Cigar store owner hopeful about future trade with Cuba

Cigar store owner hopeful about future trade with Cuba
Posted: Jul 15, 2015 7:19 AM
Updated: Jul 15, 2015 1:29 PM
By Lisa GresciCONNECT


As the United States starts to rebuild a relationship with Cuba, and
more and more people are allowed to travel there, some local business
owners wonder what this could mean for the future, and can't believe how
far the relationship has come so fast.

"Well a year ago I would have said to you, it may take a long, long,
long, long time," Nick Goebel said.

Now, Goebel, the owner of Nick's Cigar world, no longer feels trade with
Cuba is impossible.

"I'm not so much on that train of thought, I'm thinking things are
happening fast, and they might just keep on happening fast," Goebel
explained.

With a huge percentage of his customers seeing Cuba, Goebel says a lot
of people have been expecting Cuban cigars.

"Every single day somebody asks me about Cuban cigars," he added.

Workers at the shop say more than ten people asked that question on
Tuesday, and Goebel thinks any organized and permitted trip to Cuba,
whether it be for the chamber, a church group, or school trip, could
move prospective partnerships along.

"As far as the Chamber taking people down there, or church groups, you
know that's all things that will help get the trade embargo lifted,"
Goebel said.

As of now, some could travel to Cuba by request for business,
educational, or family reasons, and Goebel admits, he too has been
thinking about it.

"I'm part-owner in a cigar manufacturing company, and I have talked to
our president, and said how soon do you want to make that trip to Cuba
to try to find a factory down there?" Goebel explained.

Goebel knows he's not the only one thinking that way, especially in the
cigar business, but remains hopeful it could someday be a reality.

"If it keeps up at that pace, I wouldn't be surprised if the president
asked Congress to lift the trade embargo," Goebel said.

The trip for chamber members is planned for November while CCU's
basketball team will be heading there in just a couple of weeks in August.
As for the hope to someday trade with the country, Goebel says it's hard
to say when that next step would come, but hopes it could be just months.

"There will be a frenzy to try and get Cuban cigars, and cigar stores
are going to want to get their hands on them, customers are going to
want to get their hands on them, there's going to be a shortage for
years to come that's why I say, I'll probably run that dog for two years
maybe three or four," he said.

Source: Cigar store owner hopeful about future trade with Cuba -
WMBFNews.com, Myrtle Beach/Florence SC, Weather -
http://www.wmbfnews.com/story/29550159/cigar-store-owner-hopeful-about-future-trade-with-cuba