Staff

The Story

TOM AND YOUR NEW FRIENDS ARE WAITNG FOR YOU AT
THE LITE UM UP CIGARS LOUNGE

THE JOURNEY BEGINS

A DECORATED US ARMY VETERAN

A hardscrabble road at the foot of the mountains of western Honduras splits the fields. On one side there are acres of white cheese cloth held up in peaks by wooden poles to protect the delicate shade-grown plants. Across the road, carefully laid rows of young tobacco plants stretch out toward the gentle upslope of the mountains. Along the rows, workers carefully nurture these plants. The rainy season is coming, so the crop will have another season to mature in the rich, loamy soil.

For Tom Burns, walking in this field is another step on a journey that began on a road named Hardscrabble in the Northeast corner of Richland County, South Carolina. After more than a year of planning and building a customer base from his home, Tom opened the Lite Um Up Cigars Lounge in April 2008. A decorated U.S. Army veteran, Tom’s vision for the business was to create a welcome escape from everyday life for cigars aficionados. With a long bar, several tables, overstuffed chairs and a walk-in humidor, customers soon christened the lounge the “Man Cave.” The name stuck and the legend was born.

BAND OF BROTHERS

A TRIBUTE TO A FALLEN FRIEND

Creating his own line of cigars was not, however, just a business decision. Tom wanted to find a fitting memorial for a close friend and comrade-in-arms who was killed in Iraq. That is why the Man Cave brand carries a message that simply says “A Band of Brothers,” Tom’s tribute to a fallen friend.

So, Tom headed to Honduras. He carefully selected the wrappers, binders and fillers for his own line of unique, high quality cigars that he contracted with the Patel organization to produce. The process from field to finished cigars puts together the best of the centuries-old craft of cigar making with state-of-the-art quality control standards. The result is a medium-bodied Corojo, a full-bodied Sumatra, a mild-to-medium-bodied Habano, and a medium-to-full-bodied Maduro. The Man Cave brand of cigars, which come in a variety of sizes, debuted to rave reviews and robust sales.

TOM AND YOUR NEW FRIENDS

ARE WAITNG FOR YOU AT THE LITE UM UP CIGARS LOUNGE

The Man Cave brand successfully captures the Lite Um Up Cigars Lounge experience. With their complex flavors, unique subtleties, and classic craftsmanship, the only thing that could make them better is enjoying them with Tom and your new friends at the place that gave them their name.