J.C. Newman Cigar Company opened its doors so long ago that Grover Cleveland was president.
More than a century later and it’s still going strong, but its success is in jeopardy thanks to the U.S. government.
“If they’re fully implemented, they make it impossible for this factory, Tampa’s last cigar factory, to stay in business,” said Eric Newman, one of the owners.
Owners want the factory in Ybor City to be exempt from a new Food and Drug Administration regulation.
The factory would have to re-label products and guarantee that the unique blend of each cigar is uniform.
That would cost the company, which employs 135 people, millions of dollars each year, Newman said.
Congressional leaders are going to bat for the industry as well as the factory.
“And it’s unjust for them to be singled out, the small businesses. Just unjust. It’s unfair. It’s wrong,” said Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, during a speech on the Senate floor Thursday.
Employees like cigar maker Carrie Fisher know her livelihood is up in the air until the government decides what to do.
“I hope everything works in our favor, but we’ll have to just wait and see,” she said.
At last check, the government was taking a second look at a possible exemption for premium cigars.
