Goodbye Nat Sherman

As the attached article states, Nat Sherman International will be out of business sometime next month. I have fond memories of being the company’s Regional Manager of New York State many year ago. They were a great family to work with. As a retailer, I was the first tobacconist the carry their premium cigars in my Long Island store.

Over the years their cigar offerings expanded appealing to virtually every smokers taste. The Host line became a barometer for mild, sweet cigars while the Timeless brand achieved high ratings for robust, complex medium to full bodied flavors.

We have been proud to offer their cigars on our site and will try to keep as many of them in stock as possible. If you’re a fan, you’d better stock up. While industry rumors are saying that Altria will attempt to find a buyer after the pandemic subsides, don’t hold your breath! Farewell to a great American Company.

Ninety years after it opened its door for the first time, it is closing down. Nat Sherman International Inc., which has been owned by cigarette giant Altria Group Inc. since 2017, will cease operations by the end of September, shutting down not only its midtown Manhattan cigar store but also its entire wholesale business.

The decision comes several months after Altria began looking for a potential buyer for the cigar subsidiary; the company announced it as considering the sale of Nat Sherman in October.

“We worked hard to successfully transition Nat Sherman International to a new home. The Covid-19 pandemic created new challenges that were unfortunately too big to overcome,” said Jessica Pierucki, general manager, managing director for Nat Sherman.

Premier cigars were never a part of the Altria story. While the company had cigars in its portfolio prior to the acquisition of Nat Sherman, it is a machine-made cigar operation (Black & Mild) that is far closer to its core cigarette business than to handmade cigars Back in October, Pierucki told Cigar Aficionado. “While we recognize the strength and values of the premium cigar business, it’s not core to Altria’s tobacco portfolio.”

Altria is one of the largest tobacco concerns in the world, with annual revenues of $25 billion. It acquired Nat Sherman in January 2017, buying it from the Nat Sherman family for undisclosed terms. Altria’s major interest in Nat Sherman was the company’s cigarette business, which began in the 1940s.

The Sherman cigarette division, which Altria separated from the cigar division after the acquisition, will remain in business.

The story dates back to 1930 when the first version of the store opened in Manhattan at 1400 Broadway. The current location at 12 East 42nd Street, marks the fourth location of the shop.

Nat Sherman International has 24 employees. The cigars store (now known as the Townhouse) is not owned by the company, and is leased. All of the company’s cigars (such as Timeless) are made under contract, so the company does not own a cigar factory.

Check out what we have left here!