Clearwater Cigar Company

Ask anyone in Clearwater who takes their cigars seriously and Clearwater Cigar Company comes up fast. It's a little shop tucked into a strip mall, but don't let the size fool you. Walk into the cigar room and you'll find a wall of humidors keeping everything in top shape, with a selection that runs from all the named brands folks look for, including Fuente, to local hand-rolled sticks you won't find just anywhere. There's a bargain bin too, and regulars will tell you the owner's picks out of it have surprised more than a few people who came in expecting little.

The heart of this place is Pete. Locals who shop here talk about him like family, and that's not an exaggeration. He's always around, always happy to talk, and he has a knack for matching people to the right smoke. One longtime regular credits him with finding the cigar he's been enjoying for three years running.

New to cigars or a seasoned hand, you get the same welcome and the same honest recommendation. Someone visiting from out of town who wandered in off a map search left saying he'd be back next trip. The lounge and the chairs out front are a big part of the draw. People pull up, light one, and settle in for an hour of easy conversation with whoever else happens to be around.

The word around Clearwater is that the crowd is friendly and the atmosphere unpretentious, more about camaraderie than showing off. Prices are fair, the service is personal, and folks come back for both. This is one of the highest-regarded cigar shops in the Clearwater area, and it earns that reputation the old-fashioned way. If you're after cigars in Clearwater, Florida, ask for Pete and give yourself time to stay a while.