J.C. Newman’s Iconic El Reloj Factory Survives Hurricane Milton with Minor Damage
Hurricane Milton, the most severe storm to hit Tampa, Florida in over a century, made landfall just south of the city last night. Despite the storm’s intensity, the 114-year-old El Reloj cigar factory, owned by J.C. Newman, sustained only minor damage. The factory, located in the heart of Tampa’s historic “Cigar City,” experienced some leaks and is currently without power, but it is expected to reopen soon. The company plans to resume cigar rolling and shipping tomorrow, pending the restoration of electrical service.
Drew Newman, a fourth-generation owner of J.C. Newman, expressed his relief over the factory’s survival. “The last time a major hurricane struck Tampa was in 1921,” said Newman. “Our iconic El Reloj factory withstood that storm, and I’m relieved to say it has weathered Hurricane Milton as well. We had some leaks and minor water damage, which is not unusual for a 90,000-square-foot, century-old brick building. We are incredibly grateful to our security team, who stayed at the factory during the storm to safeguard the building, cigars, and tobacco.”
During the evacuation, Drew Newman turned to social media for creative inspiration, crowdsourcing ideas for a new cigar named “HURRICANE.” He had previously registered the name after evacuating for Hurricane Idalia the year before. “I thought ‘HURRICANE’ would be a great name for a cigar, so I trademarked it,” Newman explained. “Since I hadn’t yet finalized the concept, I asked our followers for suggestions while evacuating yesterday, and I received hundreds of great ideas. Once we reopen, I’ll start working on this new cigar, which we aim to release at the start of next year’s hurricane season on June 1.”
In addition to El Reloj, the Sanchez y Haya building across the street also survived Hurricane Milton. The Newmans are currently restoring the 114-year-old structure, which is set to reopen in 2026 as a luxury inn with an upscale restaurant and cigar lounge. This development will further enhance the experience for cigar enthusiasts visiting Tampa’s historic cigar district.
