Week in Smoke – TGT Edition posted on February 9th, 2012
Cigar Shop Review: Philadelphia, PA – Holts Cigar Company
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Name of Shop: Holts Cigar Company
Date Visited: 09/14/09
Street Address: 1522 Walnut Street
City: Philadelphia
State: Pennsylvania
Zip: 19102
Phone Number: 215-732-8500
Hours of Operation:
- Monday thru Friday: 9:00am – 8:00pm EST
- Saturday: 10am – 6pm EST
- Closed Sundays
Website: http://www.holts.com
Location: Exceptional
Holts Cigar Company has a magnificent location in the heart of Center City Philadelphia. They chose a perfect location to setup their business because of streets surrounding the shop. They’re highly trafficked and full of business people. Not only do business workers go there, but college students get to their center city location just as easily via public transportation. It’s easy to access, easy to find, and perfect for the cigar enthusiast and the likes.
Staff: Exceptional
Staff members of Holts Cigar Company are required to be knowledgeable. The moment I walk in their store and see a staff worker lighting up a stogie, I breathe a sigh of confidence. I’ve been in a few shops where workers don’t know a punch cut from a straight scissor cut. Holt’s employee’s are beyond polite and are extremely friendly. The moment you walk into their place of business, they ask if they can assist you with anything. If they don’t have something you’re looking for, they can order it for you. If you purchase a humidor from them, not only will they walk you through the lineup and help you find the one that fits you best, but after purchasing it, they give you information regarding how to get it started and maintained. If you ever have any questions, they give you their business card and are willing to assist you via phone if necessary. They’re very courteous and respectful individuals. I can’t recommend this shop enough simply because of their staff.
Stock: Above Average
The cigar selection at Holts is pretty impeccable. They carry a very wide array of cigars as well as pipe tobaccos, lighters, cutters, etc. All of their cigars are stored in the large walk-in humidor room in the back of the store and I have never seen any signs of cigars being kept in poor condition. All of their cigar collection is top-notch and appears to be very well maintained. Pricing-wise, you get what you pay for. Despite the store being a physical location and you’re walking out with the products you purchase, you expect to pay a bit more than the stores online counterparts, however it’s very reasonable and definitely worth the money. There’s one other local store called “Black Cat Cigar” that from my experiences, is extremely lackluster and a joke in comparison to Holt’s. Holt’s prices seem to be very reasonable and fair in the appropriate range for a cigar shop located in Center City Philadelphia.
Lounge: Above Average
The lounge at Holts is located in the room behind the walk-in humidor. They offer a smaller cigar lounge that has a few couches and is relatively comfortable. There are always people in the lounge and they all seem relatively friendly from my experiences. The lounge itself is clean and certainly well kept. I love that I can walk right into the store while smoking a stogie and head straight back to the lounge without worry or hassle. Maybe purchase a few cigars after I’m done and get an awesome customer service experience each time.
Overall Opinion: Exceptional
I have always been thrilled to shop at Holt’s Cigar Company. They’re incredibly friendly and polite to all of their customers. Whether you need to pick up one cigar for a friend’s birthday or want to purchase ten boxes, Holt’s is willing to accommodate your visit and will help you as much as humanly possible to ensure your shopping experience goes smoothly. Staff members at Holts are just so reminiscent of family members that it’s difficult to really not strike up a conversation with them and really have a magnificent experience while at the shop. I highly recommend that if you’re ever in the Philly area you check them out and at least stop in and say hello to the staff. Holt’s is the cigar shop I visit on a regular basis and will continue to be the shop I visit.
Holt’s is fantastic. I work in Center City and I frequently go into Holt’s to get a recommendation on something new, pick up a deal on a box on special, or just walk through to see what’s up. I also purchased my first humidor from them, which was a great experience. The employees are extremely friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. I would recommend Holt’s to anyone for their stogie needs.
Overall, I agree – Holts is one of the best B&M’s anywhere. They have exceptional selection & service (Rarities and HTF’s at MSRP, custom sticks from excellent manufacturers & an incredible & seperate Pipe section at the front of the shop).. My input would be this: Anticipate spending $20+ on parking – there is none; second – I think it’s unethical to trash another local B&M while reviewing. I’m not a fan of Black Cat, but I found it unneccessary to talk bad about them. Lastly – I hope you’re account of the service is factual- It certainly hasn’t always been that way.
Thanks for posting my review, Walt!
Also, ‘Anon(ymous),’ I didn’t mean to specifically ‘trash’ another B&M in my review. I was just making a comparison judged from my experiences visiting both stores. I didn’t mean to offend anyone in writing my review. I just wished to inform the public regarding my personal experience of visiting both B&M’s. One of which is awesome, and the other, in my experience, is just lacking. It’s like comparing a Johnson & Johnson to another, less reputable, company that just doesn’t seem to be all that together.
Again, I apologize if I offended anyone in my review. However I do thank you for reading it with an open-mind.
Holt’s rocks and I don’t know what I will do when I leave Philly soon! Although the prices may be a little higher than the online retailers I only go on Tuesdays and Fridays, Buy 4 get 1 free days (for most cigars, the exceptions being Opus, Anejo, and fancy Padrons). Pretty well evens out the cost. And yes, it sucks there is no parking, but either you’re visiting and staying downtown anyway but there is always public transportation (the subways can be exciting, to say the least, but the trains from the suburbs are nice and clean). And, at the risk of getting people more worked up, I must share a Black Cat moment… I used to go there occasionally about 2 years ago to support a shop that felt more like my father’s cigar store, but one afternoon I (very kindly, I must add) let one of the staff (not Sam) know there was some nasty looking mold on multiple cigars in one of their many humidors. These were good and expensive sticks too; Ashton VSGs and a couple others around $10 a pop. He informed me that it was just a little surface fuzz and, had I been smoking longer I would have known that. First, it was green mold that was DEFINITELY no good and, second, although I have only been smoking a few years, I spend far too much free time reading and research all topics cigar related. When I think of someone buying those sticks after the mold was wiped/scrubbed off, putting them in their humidor (undoubtedly next to other great cigars they have been saving) and smoking those mold riddled cigars it makes me sad and sick. So, I have never gone there again. Maybe it is better these days, but I have a hell of a collection of cigars patiently aging under pristine conditions and I refuse to risk introducing a cigar that has ever had mold on it. I treat my lovelies well and they reward me equally well!
Holt’s is the Saks Fifth Avenue of cigar stores. I’ve been to cigar shops in PA and De and they are the best. You walk into an aromatic diplay room with marble flooring and accessories such as ST Dupont, fine humidors, fountain pens (Mont Blanc moved to King of Prussia), lighters, pipes and other little toys for the customers.
The salesmen are very helpful. So helpful to the point that I finally bought a $1000 ST Dupont Ligne 2 paladium Chinese Lacquer lighter and an ST Dupont leather travel humidor. The next room is a celebration of vitolas neatly stacked to the ceiling. Handmade heaven is what comes to mind. The seasoned aficionado as well as Nicky New Guy all meet in one place to experience the joy of selecting these expertly crafted products. Behind this colorful room is a lounge equipped with a coffee maker and sofas on which to enjoy a cigar, chat, document a new cigar in your journal or whatever. If you can’t make it in center city Philadelphia there is another Holt’s in the North East near the Franklin Mills mall. The prices are the best.