Entry No. 25 — the Tampa file — filed under: cigar history
El Reloj Cigar Factory & Museum (J.C. Newman Cigar Co.)
Inside Tampa's last operating cigar factory built in 1910, three floors of museum space document over a century of cigar manufacturing. Visitors can view hand-cranked 1930s rolling machines, historic tobacco label art, and master rollers at work on the factory floor.
The story
In 1895, Julius Caesar Newman founded his cigar company, and by 1910, the company's massive red-brick flagship—El Reloj—was humming in Ybor City. Back when Tampa was churning out hundreds of millions of cigars a year, dozens of these industrial brick fortresses dominated the neighborhood. Today, El Reloj isn't a dead memorial or a gentrified condo building; it is the last operating cigar factory left standing in what was once the cigar capital of the world.
Inside, three floors of museum archives sit alongside a living, breathing manufacturing floor. The clattering you hear isn't a sound effect—it's 1930s hand-cranked rolling machines operating down on the floor while master rollers trim wrapper leaves by hand on the upper levels. Between the vintage tobacco label art and the dense aroma of aged leaf, the building functions less like a sterile museum and more like a surviving piece of industrial muscle that simply refused to turn off its engines.
What it's like
You will smell the cured tobacco before you step into the lobby. Take your time wandering through the three floors of historical displays, but make sure you prioritize watching the actual production floors in motion—watching 90-year-old hand-operated machinery roll cigars alongside third-floor hand-rollers is the real pull here. Because it's an active workplace, space on factory-floor tours is limited, so reserve your spot early and confirm operating hours before heading down 16th Street.
The move: Book a morning tour to observe 90-year-old hand-operated cigar machinery in motion before strolling the third-floor hand-rolling room.
- 📍 Ybor City, Tampa
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 2701 N 16th St, Tampa, FL 33605
Hours: Added 2026-07-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- The Cuban Club (El Círculo Cubano de Ybor) — Pair the industrial factory where the cigars were made with the 1917 mutual-aid hall built down the road to support the workers who made them.
- SpookEasy Lounge & The Catacombs — Follow up an afternoon of tobacco history with herbal elixirs served behind a hidden bookcase door in central Ybor.
- Dysfunctional Grace Art Co. — Trade living industrial history for vintage taxidermy and macabre oddities at this second-floor showroom.
Good to know
What makes El Reloj unique in Tampa?
Built in 1910, it is the last operating cigar factory remaining in Ybor City, run by J.C. Newman Cigar Co., America's oldest family-owned premium cigar maker.
What will I see inside the factory?
You will see three floors of exhibits, historic tobacco label art, 1930s hand-cranked rolling machinery, and master rollers producing cigars on the third floor.
Do I need tickets or reservations?
While you can visit the museum and store, taking a guided tour of the active factory floor requires booking in advance.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · visitflorida.com
last checked: 2026-07-21