summer, and then we always see an increase between Thanksgiving and May.” The Magazine Street store is a tourist mecca, while the Metairie location is frequented more regularly by locals. (Mayan offers lockers in Metairie.)
Besides featuring humidor space representing more than 65 cigar manufacturers (“We have the two largest walk-in humidors in the New Orleans metro area,” says Patel), Mayan Import sells ashtrays, lighters, humidors and cutters—“pretty much all smoking accessories at both locations,” Patel points out. This includes all things pipe, we hasten to add. Patel says, “We offer a variety of pipes in different brands from the most economical to the most luxurious. We carry a variety of bulk tobaccos—over 60 varieties in aromatics and English—and a variety of tin tobaccos, rotating our selection with around 40 different tins. And we sell pipe accessories.” The New Orleans Pipe Club meets once a month at Mayan’s Metairie location.
Patel regards attention to the wants and needs of the customer as paramount in her company’s success, and she trains employees to focus on that value. “We have new hires shadow multiple-seasoned employees their first week at both locations. The second week, we have seasoned employees offer support, as the new hire runs the show at their primary place of employment. During these two weeks, we educate them on tobacco products, customer service, use of the POS system and daily operations. They are soon able to become familiar with customers and inventory, and are prepared to go on their own after training is finished.”
As for advice that Patel would offer other merchants: “Customer service is key. You have to have a knowledgeable staff that can facilitate a welcoming environment. And staying on top of current trends is also important to being successful. Look for ways to keep things new and exciting. You have to be hands-on with your business and really watch your inventory control. And you have to hire a staff that you are willing to trust and is capable of running the business as well.”
General manager Loren Provence says she has worked at Mayan for six years now, and has been general manager for four. “What I love about our stores is that we really strive to have an inclusive, welcoming environment for anyone and everyone who comes through the door. We want people to feel appreciated, comfortable and at home, whether they’re just popping in to buy a stick or they’re smoking in one of the lounges all day. I love the culture that’s been built here over the years and I genuinely and truly love my job!”
Mayan customer Monique Butler offers high praise. “From the very first time I visited Mayan it has always made me feel as though I’m visiting family. Mayan has the best cigar selection in New Orleans, guaranteed to have something for anyone who crosses the threshold. I have met a lot of friends when I was visiting Mayan, and some of them I’ve come to think of as family. Whether it’s Happy Hour, customer appreciation, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, or just any other Tuesday, Mayan is a guaranteed great time, with awesome people and an even better owner and staff.”
Patel has some warm words of appreciation for the Premium Cigar Association as well. “My first Trade Show was in Nashville when it was RTDA,” she says. “I have been attending the show every year since then, and it is great to have the show returning to New Orleans. PCA lobbies for our rights and sends out notices to everyone, which helps with the fight against federal regulations. It also provides a time for all manufacturers and brick and mortars to come together and meet as a community. I always look forward to the Trade Show and the showcasing of new products at the show each year. I also look forward to meeting old friends in the industry that you don’t get to see on a regular basis. So I would say that PCA membership is a must if you want to be successful in this business.”
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Contact Mayan Import Company at mayanimport.com or by calling 504-269-9000.
– Photography courtesy of Mayan Imports. Story by William C. Nelson.
This story first appeared in PCA26 Attendee Guide. To receive a copy of this publication, you must be a current PCA member. Join or renew today at premiumcigars.org/membership.