Interview cigar shop: Cigarr Hyllan. Three brothers that followed there dream.

Table of Contents

The journey behind the three brothers Jonas, Ulf and Björn’s way to reach their dream. To start the Cigarr Hyllan.

Cigarr hyllan

Interview

I stepped into the store on a Saturday at the time we booked which was the time they open the store. It probably didn’t take more than 15 minutes before the first customer stepped in, and soon after another came. It became quite clear to me how popular the store was. My curiosity could not help but listen to the conversations about cigars that were going on. One customer knew right from the start what he wanted, suddenly two boxes went out the door, the other customer wanted a cigar that had just run out of stock and Ulf, who was working at the time, showed without blinking which cigar was in the same taste profile and with his enthusiasm gave new advice to the customer. The advice the customer received was the same as I had given myself. The customer walked out with his new cigars with joy, you noticed the trust the customers had in the staff from the moment they step in thru their doors.

Cigar service as it should be

Our conversations continued between the customers and the story behind Cigarr Hyllan show that dreams can come true.

What is the story behind the cigarr hyllan?

You could say that Cigarrhyllan was born at the dinner table, Björn explaned – In our family good food and drink have always been central for our family. After a good meal, it was not uncommon for our father and older brother to enjoy a cigar. We have a shared passion for the good things in life – food, drink and the refined enjoyment of a well-rolled cigar. Our oldest brother (Jonas), who has a background in the restaurant world, studied at the prestigious restaurant school in Grythyttan. It was there that his fascination with flavors and combinations of food, drink and cigars first grew. Through his education and experiences, he developed a deep understanding of how different flavors can interact and enhance each other, inspiring us all to explore this world even more deeply, just as we did with the food and drinks. With his expertise and our common interests, the idea was born to create a store where we could share our passion with others. The Cigarr Hyllan is more than just a place for sales – it’s a space for community, learning and enjoyment. We brothers are personally involved in every part of the business, from the selection of cigars to offering advice and guidance to help our customers find the perfect cigar and beverage pairings. In 2018 we decided to take our culinary passion with cigars one step further, and Cigarrhyllan was born.

What is it like to work with your family?

You could probably call it Cigarr hyllans family portrait. In the picture in the middle you will find Björn, on the left Jonas and on the right Ulf.

We would like to say that working with our family is pure happiness and advantage. Not only that you have the opportunity to meet so often, but we knew from the beginning about each other’s strengths and weaknesses. In that way, we could complement each other in an incredibly good way and use the strengths we have in an optimal way.

Cigarr Hyllan was established at the end of 2018 and quickly reached 20,000 orders in 2024. In a market where you are not allowed to advertise or have seles, something extra is required.

But how did Cigarr Hyllan make it to 20.000 orders?

– Starting a cigar shop isn’t easy; everyone has different tastes and preferences. To provide our customers with the best possible service from the get-go, we decided to stock a small quantity of each cigar and focus on offering a wide variety. This approach had its challenges: the small inventory meant that products quickly sold out and needed immediate replenishment. Rather than waiting a week or more for deliveries, we chose to pick up the needed items from our suppliers ourselves. Although all the traveling was time-consuming, it was worth it because we offered our customers what we wanted ourselves: great, fast service with an appealing selection. To reach new customers, we showcased our shop at various trade shows and relied on the old-fashioned method of word-of-mouth, predating the media. The word about our shop spread, proving we were on the right track. We take pride in the fact that so many have found us through recommendations. A major part of our success is our service, we treat customers as we ourselves want to be treated. If you think about it—how many businesses could become profitable that quick without advertising or running sales to attract new customers in a industry that already has large established companies?

What does a typical order look like for you?

A typical order for us is around 8-10 cigars in the price range SEK 85-140. We think it’s because you get good quality cigars and a good quantity for the money. A good cigar does not have to cost a lot and should be enjoyed in the same way as a good glass of wine or beer.

How do you see the Swedish cigar market right now?

Curiosity, there is a growing curiosity in the Swedish market about the cigar culture and the knowledge about the cigar is growing every day, thanks to all the enthusiasts and quality-conscious shops, lounges and magazines. Our view of the Swedish market is strongly positive and we will do everything to develop together with it and our customers.

Why do you think so many people in the world do not follow their dreams?

Many people around us have a dream of starting their own business, but these are usually dreams that never come true. We are often told I will finish the logo then I will start my company or I don’t have the time or the knowledge. A year later, they are still working on the logo. A dream is not a sign on the facade of a house, we are not born with knowledge and time is just an excuse. We think it’s about the dream not being strong enough or that it’s due to the fear of failure.We strongly believe that if you desire to achieve a dream enough that the desire to learn will come automatically. Blaming time is just an excuse, if you want to reach a goal you have to sacrifice other things that you do, such as removing some time from your social media or taking time from your free time when you are not working in the beginning. We believe more that it is the fear of failure that is the biggest obstacle. That’s probably the part you have to work on the most. Once you get over that hurdle, all the other parts will fall into place more easily. If you don’t fail sometimes, then you have no insight into what you have to learn to succeed.

When I listened to the part about following dreams, it was like listening to myself and I recognized myself in the thoughts about following dreams. I think many people can benefit from this part about dreams, regardless of whether you want to run a business or have other dreams. I personally live by dreams being a map of one’s life, a journey I want to take and things I want to achieve.

Remember: Dreams can come true, you just have to dare to follow them,learn and take your time.

I want to finish by thanking Jonas, Björn and Ulf for gaining insight into their journey. It was an honor to listen and share there story.