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As we reflect on another unforgettable year, we’d like to take the opportunity to thank each and every one of you for your continued support. The success of Renegade Cigars is based on the relationships we’ve built over the years, and we know we would not be where we are without you, our loyal customers. Over the past year, we added staff, new brands, and welcomed great new customers into our community. Each day, we are beyond grateful for the opportunity to work with and for you. Our passion for helping our clients find amazing cigars and create new experiences remains strong.
Each year, I write an open letter to share with you in an attempt to pull back the curtains and provide a brief look back at the previous year’s wins and losses, as well as a look ahead to what we hope to accomplish in the coming twelve months.
Looking Back
Coming out of the challenging year that was 2020, we had no idea what to expect. We were eager to start building back our in-store experience and events, so we spent a lot of time during the early days of 2021 evaluating things and coming up with ways we could offer our customers an improved shopping experience while also catering to their various comfort levels. To our great benefit, customers came back to support us in a bigger way than ever before.
Releases: In 2021, we released a new series of limited cigars called NDA. The six-part series was well received and was an exciting way for us to deliver our customers well-aged cigars in a new format. The project was everything we could have hoped for: it was incredibly fun to work on, and it was also wildly successful.
Education: 2021 also saw the launch of our weekly educational email and blog. We believe that better educated customers are happier customers, and it seems that most everyone agrees. The feedback we’ve received from customers and industry contacts has been overwhelmingly positive. Our open rate on these email messages is nearly 50 percent—which, in case you didn’t know, is pretty high considering how clogged up some people’s inboxes get.
Changes: Over the past year, you may have noticed a slight refresh to the exterior of the building. You probably also noticed the addition of Nate, who was hired to fill a new full-time marketing/online sales role. However, the single biggest change we underwent may have been the connection of the new online platform with the new in-store POS system. While this wasn’t without a lot of hard work from the team (and a little patience from our customers), the new system allows us to foster better communication between ourselves and our customers, make more informed recommendations, and create an overall improved online user experience.
Awards and Accolades: Our hard work and commitment to customer service has been recognized on both the national level and in local media. Two highlights of 2021 include having Renegade featured in Tobacco Business Magazine and voted best cigar lounge in DFW by the Dallas Morning News. Thank you to everyone who voted!
The Year Ahead
While there’s much to be thankful for over the past year, we’ve got our eyes set firmly to the future, and we’re incredibly excited for what’s on the horizon. We have a lot of big things planned for 2022, and our first event takes place at the end of January as we host Christian Eiroa. As for what the rest of the year holds, you can expect larger events, more educational content, more store-exclusive cigars, and a few surprises that we’ve been keeping under wraps. We’re determined to keep pushing the envelope and providing our customers a world-class premium experience you can’t get anywhere else.
From The Staff
Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to earn your business. Your support and friendship is what makes Renegade special. The community that has developed around Renegade is stronger than ever, and we’re honored to be a small part of your lives. Whether you’re looking for a place to watch the game or knock out a few hours of work, we’ll be here with a comfortable chair, a clean ashtray, and a wide selection of cigars for you to enjoy.
A Look at the Retail Numbers
We’re constantly paying attention to the buying preferences of our customers, as well as evolving trends in the industry. As was the case in past years, our in-house exclusives were our customers’ favorite offerings. There were several new releases that proved extremely popular, and quite a few classics that also kept up pace with their longstanding appeal. While we did experience some challenges keeping cigars in stock, we’re proud to say we now have more cigars on hand than at any other time in the past, with even more on the way. 2021 continued our streak of record years, with a 36 percent increase in sales.
Check out this behind-the-scenes look at some of the numbers.
2021 Customers: 7,200+
2021 Transactions: 21,560+
2021 Total Cigars Sold: 170,000+/-
Top selling brands:
Renegade Cigars, Davidoff, Rocky Patel, Padron, Drew Estate, ADVentura, Eiroa, Perdomo, Ashton, My Father
Brands with the largest growth:
ADVentura, My Father, Ashton, AVO, Oliva, Rojas, Caldwell, Aganorsa, Eiroa, Rocky Patel
I close this letter the way I started it—with a sincere thank-you. Without your support and loyalty, my team and I wouldn’t get the opportunity to share our passion with you day in and day out. Here’s to another year of memories, friendships, and great cigars.
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