With over four thousand members across Facebook and Instagram groups, a cigar shop, an annual event called The Brown Leaf Cigar Meet and Greet, and their own brand set to launch soon, Derrell and Chereese Brown extend their passion for premium cigars beyond their home and personal lives to share this pleasure with the world.
Their initial goal was to learn and share knowledge about cigars and arrange in-person smoking sessions. To achieve this, they created The Brown Leaf Cigars Facebook group in September 2018, now boasting over four thousand members, also active on Instagram.
Read in the magazine (rotate your device for a better reading experience):
Through this initiative embracing and promoting the culture and love surrounding premium cigars, they pay homage to the memory of Samuel Brown Jr., Derrell’s grandfather who ignited his passion for this industry.
By the summer of 2019, the group’s success was undeniable, and the need for in-person connections became urgent. Thus, they launched The Brown Leaf Cigar Meet and Greet, an event to bring together as many members of their virtual community as possible.
“We spend so much time on our phones that the ability to have a face-to-face conversation is being lost. That’s why we thought about gathering the group at an event where we could meet in person,” recalls Chereese.
On July 6, 2019, the Union Craft Brewing Company in Baltimore hosted thirty cigar enthusiasts who enjoyed cigars and drinks while the Browns ensured they spoke with each attendee.
Since its inception, the event has evolved through trial and error, initially rotating venues among different cigar lounges and debating whether to keep it free or sell tickets.
These experiences have refined The Brown Leaf Cigar Meet and Greet, now hosted in spacious green areas capable of accommodating the annual crowd, with an entrance fee that enriches the experience with tailored attractions chosen based on attendee preferences.
Brown Leaf Cigar
Beyond event organization, knowledge dissemination, and passion sharing, the Browns aimed to create a comprehensive footprint in the industry. Inspired by their experiences in various Cigar Lounges, they decided to open their own space.
Here, they explain, the traditional Meet and Greet expands into a weekend-long event from Friday to Sunday, featuring live music and appearances by both established and emerging figures in the community, offering attendees the opportunity to smoke and socialize.
They detail that the upcoming edition, scheduled for August 17 at The Farm in Woodstock, Maryland, will also mark the launch of the Brown Leaf Cigar brand, accompanied by the debut of their commercial website: www.brownleafcigar.com. Here, enthusiasts can purchase event tickets, apparel, accessories, and delve into the family’s history, complemented by a gallery and testimonials from past events.
For the Browns, it’s crucial that enthusiasts have a space that transcends a mere cigar shop, providing an ideal environment for smoking and fostering genuine relationships among individuals and communities.
Derrell and Chereese have enjoyed a twelve-year marriage, where their personal relationship remains paramount yet has never hindered their ability to build this solid and enjoyable business partnership, uniting a community of over four thousand members that continues to grow.
