Key West Cigar Factory

Key West Cigar Factory operates out of Unit C-21 at 1075 Duval Street, and its history stretches back further than almost any other cigar business in this directory. The company traces its founding to 1963 under Eleanor Walsh, making it, by its own account, the oldest cigar company associated with Key West still operating in some form today. The business ran continuously for nearly four decades before a fire in 2002 interrupted operations, a setback significant enough that the brand effectively went dormant for several years afterward.

The company was revived in 2006 by Dave Uhlman and Stan Hirschman, initially rebuilding the business as an online retailer rather than reopening a full walk-in storefront right away. In 2018, ownership changed again when David and Leslie Bevens, who also own Cork and Stogie, a Key West wine and cigar bar, acquired the brand, bringing it under the umbrella of an operation with existing ties to the local cigar and spirits retail scene.

Because of that history, with a period of primarily online operation following the 2002 fire, it is worth noting that the current retail presence at 1075 Duval Street may combine walk-in shopping with continued online sales, and visitors specifically hoping for a full walk-in cigar lounge experience should confirm current in-person retail hours before making a special trip, since the business’s own materials emphasize online ordering availability around the clock alongside its physical address.

The 1075 Duval Street address places the shop toward the southern end of the main commercial stretch, in a retail unit rather than a standalone storefront, which is common for smaller specialty retailers along this part of the road. Given the brand’s six decade plus history, even with the interruption after the 2002 fire, Key West Cigar Factory carries a genuine claim to being part of Key West’s original cigar manufacturing legacy, a trade that once employed thousands of workers across the island in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries before the industry largely relocated to Tampa.

With a published phone number, working website, and active social media accounts, Key West Cigar Factory is easier to research ahead of a visit than several of the other cigar shops in this directory. Even so, confirming current walk-in retail hours directly before visiting is worthwhile given the brand’s history of operating with a significant online sales component. Visitors specifically interested in Key West’s cigar manufacturing history may find the brand’s own account of its founding, fire, and revival worth reading before a visit, since it adds useful context that a quick walk-in stop alone would not convey.