Patrick Lagreid

17 hours ago | halfwheel.com | Patrick Lagreid

It looks like cigars sold in Indiana will be getting more expensive this summer, as the legislature has proposed raising both the tax rate and the tax cap on premium cigars as part of its upcoming budget bill. Currently, the cigar tax rate in Indiana is 24 percent of the wholesale price, with the tax capped at $1 per cigar. The legislature is proposing to increase that rate to 30 percent of the wholesale price and raise the cap to a maximum of $3 per cigar.

18 hours ago | halfwheel.com | Patrick Lagreid

If you’ve ever asked me for recommendations about what to do during a visit to Tampa, Fla., and in particular the Ybor City neighborhood, you’ve undoubtedly heard me recommend a visit to Tabanero Cigars. During my first visit many years ago, there were cigars being made at the store, with a fairly small portion of the retail space dedicated to cigar production, so you can see how a cigar is made.

1 day ago | halfwheel.com | Patrick Lagreid

It doesn’t seem like it was all that long ago that I stopped into the La Palina booth and there was a crew of artists custom painting Nike Air Force 1s as a sales incentive for retailers. Turns out it was just 2023—the last year I was at the show—so this year’s version of the booth was, by comparison, a lot quieter.

1 day ago | halfwheel.com | Patrick Lagreid

I’ve been covering Vector-KGM for several years now, and for the most part, the company’s booth layout and its new products for the trade show have been pretty consistent. The illuminated display stands are fairly new, but the basic concept has been the same: lots of display areas with both the company’s new products on display as well as its existing portfolio.

2 days ago | halfwheel.com | Patrick Lagreid

Beyond the usual questions of “how are you?” and “what’s new?” the most commonly asked question I get asked at the PCA Convention & Trade Show has to do with what I have seen that impresses me. It’s a tough question for me to answer, mainly because I don’t see the whole show floor and all of the offerings, and because I’m never quite sure just what impresses someone.