A little bit of history: United Cigar Stores Company of America

[El Presidente]

 

The United Cigar Stores Company of America was once the largest chain of cigar stores in the United States and played a significant role in the tobacco retail industry during the early 20th century.

Origins and Growth

The company was founded in the late 19th century, around 1901, as a retail outlet for cigars and other tobacco products. It rapidly expanded, adopting a chain-store model that allowed for standardized pricing and marketing, which was a relatively new retail concept at the time.

By the 1920s, United Cigar Stores had grown to become the largest cigar retailer in the country, with thousands of locations in major cities. The stores were known for their distinctive storefronts, often featuring a red and gold color scheme, and for their promotional tactics, such as offering trading stamps and discount deals to attract customers.

Diversification and United Cigar-Whelan Stores

During its peak, the company diversified its offerings beyond just cigars. It started selling magazines, candy, and even some pharmaceuticals, making it an early example of what would later become the modern convenience store.

By the 1920s, the company had also expanded into drugstores by acquiring and partnering with the Whelan Drug Company, forming United Cigar-Whelan Stores. This venture laid the groundwork for some of the major pharmacy chains that would emerge later in the century.

Stock Market Boom and Crash

United Cigar Stores became part of a holding company called Tobacco Products Corporation, which controlled various tobacco-related businesses. However, the 1929 stock market crash and the Great Depression severely impacted the company’s finances. Overexpansion and excessive investment in real estate left it vulnerable when consumer spending declined sharply.

Decline and Transformation

By the 1930s, the company began to struggle financially. It went through several reorganizations and, by the late 1930s, had largely dissolved as an independent entity. Some of its retail stores transitioned into Rexall drugstores and other pharmacy brands.

One of its major successors was Philip Morris, which acquired many of its assets and continued operations in the tobacco industry.

Legacy

United Cigar Stores was one of the first large-scale retail chains in the U.S., influencing how tobacco and convenience products were marketed and sold. Although it disappeared as a brand, its business model set the stage for the growth of chain convenience stores and drugstores.

 

 

 

[Lamboinee]

There's a brand/distributor called United Cigars that still exists. It has the same logo (a "seal" with red and white stripes and the name "United" at the top). Wonder if they are related?