The J.C. Newman Cigar Co. Museum & Factory is one of the most fascinating attractions in all of Ybor City. This museum, located in a building that goes back to 1910, is open to the public for free of charge and chronicles the development of the cigar industry in Tampa, FL area. The building has been refurbished elegantly.
In a city that was once home to more than 150 cigar factories, El Reloj is now the only one left in operation. The world’s largest cigar factory has seen better days, but those days are long gone. Take the 75-minute tour to learn more about cigar making and to see parts of the factory that are normally off-limits to visitors (additional fee). You’ll get to see the factory’s underground stairway, which was only recently uncovered, as part of this exclusive behind-the-scenes tour. Cigars are still made in the same factories using the same methods that have been in use for decades.
By the time it was completed in 1910, El Reloj had earned a reputation as the world’s largest and most prestigious cigar factory. Only one cigar factory, El Reloj, out of an estimated 150 in Tampa, is still operational. El Reloj is part of the Ybor City National Historic Landmark District, which is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Present-day travel to El Reloj is analogous to a stroll through history. The Newman family has been rolling cigars in El Reloj behind the same unmistakable red brick facade for almost a century, using the same time-honored, artisanal methods and hand-cranked, old technology.
During the week, El Reloj is open to the public from 9:00 AM until 5:30 PM; however, cigar rolling is suspended at 3:00 PM, so visitors are encouraged to come early. Free admission is offered to the J.C. Newman factory store, as well as the cigar museum, theater, rolling room, and theater. If you click the button below, you’ll be sent to a page where you can buy tickets for $15 for adults and $12 for seniors, students, and veterans to go on a guided tour of the factory.
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