\u201cThe difference other than the weather is the taxes,\u201d Kommer said, comparing his Saratoga Springs, New York, location to Cape Coral. \u201cOur taxes in New York are 75% of the wholesale price of tobacco, where in Florida, it\u2019s 0%. So, it makes sense to open up down here. Plus, we love it here.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/69fe1920e80a9.image.jpg\")
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James Kommer smokes one of the signature cigars sold at James & Sons Tobacconist in Cape Coral. The family-owned cigar bar opened May 8 at Shops at Del Sol off Pine Island Road.<\/p>\n
David Dorsey<\/p>\n
A cigar that sells for $25 in New York costs about $20 in Cape Coral, Kommer said. Prices at the shop start at $12 for the signature James & Sons Connecticut cigar, which uses Nicaraguan tobacco and is described as having creamy, cedar and earthy flavors with a mild 2-out-of-10 strength rating. Customers who buy four cigars receive one free.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kommer said the shop carries cigars from Nicaragua, Honduras and the Dominican Republic, with Nicaragua serving as the largest source country. He said James & Sons also offers its own exclusive house blends, including the company\u2019s top-selling cigar at its Saratoga Springs location.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe just kill it selling these cigars,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kommer had been searching Southwest Florida for the right location for the new cigar bar for the past five years. Moe Kommer moved 3 miles from the bar and will manage it with a team of four employees.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/69fe1920ee98d.image.jpg\")
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From left are Moe, Rose, James and Brandon Kommer inside James & Sons Tobacconist in Cape Coral. The family opened the cigar bar May 8 after operating a Saratoga Springs, New York, location since 2007.<\/p>\n
David Dorsey<\/p>\n
Brandon Kommer encouraged his father to bring the brand to Florida. He will split time between both locations.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMy son kept saying, \u2018I\u2019m telling you, Cape Coral is the place you want to be,\u2019\u201d James Kommer said of Brandon.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Kommers signed a 10-year lease and said they do not have competition for miles.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMost of these places are bars that happen to sell cigars,\u201d James Kommer said. \u201cThe difference is our main focus is cigars.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
James & Sons also sells wine, coffee and espresso and has six beers on tap: Michelob Ultra, Stella Artois, Ankrolab Brewing Company\u2019s Turtle Season, a New England IPA; Bone Hook Brewing Company\u2019s Dapper Dan, an American IPA; Scotty\u2019s Bierwerks\u2019 Irish Red; and Coppertail Brewing Company\u2019s Night Swim porter.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The bar will rotate beers based on demand.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But the focus within the 1,700-square-foot space will be on cigars, which are stored in a humidor. It is climate-controlled at about 68 to 70 degrees with 68% to 70% humidity.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s to keep the cigars to their peak freshness,\u201d James Kommer said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve got a cigar in New York that\u2019s been in the humidor there for 26 years.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/69fe19210402b.image.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
A humidor display inside James & Sons Tobacconist features the company\u2019s exclusive house blends. The Cape Coral cigar bar carries cigars from Nicaragua, Honduras and the Dominican Republic.<\/p>\n
David Dorsey<\/p>\n
The humidor features Spanish cedar shelving designed to help preserve the cigars. The wood absorbs moisture while blocking heat and excess humidity, helping maintain the cigars\u2019 quality and freshness.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The New York location, at 360 Broadway in Saratoga Springs, opened in 2007 in a former bank that opened in 1866. The two former vaults have been converted into humidors there. That location will remain open, with James and Brandon Kommer set to return soon for an expected rush of customers June 6 during the Belmont Stakes horse race.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Traditionally held at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, the race will again take place this year at Saratoga Race Course while Belmont Park undergoes a reconstruction project.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Moe Kommer will stay in Cape Coral full time. Born Kyle Kommer, his father said he looked like Moe from \u201cThe Three Stooges\u201d after his first haircut as a baby, and the nickname stuck.\u00a0<\/p>\n
James & Sons Tobacconists is open 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays.\u00a0<\/p>\n
James Kommer said he is thrilled with the new location and excited to bring his cigar blends to Southwest Florida. \u201cI thrive in it,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m passionate about it. And my sons are, as well.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"James Kommer has owned a canal-front home in Cape Coral for eight years and has been paying New…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":263764,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[209,211,210,113744,113746,113745,7029],"class_list":["post-263763","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cape-coral","tag-cape-coral","tag-cape-coral-headlines","tag-cape-coral-news","tag-cigar-bar","tag-humidor","tag-james-sons-tobacconist","tag-tobacco"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/263763","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=263763"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/263763\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/263764"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=263763"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=263763"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=263763"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}