The District Magazine Vol. 2 Issue 3, Fall 2017 | Page 38

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 37 Michael comes from a long line of cigar makers and aficionados. He is a fifth-generation Floridian, fourth generation Tampa born, who has inherited a long history of blending his Tampa background with Ybor City's rich heritage of fine cigars. After all, Tampa is the "Cigar City." Mike Cincunegui President, Long Ash Cigars www.thelongashcigars.com In the late 1800's, Michael's great, great grandparents came from Cuba and Spain to work in the cigar factories, which at the time located in Key West, Florida. In the 1800's, the cigar factories were destroyed by a series of hurricanes, fires and a labor strike. The famous cigar industry magnet, Vicente Martinez Ybor, decided to relocate his cigar factories to Ybor City, Florida, he felt the region was less susceptible to hurricanes. Michael's great-grandparents, Manuel and Aurora Cermeno, and Manuel and Josephina Fabregas Gonzalez, all worked in Tampa's historic cigar factories. In the 1940's, Michael's great-grandfather, Manuel Cermeno, opened up a buckeye on 7th Avenue in Ybor City, called Chinchal Habanero. That buckeye cigar shop employed seven cigar makers and a sales clerk and provided income to Manuel Cermeno's family. Chinchal Habanero was in business about seven years when it closed due to the demise of cigars in general and the boom in cigarette popularity during the 1950's. Today Michael and his mother Sandra Cincunegui own and operate Long Ash Cigars. Sandra has plenty of experience in the cigar industry, having worked at cigar shops for some years. She also worked as a greeter in Ybor City, going shop to shop and restaurant to restaurant, as a goodwill ambassador for Ybor City's Chamber of Commerce. “Cleve” Cleland Ayison CEO, Blackjack, www.theeblackjack.com How did you become involved in the clothing business? Fashion has always been a part of my life. I grew up in a Household with my mom being a fashion designer and a seamstress and I got a lot of that from her. I started designing at the age of 8years old and 37 years later had an opportunity to get involved with urban body clothing where I was a General Manager and ended up buying the business. What is your favorite quote? “Success is not an Epic achievement or a destination, but rather a lifestyle rewarded you by the universe for solving problems.” - Cleland Ayison What would the closest person in your life say if we asked them, what is the one characteristic that they totally dig about you, and the one that drives them insane? He is the most positive person I have ever known. And for what drives them crazy, it will be my obsession with my opinion and mentality. What are your top five attributes to success? I always avoid people with no goals because they cost time, which is very expensive. I spend one hour a day studying an industry that is on my list for investment and I try to learn everything I need to know about that industry. I listen to very successful people and their views on life and take notes. 38 38