Less than two years after the opening of its new Davidoff flagship store on 6th Avenue in New York the company added another one, this time on Liberty Street in the Downtown area. With the new Freedom Tower overlooking its operation, the store has had a good first year. “Sales have been increasing every month, and we’ve gone from 15 to 130 regulars who come in and smoke on a daily or weekly basis,” says boutique manager Rodolfo Perez.
Photo: Simon Lundh
One of the best features of the store is the lounge. “It’s the biggest cigar lounge in the US. It holds 49 people seated and 72 standing. When we had our grand opening in April we opened up the doors and got a permit to smoke outside. We had 330 people here that night.” The top sellers among the customers are the Avo lines and the newest Davidoff addition, Yamasá. “It’s been selling really well since it was introduced two months ago,” Perez continues. “Besides that, every Davidoff store has a cigar exclusively made for it, and ours, the Davidoff Downtown, is also a top seller.”
The store is located in an upscale mall right next to the Hudson River, which has its perks in the summertime. “We opened up here because it’s a neighborhood with a lot of business. We get people from Wall Street, construction workers and police officers coming in. In summer sales went up but there was nobody in the lounge. They were out smoking by the water.”
The proximity to the river is something Perez wants to take advantage of even more next year. “We were too late applying this year, but we want to organize a yearly yacht party. We also do semi-weekly events, like ladies’ night, something for the regulars or even events especially for law enforcement. It’s a way of showing our appreciation for what they do, and give back a little.”
