A good one-dollar cigar
July 13th, 2009
Sometimes an old man waits on customers behind the counter at Hermanos Petrides, a cigar store on Calle Uruguay between the Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas and Calle Bolívar. He has a weathered countenance and an extremely patient manner toward the uninformed customer. He is almost old enough to remember the era when Thomas Riley Marshall, vice president to Woodrow Wilson, summed up the U.S.’s woes and said, “What this country needs is a good five-cent cigar.”
The old man’s sons most frequently take care of the customers these days, with equal grace. I don’t smoke, but this is where I steer people from the U.S. who want to buy legitimate Cuban cigars. I also suggest — as the old man suggested to me, when I was buying Cubans for friends in New York — that they try Mexican cigars from San Andrés Tuxtla, Veracruz. They only cost a dollar or two, and my cigar-smoking friends tell me they are as good as stogies that generally cost five or ten times as much.
6 Responses to “A good one-dollar cigar”
By Michael Warshauer on Jul 13, 2009
David, I know this shop! It’s a cherished relic.
It’s also close to Paza Computacíon which is not a relic, but an unattractive labyrinth; still, worth a visit.
It’s also close to Centro Castellano, a Spanish restaurant we enjoyed in the 90′s, and the famed Restaurante El Danubio.
I have said that one could pass 5 days in México on Calle Rep. de Uruguay without leaving. But have your hotel somewhere else less frenetic.
When I was there in late January, an old man about 90+ years old helped to wait on me.Has he since died, or was that one of the older sons?
I prefer the San Andrés puros, envueltos oscuros.
Los Hermanos Petrides are very good in customer attention.
Saludos,
Don Cuevas
By Michael Warshauer on Jul 13, 2009
Yes; I meant to write “Plaza”.
Caan you enable a “Preview” function?
Gracias.
DC
By Bob Mrotek on Jul 13, 2009
David,
¡Aguas! Technically it is illegal for an American to purchase or be in possession of Cuban cigars
By shelora on Jul 13, 2009
If you’re in the state of Veracruz, you can tour the cigar making factory in San Andres Tuxtla. Wonderful aroma
By Michael Dickson on Jul 14, 2009
Thanks for this info. I haven´t smoked a cigar in ages, but I´m heading to this place. I´ll go the Veracruz stogie route.
By Don Cuevas on Mar 7, 2010
I went last Saturday to Hmnos Petrides, where there is now a sign, superseding the old one, that calls the shop, “El Paraiso Del Fumador”
Inside, I was greeted by a younger man and his most attractive lady assistant, both taking intermittent puffs on their puros.
The Señor in charge told me that the Hermanos Petrides are no longer involved in the business, being either retired or deceased. (That is, if I understood him correctly.
I was graciously allowed to take several photos of the puros and the antique cigar boxes, which you can see, beginning here: http://tinyurl.com/y8u327g
I purchased several of my favorite Robusto Maduros, and a Selecto Especial (?) of which I have so far enjoyed two. They are, for a cigar smoker, excellent value.
Saludos,
Don Cuevas