There’s something magnetic about watching someone who genuinely loves what they do. Big Rob from LA Cigar Collective is one of those people. When he joined us for this Bonus Episode of the Smoke and Steel podcast, we expected a good conversation about cigars. What we got was a masterclass in passion, community building, and how to leverage social media without losing your soul in the process.

From Security Guard to Cigar Kingpin

Rob’s journey into the cigar world didn’t follow the traditional path. At 17, surrounded by his Sicilian family and his dad’s friends (all cops and firemen who gathered for “adult time” with their stogies), he fell in love with the leaf. His father’s rule was simple: “You can smoke cigars all you want, you just can’t smoke nothing else.”

Fast forward through years of running security at nightclubs, doing bodyguard work, and even appearing on Bar Rescue (season 3, episode 3, for those keeping track), and Big Rob found himself at a crossroads. After four years of health problems left him disabled, he was ready to get back to work. That’s when fate stepped in.

He drove past a new sign three blocks from his house. LA Cigar Collective had just opened, and Big Rob needed a job. Kyle, the shop owner, thought he was joking when Rob expressed interest. Two weeks and some persistent follow-ups later, Big Rob became Kyle’s right-hand man. That was last April, and the rest, as they say, is history.

The Secret Sauce: Authenticity Over Algorithm

Here’s where things get interesting for anyone trying to build a cigar business in 2025. Big Rob didn’t study marketing. He didn’t hire an agency. He just understood something fundamental that most businesses miss: people want to connect with real humans, not corporate facades.

“I had told Kyle for months,” Big Rob explained, “I really think we should start a YouTube channel. I think it could blow up.” Kyle was skeptical at first. Who wants to listen to someone ramble on camera? Big Rob’s response, delivered with his trademark grin? “No, it’s the other way around. Nobody wants to hear you talk. They love hearing me talk.”

It’s the kind of back-and-forth banter that defines their working relationship. Kyle brings the vision and the expertise as the shop owner. Big Rob brings the personality and the marketing instincts as his trusted right-hand man. Together, they’ve built something special.

The confidence wasn’t unfounded. Big Rob had been building his cigar community for years through PVA, the Ashhole Cigar Club (where he’s now president of the Louisiana chapter), and countless hours behind nightclub doors where lighting up a cigar became his personal bat signal for connection.

When Kyle finally agreed to the YouTube experiment, Big Rob came prepared. He’d already filmed ten episodes. His wife had edited them. All Kyle had to do was give the green light.

The result? Customers traveling from Alabama and Chicago specifically because they found the shop on YouTube. Local members discovering the lounge just blocks from their homes. And perhaps most satisfying for Rob, the playful satisfaction of proving his friend wrong. Every time someone walks in saying “We found you on YouTube,” Big Rob gets to enjoy that little victory. It’s become a running joke between them.

What’s New Wednesday: Consistency Beats Perfection

The cornerstone of LA Cigar Collective’s content strategy is “What’s New Wednesday.” Every Monday night after closing, Big Rob films the week’s new arrivals. His wife edits throughout the week. If something new arrives on Tuesday, they’re back in the shop adding it to the video. This isn’t about polished production. It’s about relevance.

“The first thing everyone asks when they come in is what’s new,” Big Rob said. “So now I was just making videos and posting them. Everybody who comes in knows what they want now because they see the video.”

This dedication to timeliness extends to their long-form content too. Big Rob keeps ideas planned two weeks out, balancing structured content with spontaneous episodes based on what’s happening in the shop. The tobacco spotlights, cigar 101 series, and conversations with Kyle all get filmed before opening or after closing to avoid disrupting customers.

The payoff? Seven to ten videos ready to go at any time, ensuring consistent uploads that keep the algorithm happy and the audience engaged.

The Art of the Sampler: Curation as Competition

If you want to understand Big Rob’s approach to cigars, look at his samplers. They’ve become legendary among LA Cigar Collective customers, consistently selling.

The origin story alone is worth the price of admission. Kyle announced a monthly competition: whoever sold the most samplers would win a Chick-fil-A gift card. Big Rob messaged all his friends to buy online, sold 37 the first day, then another 10 in the lounge. Kyle tried restricting it to in-store sales only. Rob brought in 20 people the next day.

“You know what? Just do whatever you want at this point,” Kyle conceded, handing over the Chick-fil-A card in defeat.

But the samplers work because Rob understands something crucial: they’re education, not just products. New smokers get exposed to different profiles. Brand loyalists discover their next obsession. And Big Rob gets invaluable feedback.

“My favorite thing is when somebody comes in and they’re like, ‘I only smoke one particular brand,'” Big Rob explained. “Start with a sampler. Once you work your way through, take pictures, and if you can tell me which ones stood out, then I have a world of possibilities to pick out for you.”

This philosophy extends to the shop’s house blends. The Gris Gris (pronounced “gree gree” if you’re not trying to make Yankees squirm) has become a staff favorite and customer staple. Rob’s enthusiasm for it is infectious, and it shows in the sales numbers stretching all the way to Philadelphia.

Building Community, Not Just Customer Base

What separates the LA Cigar Collective from countless other lounges isn’t the cigars on the shelves, it’s the intentional community building. Big Rob’s background in security taught him to read rooms and defuse situations, but it also taught him how to create spaces where people feel welcome.

Events happen every two months. Members bring bourbon, food, and most importantly, bring themselves. These aren’t networking events disguised as cigar nights. They’re genuine gatherings where lifelong friendships form over shared smoke and conversation.

During PCA (Premium Cigar Association trade show) when it came to New Orleans, the Louisiana chapter hosted Ashhole members from Oman, Scotland, UK, and across the United States. Big Rob admitted he didn’t even know where Oman was before meeting these folks, turning the cigar gathering into an impromptu geography lesson.

This community-first approach manifests in small touches too. Every online order includes a handwritten note. Not a pre-printed card with stickers; an actual handwritten message from Big Rob, often with specific thoughts about the cigars ordered. On busy days, he’ll sit down and write 40 notes while smoking a cigar, occasionally handing the pen to his wife when nerve damage in his hands acts up.

“We want you to feel like you’re part of the LA Cigar Collective family even if you’re not here,” Big Rob said. “So when you eventually come to town, you’re like, ‘Man, I need to go see these dudes and smoke with them.'”

The Disney Connection: Magic in Customer Experience

Big Rob’s nine years working for Disney taught him something valuable about customer experience. It’s not about perfection. It’s about making people feel special.

When Big Rob describes Disney, the most expensive souvenir he ever brought home was his wife (they met while he worked there). But the real takeaway was understanding how to create moments that stick with people. That philosophy permeates everything at LA Cigar Collective.

Whether it’s remembering what a customer ordered three months ago, following up on Instagram when someone tags the shop, or simply taking the time to sit and smoke with someone while discussing flavor profiles, these aren’t tactics from a playbook. They’re genuine expressions of someone who loves cigars and loves sharing them even more.

Lessons from 16 Cigars at PCA

Big Rob’s first PCA was a baptism by fire. Or more accurately, by tobacco. He smoked 16 cigars in one day. A personal record that left him unable to taste anything by number ten. Yet he kept going because Jamond from Definition Cigars kept handing him sticks at the release party.

“At one point I was double-fisting cigars,” Big Rob admitted with a laugh.

But beyond the absurdity of the numbers, PCA represented validation. Every event at the shop was packed. Friends flew in from across the country. People who discovered the LA Cigar Collective online made pilgrimages to meet Big Rob and Kyle in person. The digital community they’d built translated into real-world connections, proving that authentic social media isn’t just about views and likes, it’s about building bridges.

What This Means for You

Whether you run a cigar lounge, frequent one, or just appreciate good business strategy, Big Rob’s story offers lessons that transcend the industry:

Authenticity scales. You don’t need a massive budget or professional production crew. You need something real to say and the consistency to keep saying it.

Community beats competition. Big Rob could view other lounges as threats. Instead, he collaborates, shares knowledge, and celebrates when others succeed. Rising tides lift all boats.

Personal touch matters. In a world of automation, handwritten notes and genuine conversations stand out precisely because they’re increasingly rare.

Know your audience. Big Rob knows he’s a 6×60 guy who likes bold cigars and high-proof bourbon. He doesn’t pretend otherwise. That specificity attracts his people. The ones who’ll become real customers.

Passion is contagious. Watch Big Rob talk about cigars for five minutes and you’ll want to smoke one. That enthusiasm can’t be faked, and it’s worth more than any advertising campaign.

The Road Ahead

A year and a half after opening, LA Cigar Collective shows no signs of slowing down. The shop YouTube channel continues growing. The samplers keep selling out. Customers keep traveling from out of state. And Kyle and Big Rob keep the friendly banter going, pushing each other to make the shop even better.

What’s next? A Tatuaje Monsters event. A new size in the Gris Gris line. Continued online growth. And probably more instances of Big Rob playing his Bar Rescue episode on the lounge TV just to get a reaction.

But beyond the specific plans, there’s something bigger happening. Big Rob and Kyle are proving that you can build a thriving cigar business in the modern era without sacrificing what makes cigar culture special in the first place: the connections, the conversations, the community.

Watch the Full Episode

Want to hear more stories, including the wild tale about a fortune teller who tried to hold a séance in a local cigar lounge? Check out the full episode embedded below. You’ll get all the details we couldn’t fit here, plus Big Rob’s thoughts on everything from Cuban cigars (spoiler: not a fan) to his favorite cigars.

Don’t forget to subscribe to the Smoke and Steel podcast for more conversations with industry insiders, shop owners, and fellow cigar enthusiasts who are doing interesting things in this space.

And if you find yourself anywhere near Louisiana, stop by LA Cigar Collective. Tell them the podcast sent you. Big Rob will probably be there, smoking something with a massive ring gauge, ready to talk your ear off about tobacco while making you feel like you’ve been friends for years.

Because that’s what this is really about. Not the cigars, though those are great. Not the YouTube views or the samplers or even the handwritten notes. It’s about creating spaces – both physical and digital, where people can slow down, light up, and connect.

Big Rob’s doing that one video, one sampler, one conversation at a time. And judging by the customers traveling to the shop and the comments on their YouTube channel, people are noticing.

Visit LA Cigar Collective: https://lacigarcollective.com/