Episode 119

Green Bay: Home to Lovely Cigars and the Packers | Box Press Ep. 119

Green Bay isn't just about football. Now this is some wild card—an upstart cigar company outta Green Bay, Wisconsin! Learn about Green Bay's rich history of cigar making that's been revived by the Lovely Cigars, a midwestern artisan cigar brand.

Boveda's Drew Emmer talks cigars and Green Bay with two of Lovely's owners, Keith Archiquette and Dylan Masse, who along with Mike Gehm developed the Elegante X2 Ain't They Lovely stick and the No. 162, which is an homage cigar to union workers. Lovely Cigars are hand rolled in Nicaraguan.

What is Boveda? Large and small cigars brands protect their blends with Boveda 2-way humidity control—that brown pack that you find in the box with your cigars. Boveda preserves the flavor and character of premium cigars by keeping them at ideal humidity. At home, continue to use Boveda in your humidor to keep cigars well-humidified or they can be hard to light, burn to too fast or get moldy. With Boveda in your humidor, you'll enjoy full flavor and perfect smoke from every cigar.

Get more cigar tips and news from Boveda emails: https://hubs.la/Q01BLsBF0

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/

X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/BovedaInc

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bovedainc/?..

00:00 Never risk your cigars, use Boveda

00:30 This is Box Press

03:50 Lovely Cigars brought an old cigar brand back to life

04:19 The Green Bay cigar brand is available in 14 states

04:27 What's the Elegante X2 Ain't They Lovely like?

06:10 Cigar company was created sitting at a picnic table and smoking cigars with friends

07:16 Give us a good draw because we don't want to work to smoke a cigar

09:29 Shout out to Stogies on Grand, cigar shop in St. Paul, Minnesota

10:28 No. 162 Cigar named after UA 162, United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry, which started in Green Bay

12:17 Boveda encourages upstart cigar brands

14:52 We're selling the history of U.S. cigar making

16:05 Growing tobacco in Wisconsin

16:38 When in town, the visit Neville Public Museum to learn more about Wisconsin cigar making

Transcript
Speaker:

(upbeat lively music)

2

:

- There's a story inside every smoke shop,

3

:

with every cigar and with every person.

4

:

Come be a part of the

cigar lifestyle at Boveda.

5

:

This is Box Press.

6

:

- Let's be honest.

7

:

When we met last night at the Bar LUCA

8

:

in the hotel where we're

all staying for the PCA

9

:

where this is this your

first experience at PCA?

10

:

- No, I was here a long time ago.

11

:

We came last year just to network.

12

:

This is our first year exhibiting.

13

:

- Okay.

14

:

So go around and tell us who you are

15

:

and then we're gonna get into the story

16

:

of what you told me last night about

17

:

this upstart cigar company

outta Green Bay, Wisconsin.

18

:

- Sure, start us off?

19

:

- Yeah, my name's Keith Archiquette.

20

:

What, I mean, what would you like to know?

21

:

- So we don't have to get super deep.

22

:

So what do you, what, what's

your role with Lovely,

23

:

or how did you get

involved with this group?

24

:

- We are all three owners.

25

:

The operation as it stands

right now is a three-

26

:

ownership operation and one salesperson.

27

:

We got involved just

because we had an idea

28

:

and we all have individual skill sets

29

:

in our professional

lives coming into Lovely.

30

:

And what I do for Lovely

31

:

as the same thing I do

professionally is I'm a

32

:

media and content creator and I-

33

:

- That's why you're so attracted

34

:

to Matt [Adams] and his technology.

35

:

- The setup here is very,

yeah, it's very good.

36

:

I do local, local commercials

37

:

in the Green Bay, Wisconsin, area.

38

:

I also graphic design in the

Green Bay, Wisconsin, area,

39

:

do websites,

40

:

voiceover work, just the

whole gamut of media.

41

:

So yes, that is what I bring to the table

42

:

for Lovely as well as a salesperson.

43

:

- That's awesome, Dylan

[Masse], what's your story?

44

:

- So, I've got a background

in private aviation.

45

:

I own a company that I

don't know if you know

46

:

what a FBO is? A fixed-base

operator. Essentially

47

:

we handle private jets,

that type of thing.

48

:

So I've got experience running a business,

49

:

managing people, that type of stuff,

50

:

making sure things get

done, A to B, you know,

51

:

keep these two in line,

52

:

you know, that type of stuff.

53

:

- His nine-to-five definitely spills over

54

:

into his secondary.

55

:

So a little bit more behind the scenes.

56

:

The three of us, we're all

friends, well beforehand,

57

:

we all love cigars.

58

:

You know, we'd smoke cigars

a few times a year together.

59

:

And, you know, it was

just one of those things

60

:

where it kind of made sense.

61

:

You know, our business

meetings don't feel like work.

62

:

We just, it's just getting

together with a couple friends.

63

:

I look forward to them,

honestly, you know,

64

:

a little break from the

wife and kid, you know, but-

65

:

- That sounds fun.

66

:

So we've got the creative

side, the technical side.

67

:

We've got the operations side.

68

:

And Mike [Gehm], tell

us about what you do.

69

:

- Bring it home.

70

:

- Bring it home, all right.

71

:

So I used to, I had opened a

cigar shop up in Green Bay,

72

:

16, 17 years ago.

73

:

And that's kind of where

I really found the passion

74

:

and the drive to be part of the industry.

75

:

I got out of the cigar shop,

76

:

just was going in a different

direction than I didn't want

77

:

to be in, but always had the idea

78

:

of bringing a brand to life.

79

:

You know, love the history

of our area, love all

80

:

of the different things that,

81

:

you know, this industry brings.

82

:

So to me it's just, it's

a fascinating industry.

83

:

And, you know, a few years

after leaving the cigar shop,

84

:

it was like, all right, we had this idea

85

:

and wanted to explore it.

86

:

And we were talking, you know, all three

87

:

of us were really talking about this

88

:

and found this old brand and

was like, you know, what could

89

:

we do to-

90

:

- So that's the Lovely brand.

91

:

And it dates back to-

92

:

- Late 1800s.

93

:

18, we have a box in our booth

94

:

that's like 1886, I think.

95

:

It's a little hard to

read, because the, I mean,

96

:

it's 125 years old or so.

97

:

- So you launched your,

this is your first release

98

:

and this was last year?

99

:

- In August, September of last year

100

:

is when we started selling.

101

:

- So '23, '22.

102

:

- Yes.

103

:

- Okay, how's it going?

104

:

- It's going great, we're

in what, 30 some odd shops-

105

:

- As of last night, 14

states and 33 shops.

106

:

- That's awesome.

107

:

- In nine-ish months of having product.

108

:

- Yeah, that's awesome, good.

109

:

So we, I'm just lighting up

110

:

for the first time this Lovely cigar.

111

:

Tell me about this particular cigar.

112

:

What's it made of and the

story behind this release.

113

:

- So it's a Ecuadorian Habano wrapper,

114

:

San Andrés Mexican binder,

115

:

all Nicaraguan fillers from Jalapa

116

:

Condega, Estelí, and Ometepe.

117

:

So we originally, you know, we weren't

118

:

like overly concerned with like, we need

119

:

to have this tobacco, or we

need to have this tobacco.

120

:

It was more like, we want to

have a really good experience

121

:

for the end user.

122

:

So, you know, we said to

Carlos [Sanchez] at Tacasa,

123

:

we're like,

124

:

Hey, this is what we're looking for.

125

:

We want to have a complex,

nuanced cigar, something

126

:

that's going to keep people,

you know, interested,

127

:

but we don't want something

128

:

that's gonna burn out your palate.

129

:

So that was really what we started with.

130

:

We said, we like Nicaraguan

tobacco, so start there.

131

:

And you, we were gonna

go out there pre-COVID.

132

:

We had flights booked, COVID hit,

133

:

and like, we're like, oh, we can still go.

134

:

And then that was like two days

135

:

before they canceled the flights.

136

:

So no, we didn't go.

137

:

- Almost got stuck in Nicaragua.

138

:

- We almost got stuck in Nicaragua,

139

:

which would've been just awful.

140

:

But, you know, so we went back

and forth with the samples

141

:

and, you know, we had to go

through that entire process

142

:

until we finally landed on the cigar.

143

:

And it was like the next

day we're like, I just want

144

:

to smoke another one of those cigars.

145

:

So it wasn't necessarily like, we need

146

:

to have X amount of

Ligero, so on and so forth.

147

:

You know, it was more like,

what's the full experience

148

:

that we want to give to people.

149

:

- I remember when we, so

the idea of the, of a cigar,

150

:

I mean, making a cigar line,

151

:

I think in the industry it

sounds like everyone does that,

152

:

but like in Green Bay,

Wisconsin, if you say,

153

:

I wanna start a business, and

that's kind of what it was.

154

:

It was sitting at a picnic

table, having a cigar.

155

:

We were six feet apart at the time even.

156

:

and I proposed, I'm like,

157

:

this year I wanna start another business,

158

:

another just another revenue

stream for my family.

159

:

Mike goes, you know,

160

:

I've been thinking about getting

back in the cigar industry.

161

:

And then he goes, we

should get a cigar line.

162

:

And that just sounds like,

as I say it out loud,

163

:

and maybe this is from

just where I'm from,

164

:

but when you say, yeah,

let's start a cigar company.

165

:

Like that just sounds like a ridiculous-

166

:

- Pipe dream?

167

:

- Pipe it's a dreamer's dream.

168

:

- No pun intended.

169

:

- It's a dreamer's dream.

170

:

And so, and we were doing

this in COVID, right?

171

:

So when you say we just wanna,

172

:

we wanna land on an experience.

173

:

It's very true.

174

:

Me, Mike and Dylan smoke,

175

:

we prefer different cigars,

vastly different cigars.

176

:

And so I remember writing

down, I remember Mike said,

177

:

let's write down what we want in a cigar.

178

:

and where I was at in my cigar journey

179

:

at that time, I was like, well, I want one

180

:

that the draw is perfect.

181

:

Like I work really hard,

like my nine-to-five,

182

:

I work really hard.

183

:

- This is a great draw.

184

:

- And I don't wanna work

when I have a cigar.

185

:

I want it to be a smoke factory,

186

:

which you can see as I say that-

187

:

- Yeah, big mouth full of smoke.

188

:

- Smoke's coming up.

189

:

And I want pepper in the head.

190

:

And so I wrote those

191

:

and as a couple years later now,

192

:

and we have product and it's selling.

193

:

I tell people that

194

:

because I made the cigar I wanted, right?

195

:

And Mike had different stipulations.

196

:

Dylan had different ones.

197

:

And so we were working in COVID back

198

:

and forth with factories

down in Nicaragua,

199

:

a couple different factories

sending us samples.

200

:

Try this, I think I landed it here and me,

201

:

and we would just be sitting

there on with the dossier

202

:

and be like, no, you did

not land it with like,

203

:

there was some where we were just like,

204

:

ah, no, I can't do that. .

205

:

- Yeah I mean, it's a fine

art to land on something.

206

:

- And it's not because of a lack of skill.

207

:

Our craftsmanship on the factory's hands,

208

:

it's just, we were looking for something

209

:

that checked the box for all of us.

210

:

And if one of us was

like, I don't know, ugh.

211

:

So when we had this, when

we finally landed months

212

:

and months after sending

samples in, saying,

213

:

we like this on this one,

we like that on that one.

214

:

Can we, after doing that,

215

:

and we got this one, the Elegante,

216

:

it was only labeled X2.

217

:

Right?

218

:

So that's why we called the Elegante X2,

219

:

the Ain't They Lovely, we landed on it.

220

:

I remember smoking it,

221

:

and we were just sitting

back and it was silent.

222

:

And it was the first time it was silent

223

:

when we were trying recipes.

224

:

We looked over and I'm like,

225

:

"There's nothing wrong

with this one, is there?"

226

:

No, and like Mike said, the next day,

227

:

I remember the text message being like,

228

:

I want another X2.

229

:

Like, that's the one and we knew-

230

:

- That was all I wanted was-

231

:

- We knew that because we landed on that,

232

:

we were onto something.

233

:

And I say onto something

234

:

because again, vastly different likes

235

:

in cigars, vastly different.

236

:

My go-to is vastly different

than the other ones.

237

:

But somehow we stumbled upon one

238

:

that checked the box for everyone.

239

:

And I think that that

is a lot more difficult

240

:

as everyone has their preferences.

241

:

A lot more difficult

than you just said, yeah,

242

:

we got a blend we liked and it was good.

243

:

We move forward.

244

:

- Yeah, this is really accessible.

245

:

I'm, I was talking last

night to Mark [Williams],

246

:

a gentleman that the

proprietor of Stogies on Grand

247

:

in St. Paul, and I mentioned

248

:

that I had run into you in the lobby

249

:

of the hotel and we got talking.

250

:

- I saw him right before

you or right after you.

251

:

- But his comment to me was, he goes,

252

:

I'm getting hit up by

cigar reps, distributors

253

:

on a daily basis that

come in and spend time

254

:

in his store and manage an assortment.

255

:

And you have one cigar,

256

:

and this quest to stand up a company

257

:

and to sustain through the development

258

:

of the company to a point

where you have a product,

259

:

you've fabricated a cigar that

260

:

is really accessible

261

:

and people are, I'm presuming

262

:

you're getting great

feedback on the cigar.

263

:

It is a "Lovely" cigar.

264

:

It's the Ele-

265

:

- Elegante X2.

266

:

- Elegante X2.

267

:

It's their first release

from August of:

268

:

What's next?

269

:

Will there be another cigar?

270

:

- So we're actually releasing our

271

:

second line here at the show.

272

:

I know, crazy.

273

:

- Tune in tomorrow.

274

:

(group laughs)

275

:

- It's very similar.

276

:

I shouldn't say very similar,

277

:

but it's, it has the same similar profile.

278

:

So we still have an

Ecuadorian Habano wrapper,

279

:

we have a Sumatran binder.

280

:

It's still all Nicaraguan fillers,

281

:

but they're changed up a little bit.

282

:

So you're gonna get a lot

of the same experience,

283

:

but there's gonna be a

distinct different flavor.

284

:

And that's gonna be more of our core line.

285

:

- We don't wanna depart too far

286

:

and have somebody try both of our cigars

287

:

and get confused about what we're doing.

288

:

- Same size?

289

:

- No, so this is a 6x52.

290

:

We have a Churchill coming out, 6.5x48,

291

:

A Robusto 5x50, and

then a Corona 5 5/8x46.

292

:

- So at the end of the day,

293

:

you'll have four cigars-

294

:

- Four facings.

295

:

- Four facings.

296

:

- So we have four facings, but cigar three

297

:

and four are already completed

298

:

and becoming ready for deployment.

299

:

So this time next year

we'll have a lot more.

300

:

- So you've overcome the one-hit wonder?

301

:

- Yes.

302

:

- Well, I mean, the idea

was really like, all right,

303

:

so like we talked about,

you know, how do we do this?

304

:

How do we start getting in the industry?

305

:

And I had some contacts from, you know,

306

:

being, you know, owner of a shop.

307

:

And that's kinda how we started.

308

:

And it was like, so what do we do?

309

:

So we thought, let's start small.

310

:

Let's just see if we can get

311

:

some legs under this thing.

312

:

- Let's see if we can just do it.

313

:

- Yeah, can we do it?

314

:

How hard is it gonna be?

315

:

And if it's successful,

316

:

then we're going to go and, you know,

317

:

our plan was like, where we're at today,

318

:

we thought we would be in two years,

319

:

and it's only been nine months or so.

320

:

- Well, and it's obvious

that you're having fun.

321

:

- Absolutely.

322

:

And it's obvious that your

bond between these friends,

323

:

this history that you have together,

324

:

the expertise that you

each bring to the table.

325

:

I mean, it's fun, I was

talking to you last night about

326

:

why we get so excited about new cigar

327

:

labels, new cigar brands.

328

:

It's because we were new once.

329

:

Our owners 26 years ago,

they weren't in the show,

330

:

whatever it was called at the time,

331

:

whatever acronym it was called at the

332

:

time, they weren't inside.

333

:

They were standing outside

with their backpacks

334

:

with these samples that they

had made of this new technology

335

:

2-way precise humidity control.

336

:

And they were asking people

that were walking in the door,

337

:

are you a buyer or are you a seller?

338

:

And that's where the relationships began.

339

:

And the Fuentes took them seriously

340

:

on the first conversation

and developed a relationship.

341

:

And they were, they have

consistently packed a number

342

:

of their lines with the what's

now called a Boveda pack.

343

:

It was called the Humidipak at the time.

344

:

So we love the upstart story.

345

:

We love the trying to get

involved and be helpful

346

:

in the beginning.

347

:

So I'm sure there's a group

348

:

of salespeople on the

other side of this wall

349

:

that are gonna want to talk

to you about the container

350

:

that we have in Nicaragua

351

:

and the packs that are

available to put in your boxes.

352

:

And give you a chance to

try those and test those

353

:

and see if it appeals to you.

354

:

We'd love to keep these babies fresh

355

:

because when they get to Las Vegas

356

:

or wherever they end up going,

they're subject to a lot

357

:

of stress with the

fluctuations in the humidity

358

:

and the temperature

and the jostling about.

359

:

So we want to deliver the

best quality product we can

360

:

to the end consumer.

361

:

I know you guys want to too, so,

362

:

that's my sales pitch.

363

:

- And it's a good one.

364

:

And like I told you, prior

to us pressing record,

365

:

I cannot even think of this,

366

:

of the cigar industry

without you guys, you know,

367

:

you are a staple within this large room,

368

:

but with, I mean, it's impossible for me

369

:

to see this cigar

industry now without you.

370

:

- Well, thank you.

371

:

- It's a incredible honor

372

:

and a privilege to have a

minute to speak with you.

373

:

- Yeah, and it's a privilege

for us to get you on our

374

:

socials and we'll give you some snippets

375

:

that you can use on your social,

376

:

hopefully help you promote your brand.

377

:

- And I think like, if

we're gonna do like we're

378

:

segment by segment, I think

it really is important

379

:

that people understand

that our brand is a,

380

:

we aren't just a cigar company.

381

:

Like, and that's weird to say, like,

382

:

well, what else are you selling?

383

:

We're selling history.

384

:

Our company, and people

don't realize this about

385

:

Green Bay, Wisconsin, almost everyone,

386

:

you say Green Bay, you say

Green Bay Packers got it.

387

:

And that's it.

388

:

- Yeah.

389

:

- He brings up the Green

Bay Packers, he's dealing

390

:

with a Minnesota-based company.

391

:

- It's, well, hey, it is what it is.

392

:

You know, it's cheese, right.

393

:

You know, Wisconsin's all about cheese.

394

:

- Oh, yeah.

395

:

- You know that we're a

big manufacturer of paper.

396

:

- How many championships, yeah.

397

:

- But here, people don't realize that

398

:

before all of those things,

before the Green Bay Packers,

399

:

from 1921, before the cheese was prevalent

400

:

in the Dairy State, before paper,

401

:

we were making paper companies

402

:

and biggest paper

distributor in the world,

403

:

Green Bay was actually built

on the backs of tobacco.

404

:

And no one realizes it.

405

:

- I never knew that.

406

:

- No one knows that, right?

407

:

So I love my city,

408

:

I love the 920, I love the dirt I'm on.

409

:

My cigar's an ode, it's

a love letter to my city.

410

:

Now, how are we such

tobacconists back then, right?

411

:

We have a river called the Fox River,

412

:

and that connects to Lake Michigan,

413

:

which all the lakes connect

414

:

and they'll get you all the

way out to the Atlantic Ocean.

415

:

So sailors would come to Green Bay,

416

:

they would dock momentarily,

they'd refill on a handful

417

:

of things, some toiletries, some liquor

418

:

and cigars/tobacco.

419

:

Before Wisconsin was known

as a Cranberry State.

420

:

People don't realize that,

that we are the largest

421

:

cranberry state.

422

:

There were tobacco fields.

423

:

Now this, could you say this,

this was made the:

424

:

Right, the Ain't They Lovely?

425

:

Well, there were so many

brands in the:

426

:

1900s, just rolling

427

:

and selling to the sailors

that came in just for a minute

428

:

to load up and send up.

429

:

Now, when the Depression

hit, Cuban embargo hit,

430

:

when shipping became a

little less prominent

431

:

to get your products to-and-fro,

432

:

the tobacco industry in Green Bay kind

433

:

of just dwindled away

and disappeared, poof.

434

:

But our museum, the

Neville Museum in Green Bay

435

:

has so much history on the rollers,

436

:

The brands in Green Bay.

437

:

And we were doing this, you

know, we all just were like,

438

:

people gotta know that,

that's American history.

439

:

That's not history for

our city that we love,

440

:

but that's American history.

441

:

So our second line

that's coming out, well,

442

:

the Ain't They Lovely was sold

443

:

in the 1800s, 1900s.

444

:

We have a box from the original

ones back then, our next

445

:

line's called the Number 162.

446

:

Now, other people don't

also know that there was

447

:

Union workers.

448

:

- Union number-

449

:

- Union number 162, which became one

450

:

of the biggest unions in the country,

451

:

started in downtown Green Bay.

452

:

And they started as cigar rollers.

453

:

So we, as an ode to that union that

454

:

made Green Bay, built Green Bay,

455

:

our everyday line's

gonna be called the 162.

456

:

And as we, as I keep saying every,

457

:

we have a third one and a

fourth, ready to deploy.

458

:

They're all based on old brands

459

:

that were rolled in the 1800s,

460

:

old brands that were rolled in the 1900s.

461

:

Cigars that were sold for a nickel.

462

:

You know, and as a person from Green Bay,

463

:

I love Green Bay, like you love,

464

:

- I am thoroughly convinced

that you love Green Bay.

465

:

- Right.

466

:

But, I we should take a

little bit of pride in where

467

:

we're from.

468

:

- Yeah, it's a great community.

469

:

So it's a new line that has

deep roots in the history

470

:

of the tobacco industry in Wisconsin.

471

:

It's Keith, it's Mike, and it's Dylan

472

:

from Lovely Cigars.

473

:

- And one of the biggest

things that I would like

474

:

to just say it, you know, it

sounds like we're wrapping up a

475

:

little, is, you know,

we really want to have

476

:

a good experience for people.

477

:

So we talk about, you

know, we want you to enjoy

478

:

where you are, enjoy who you're

with and enjoy every moment.

479

:

And that's really what it's about, right?

480

:

Being present in the moment

with the people you're with.

481

:

And cigars kind of level

that playing field.

482

:

So really that's what we

want to convey to people.

483

:

That's what we want people

484

:

to experience when they have our cigars.

485

:

- What a lovely idea.

486

:

- I mean, there you go.

487

:

- The company was was

built on a pipe dream

488

:

on a picnic table, right, with friends.

489

:

- Yeah it's awesome.

490

:

- So we want that experience of dream.

491

:

- Well, we're, I'm glad we're able

492

:

to capture this for history's sake.

493

:

We're getting connected to you

494

:

before the business explodes for you.

495

:

It's Lovely Cigars outta

Green Bay, Wisconsin.

496

:

It's Keith, Mike, and Dylan.

497

:

And I gotta tell you, for

a stick that I had not had,

498

:

I had, you gave me one

last night, which I gave

499

:

to Kate [Holste] and she loved it.

500

:

I'm happy to light this

up, it's very accessible.

501

:

It's a really delicious start.

502

:

I wish you guys the very best.

503

:

And if we can be helpful

to you, we're gonna try

504

:

to keep them fresh and

deliver like your passion.

505

:

We're all about helping

people enjoy their passions.

506

:

So keeping them fresh is a big deal,

507

:

especially when we're in Vegas

508

:

where it's 11% relative

humidity today and stuff.

509

:

I want to thank you all for joining us.

510

:

We're gonna look forward

511

:

to watching your story unfold.

512

:

(romantic music)

Next Episode All Episodes Previous Episode

About the Podcast

Show artwork for Box Press
Box Press

Listen for free