NEWARK, New Jersey -- The Jimenez family, led by their matriarch Nelda Pozo-Jimenez, has carried on the famous Cuban tradition of cigar rolling in the heart of Newark, New Jersey for over thirty years. For the Jimenezes, cigar rolling isn't just part of their Cuban tradition. It is also a part of their family history.
"My parents came to Newark in 1968 from the prosecution in Cuba and started a small cigar factory in Columbia Street here in Newark, NJ. But this tradition has been passed on through generations for over one hundred years," said Ricardo Pozo.
The two-story establishment serves as the cigar rolling headquarter of Jimenez Tobacco and also as a speakeasy, where clients can enjoy handcrafted cocktails and hand-rolled cigars hand-picked by Mrs. Pozo-Jimenez herself.