Gaspar’s Cigar Shoppe on Westshore

To come into Gaspar’s Cigar Shoppe (3675 Westshore Blvd, Tampa – (813) 505-2499) is to walk into a place that feels like home. While many cigar bars have a “buy and leave” approach to the customer, Gaspar’s is more like a social club than simply a place to buy your favorite stogies.

Many months ago, I was invited to Gaspar’s by my friend John Keeler, a fellow Tampa Bay Miatas member and a long time cigar smoker. He is a member there, having his own locker (which anyone can buy, at a bargain price) and access to a friendly environment; with a large screen TV, comfortable seating and a table that is just as likely used for cards as it would be conversation.

Gaspar’s is a relatively small operation, being run by one of the most genuine and happy personalities I’ve ever met; Davelis “D.C.” Goutoufas. D.C. is the guy you’ll always see with a smile on his face. Not a care in the world, a friend to everyone and always welcoming to new people, even those who probably don’t look like they belong in a cigar bar (like myself). He’s always been very kind to me and everyone else who has come into his business. If nothing else, just meeting D.C. makes a trip to Gaspar’s worth doing.

Aside from the great atmosphere and the gracious host, Gaspar’s also has a great collection of cigars. Their inventory is updated regularly and is stocked with care. I’ve yet to look for a cigar brand that I didn’t find there. Whether you are looking for a heavy handed Maduro or something lighter or even flavored, Gaspars has what you are looking for.

I was invited by on Saturday for the Don Gonzalez Party. This featured the family behind D.G. Cigars, an up and comer in the Florida Cigar trade. Having tried both their robusto and the toro over the course of the last two days, I’d say they well earn their 90 ranking in Cigar Snob Magazine.

Their taste is rich and smooth, without the overpowering taste that occasionally comes from a heavier smoke. Along with the quality of their tobacco, their business is a family affair. Having met both the father and the sons, I was impressed with how dedicated they are to the business of cigars and how they welcome you as a member of their family.

While there are cigar companies out there who have come up from small family operations and stayed that way, many more simply turn into a business, churning out cigars in mass production and forget where they came from, and why their families have made cigars this way for generations. Don Gonzalez embraces this connectivity and you can see it in both how they operate and in the quality of their brand.

Uncategorized