IPCPR Announces New Washington, D.C. Headquarters

The International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR) announced on Wednesday that it will be moving into a new Washington, D.C. headquarters this summer.

In a press release, Finnie Helmuth, IPCPR’s President and a retailer from Cockeysville, Md., said “to best serve our membership and the entire industry, IPCPR’s leadership decided that a headquarters in our nation’s capitol is the right move, at the right time. We are excited about what this means for our members and the work of the association.”

The new headquarters will be located in a three-story commercial townhouse in the Northeast section of the city located in the Capitol Hill Historic District. “Having a presence in DC not only gives us greater access to legislators and policy makers, it sends the right message that IPCPR is serious about representing the rights of retailers, consumers and manufacturers” said Craig Cass, a retailer from Charlotte, N.C., and the chair of IPCPR’s Federal Legislative Committee in a statement. “With the location on Capitol Hill, we have a great opportunity to host congressional events and engage lawmakers on behalf of the premium cigar industry,” he added.

The IPCPR had been looking at both the rental and for-purchase markets in Washington, DC and Northern Virginia.

“As a manufacturer, I am thrilled that IPCPR is locating its headquarters in Washington, DC. I think we all know that Federal legislative and regulatory challenges will be part of our industry going forward. It’s important for IPCPR to be on the front lines,” said Jim Young, President of Davidoff North America in the press release.

The IPCPR currently has employees in five states with headquarters in Columbus, Ga.

Mark Pursell, IPCPR’s CEO praised the move for bringing the association’s staff into one location while allowing the organization to create greater focus on all of its services as well as the larger industry, while also bringing them to the area where most of the country’s trade groups are located for advocacy reasons. “It is also important to note the benefits of the concentration of association related services and professional talent in D.C.; both are critical to a successful association,” he said.

John Anderson, IPCPR’s Treasurer and a D.C. area retailer was active in the property search and acquisition. Anderson said that it was a long search, “but our patience paid off with a great location,” adding that it’s a short walk from the Senate office buildings and Union Station.

The space will undergo an interior remodel to provide space for meetings and fundraisers before the IPCPR formally moves in over the summer.

Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury, the G-League's Valley Suns, and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for Major League Baseball, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.