The changes at JR Cigar keep coming. While the company, which is part of the Altadis/Imperial Tobacco Group, has spent much of the last 12 months updating its online and catalog business, it’s now undertaking an ambitious plan to revamp its brick and mortar locations. The work began late last year in New Jersey when the company finished updating its Paramus store, but the big changes are taking place in North Carolina. In October, JR announced that it would be closing its Statesville store and opening up a new location in Mooresville, N.C.—which is roughly in between Statesville and downtown Charlotte. That store is following a new model for JR’s North Carolina stores—tobacco-only. While customers of JR in New Jersey and Washington D.C. are used to it being essentially a tobacconist, the North Carolina stores sold everything from cigars to dolls. There was apparel, perfume, blankets, books, even Christmas trees for sale, but that’s no more. Rob Maneson, retail strategy director, told halfwheel that the focus is on tobacco whether that be cigars or e-cigarettes. Well tobacco, and alcohol. JR’s new 5,714-square-foot Mooresville store will feature a craft beer bar with six-10 taps as well as bottles. Its Whippany, N.J. store ...
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