{Industry News} A Second La Casa del Habano Opens in St. Petersburg The newest La Casa del Habano international cigar franchise, located on Kuznechny Alley in St. d Petersburg, Russia, celebrated its grand opening on December 14, 2018. The new retail shop joins over 140 premium boutiques in the global La Casa del Habano network, and is the second store in the so-called “Capital of the North” and the third in Russia. Dimitir Sovolev, a great lover and admirer of Cuba, its culture and its Habanos, is
Max Zechbauer Tabakwaren Named Germany’s Habanos Specialist of the Year 2018 MÜNCHEN, GERMAN—At
the franchisee of the new location. The event gathered more than 60 guests, including the Ambassador of
the InterTabac 2018 Trade Fair in Dortmund, Max Zechbauer
Tabakwaren GmbH was named “Habanos Specialist of the Year 2018” for Germany by 5th Avenue Products Trading Gmbh, Habanos’ exclusive German distributor. The award was presented by Heinrich Villiger, 5th Avenue president, to Mirko Pettene, manager of Max Zechbauer Tabakwaren shop in Munich. Max Zechbauer Tabakwaren was founded in 1830 by Max Zechbauer as the first tobacconist to import cigars from Havana to Germany, transforming a small family business that began in 1795 with the grocery store whose products included chewing tobacco and snuff, developed into Germany’s first specialty shop for cigars. The flourishing family business subsequently opened a grocery store in the
the Republic of Cuba to the Russian Federation; Gerardo Peñalver Portal,
arcades of the Munich Hofgarten and was appointed official purveyor to the royal court
Cuban Ambassador in the Russian
in 1886, supplying the Vatican, the Russian Tsar court, and Europe’s royal houses.
Federation; Odalis Seijó García,
In 1911, Zechbauer acquired the house on Residenzstraße, which has since
vice president of the Chamber of
become known as the Zechbauer-Haus and which still houses the original shop. The
Commerce of Cuba; as well as the
company is still owned by the Zechbauer family, who continue the founder’s leg-
executives of Top Cigars Corporation—
acy with a keen sense of enjoyment and tradition. In 1998, Zechbauer Tabakwaren
exclusive distributor of Habanos for
became one of the first tobacconists to conduct retail sales on the Internet, and now
the Russian domestic market—Mikhail
offers over 500 tobacco products through its online store.
Smirnov and Alejandra Romero.
Zechbauer Tabakwaren regularly organizes tastings, promotions and other cigar
The evening also brought
enjoyment events. For a few weeks there is another cigar business operated by
together representatives of cigar
Zechbauer in the Munich Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten featuring a beautiful cigar lounge,
shops and clubs not only from St.
no small achievement in Bavaria, a state with a total ban on smoking.
Petersburg, but also from other cities in Russia. Guest were able to
> Top: 5th Avenue Marketing Manager Christoph Puszkar (left) and Sales Manager Ino Mühlmann (right) present the award “Habanos Specialist of the Year 2018” to Mirko Pettene, Managing Director of Max Zechbauer Tabakwaren, Munich. (Photo: Ina Fassbender)
TPI 4
Q4 2018
enjoy complimentary Romeo and Julieta Petit Royales.
