Cigar Weekly

Wankel · 12-21-2015, 01:54 PM

JR Layoffs

Went by the Selma store yesterday.
Parking lot had maybe ten cars in it.
Store interior was a mostly empty wreck.
Humidor was intact, just me and another customer inside and staff seemed pretty detached.
Well-stocked cigarette counters set up just outside the humidor doors. Ditto the detached staff
The rest of the place had a few stacks of t-shirts in odd colors/sizes and stuff like tin signs and bargain books that I guess nobody wants.

KatDad · 12-21-2015, 02:00 PM

Thanks for the news. Walt. Sorry to learn of this though. Sounds like all that's left of Lew's company is a greatly diminished operation.

BigO · 12-21-2015, 02:28 PM

Only an MBA or a lawyer thinks lts a good idea to fire people close to Christmas. Bunch of people who need coal in their stockings this year.

Wankel · 12-21-2015, 04:33 PM

I know that things change over time but whew...

gumby · 12-21-2015, 05:45 PM

The way they have ruined the industry leader is so few years is astonishing. They could write college business studies on how to ruin a company.

Wankel · 12-22-2015, 06:40 AM

Who owns JRs now?
When did Lew sell the company?

KatDad · 12-22-2015, 06:47 AM

Altadis S. A. acquired controlling interest in 2003 I think.

BigO · 12-22-2015, 06:50 AM

Transition has been going on about 8 years with Lews final exit about 5 years ago. As gumby said, its almost a case study of how mostMBAs don't know their assholes from left center field. I thought the story of Packard merging with Studebaker without reading the books was the ultimate corporate suicide. Apparently I was mistaken.

KatDad · 12-22-2015, 06:54 AM

With all the governmental intrusion into the tobacco business I don't fault Lew for gettin' while the gettin' was good.

TommyBB · 12-22-2015, 06:55 AM

I'm not the person to do this, but do we have someone who could write us a strong feature story on this?
I'm willing to bet that they're still making money, but it would be an interesting exposé.

12-21-2015, 01:54 PM	#1
Wankel Herf God Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Wankelwerke AKG, Friedrichshaf Posts: 15,009	JR Layoffs JR Layoffs Went by the Selma store yesterday. Parking lot had maybe ten cars in it. Store interior was a mostly empty wreck. Humidor was intact, just me and another customer inside and staff seemed pretty detached. Well-stocked cigarette counters set up just outside the humidor doors. Ditto the detached staff The rest of the place had a few stacks of t-shirts in odd colors/sizes and stuff like tin signs and bargain books that I guess nobody wants. __________________ "Hey, I found a live one!" - Red Skelton as Freddy the Freeloader, picking up a discarded, but still smoldering cigar butt.

12-21-2015, 02:00 PM	#2
KatDad Herf God Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Overland Park, Kansas Posts: 30,266	Thanks for the news. Walt. Sorry to learn of this though. Sounds like all that's left of Lew's company is a greatly diminished operation. __________________ The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it George Bernard Shaw The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule it H. L. Mencken The welfare of humanity is always the alibi of tyrants Albert Camus The Land of the Free Because of the Brave

12-21-2015, 02:28 PM	#3
BigO Publisher/Owner El Chefé BBQ Guru Herf God Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Atlanta. Posts: 55,765	Only an MBA or a lawyer thinks lts a good idea to fire people close to Christmas. Bunch of people who need coal in their stockings this year. __________________ Every time you think you've become too cynical, the world finds a way to teach you that the real problem is that you haven't become cynical enough Free speech is free speech is free speech. There is no qualifier. If you aren't outraged, you aren't paying attention. Never attribute malice to that what can be explained as stupidity. Unborn lives matter too.

12-21-2015, 04:33 PM	#4
Wankel Herf God Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Wankelwerke AKG, Friedrichshaf Posts: 15,009	I know that things change over time but whew... __________________ "Hey, I found a live one!" - Red Skelton as Freddy the Freeloader, picking up a discarded, but still smoldering cigar butt.

12-21-2015, 05:45 PM	#5
gumby Contributing Editor MOM November 2012 Emeritus Honorary MOM November 2021 Herf God Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Republic of Texas Posts: 47,284	The way they have ruined the industry leader is so few years is astonishing. They could write college business studies on how to ruin a company. __________________ I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them. Thomas Jefferson

12-22-2015, 06:40 AM	#6
Wankel Herf God Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Wankelwerke AKG, Friedrichshaf Posts: 15,009	Who owns JRs now? When did Lew sell the company? __________________ "Hey, I found a live one!" - Red Skelton as Freddy the Freeloader, picking up a discarded, but still smoldering cigar butt.

12-22-2015, 06:47 AM	#7
KatDad Herf God Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Overland Park, Kansas Posts: 30,266	Altadis S. A. acquired controlling interest in 2003 I think. __________________ The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it George Bernard Shaw The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule it H. L. Mencken The welfare of humanity is always the alibi of tyrants Albert Camus The Land of the Free Because of the Brave

12-22-2015, 06:50 AM	#8
BigO Publisher/Owner El Chefé BBQ Guru Herf God Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Atlanta. Posts: 55,765	Transition has been going on about 8 years with Lews final exit about 5 years ago. As gumby said, its almost a case study of how mostMBAs don't know their assholes from left center field. I thought the story of Packard merging with Studebaker without reading the books was the ultimate corporate suicide. Apparently I was mistaken. __________________ Every time you think you've become too cynical, the world finds a way to teach you that the real problem is that you haven't become cynical enough Free speech is free speech is free speech. There is no qualifier. If you aren't outraged, you aren't paying attention. Never attribute malice to that what can be explained as stupidity. Unborn lives matter too.

12-22-2015, 06:54 AM	#9
KatDad Herf God Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Overland Park, Kansas Posts: 30,266	With all the governmental intrusion into the tobacco business I don't fault Lew for gettin' while the gettin' was good. __________________ The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it George Bernard Shaw The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule it H. L. Mencken The welfare of humanity is always the alibi of tyrants Albert Camus The Land of the Free Because of the Brave

12-22-2015, 06:55 AM	#10
TommyBB Editor-in-Chief Herf God Join Date: Aug 1998 Location: Metairie, LA Posts: 86,650	I'm not the person to do this, but do we have someone who could write us a strong feature story on this? I'm willing to bet that they're still making money, but it would be an interesting exposé. __________________ +In Memory of E.Guevara(Cubano67)W.Orlando(Shadow) A.Morris (Knife) D.Odom (dodom) D.Revermann (dgr) S.Bouchard (sb1396) M.Cole (Matt76) S.Faccenda (TOJE) R.Smith(IBMer) V.Vandermeer (van55)M.Davis(boxdoctor)S.Singer(bassman)K.Doetze l (drillrk1)D.Hart(garme1962)J.Coleman(John C 81)T.Gossett(Dartplayer1)J.Bolt (jb)E.J.Ferralles(CaballoPinto)M.Cataldo(FVFanMC)K Payne(SanchoPanza)F.Seltzer(Mowee)+LB+Connor Olson+Micah Kercheval+Maggie Bonefas+Karen