Davidoff has announced the nominees for its fifth annual Golden Band Awards, a dinner and award show hosted during the IPCPR Convention & Trade Show.

The company has added one new award category bringing the total number of trophies to 10. In addition to some hardware, retailers that win the award are eligible to sell the Davidoff Golden Band Awards cigar.

While the company has not formally announced a date, the dinner typically takes place the second night of the trade show, which will be July 26.

Most awards are based on the sales performance of a store for the past year when it comes to Davidoff product. Only Davidoff appointed merchants are eligible for the award.

Now in its second year, Davidoff gives an award for the best performance of a new appointed merchant.

Nominees are:

  • Fogue & Bates (Tulsa, Okla.)
  • Franklin Cigar (Franklin, Tenn.)*
  • Smoker’s Haven (Columbus, Ohio)
  • Tobacco Grove (Maple Grove, Minn.)
  • ZT Cigars (Oklahoma City, Okla.)

Nominated for Best Merchandising, which is awarded to the retailer who “best meets the Davidoff brand merchandising expectations,” are:

  • Ambassador Fine Cigars (Scottsdale, Ariz.)**
  • Club Humidor (San Antonio, Texas)**
  • Franklin Cigar (Franklin, Tenn.)*
  • Just For Him (Springfield, Mo.)**
  • Tobacco Locker (Port Charlotte, Fla.)*

Nominated for Best Performance (Single Location), which is awarded to the retailer “with a single location that has the highest level of Davidoff brand purchases,” are:

  • Blend Bar Cigar (Indianapolis, Ind.)**
  • Hemingway’s (Palo Alto, Calif.)*
  • Maxamar Ultimate Cigars (Orange, Calif.)**
  • Regency Cigar Emporium (East Greenwich, R.I.)*
  • Tobacconist of Greenwich (Greenwich, Conn.)**

Nominated for Best Performance (Multiple Locations), which is awarded to the retailer with more than one location “that has the highest level of Davidoff brand purchases,” are:

  • Ambassador Fine Cigars (Scottsdale, Ariz.)**
  • Casa de Montecristo (Countryside, Ill.)**
  • Lone Wolf Cigar Co. (Los Angeles, Calif.)*
  • Humidor of Westmont (Westmont, Ill.)**
  • Serious Cigars (Houston, Texas)*

Nominated for the Davidoff Growth Awards (Single Location), which is awarded to the retailer with a single location “that has the largest percentage and dollar increase of Davidoff brand sales,” are:

  • Buckhead Cigar Club (Atlanta, Ga.)
  • Doc James Cigars & Golf (Shrub Oak, N.Y.)
  • Hemingway’s (Palo Alto, Calif.)*
  • Maxamar Ultimate Cigars (Orange, Calif.)**
  • Mission Wine & Spirits (Glendale, Calif.)

Nominated for the Davidoff Growth Award (Multiple Locations), which is awarded to the retailer with more than one location “that has the largest percentage and dollar increase of Davidoff brand sales,” are:

  • Ambassador Fine Cigars (Scottsdale, Ariz.)**
  • Lone Wolf Cigar Co. (Los Angeles, Calif.)*
  • Puff N Stuff (Decatur, Ga.)
  • Smoke Inn (Palm Beach, Fla.)*
  • Tinder Box Cigars (Charlotte, N.C.)**

Davidoff recognizes its “Appointed Merchant of the Year” as that who increases not only the amount of products purchased from Davidoff of Geneva, but also in regards to the percentage of the entire portfolio.

Nominees are:

  • Blend Bar Cigar (Indianapolis, Ind.)**
  • Doc James Cigars & Golf (Shrub Oak, N.Y.)
  • Hemingway’s (Palo Alto, Calif.)*
  • The Humidor Cigars and Lounge (Wichita, Kan)
  • Prime Cigar & Wine Bar (Boca Raton, Fla.)**

This year, Davidoff will also recognize “Depositaire of the Year”at the U.S. Golden Band Awards. This is an award for Canadian retailers.

The nominees are:

  • Cigar Connoisseurs (Vancouver, British Columbia)
  • Nottingham Cigars & Pipes (Sherwood Park, Alberta)
  • The Humidor Cigar Co Ltd. (Vaughan, Ontario)
  • Cigares Vasco (Montreal, Quebec)
  • Zigareen – A Simple Pleasure (Calgary, Alberta)

Two additional awards—the Industry Service Awards and the Zino Davidoff Legacy Award are awarded to individuals, Davidoff does not announce the nominees until the night of the Golden Band Awards.

Two retailers, Ambassador Fine Cigars and Hemingway’s are nominated for three awards. Five other retailers are nominated for two awards: Blend Bar Cigar, Doc James Cigars & Golf, Franklin Cigar, Lone Wolf Cigar Co. and Maxamar Ultimate Cigars.

Davidoff is the official sponsor of halfwheel's coverage of the 2016 IPCPR Convention & Trade Show.
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Charlie Minato

I am an editor and co-founder of halfwheel.com/Rueda Media, LLC. I previously co-founded and published TheCigarFeed, one of the two predecessors of halfwheel. I have written about the cigar industry for more than a decade, covering everything from product launches to regulation to M&A. In addition, I handle a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff here at halfwheel. I enjoy playing tennis, watching boxing, falling asleep to the Le Mans 24, wearing sweatshirts year-round and eating gyros. echte liebe.