Sam Leccia Cigar Company

[OLS]

Originally Posted by forgop

It'll be interesting to see how someone stands on their own when they think they're bigger than Oliva. He seemed to forget about everyone else in the hobby as it become more and more about him. It seems Oliva made it clear that Nub/Cain/Sam weren't bigger than they were and now has to start all over for something he spent the past 3 years of his life building.

I don't know, Duane, I think that's likely inaccurate. Granted, you can be sure there was some
friction there, Sam certainly believes that without Nub and Cain, Oliva would not be anywhere near
where they are today. Anyone that knows anything at all about the last 40+ years of the industry
knows that the Oliva's are close to being the smartest leaf people in the business, but even from
my position far outside the NC circle, I know that it's not how much you know about raw materials, it's
how much people know about your product. Their cigars were good, but not a HUGE name in the market
necessarily. I think that any negative feelings they may both have are FAR outweighed by what they
BOTH learned from the OTHER. I would be willing to bet they were both glad to be rid of each other.
Just like all of the characters I create for my boss' commercials become his property when I leave,
Sam really couldn't take his lines with him. but I am sure he feels like he has everything he needs to be
just as successfull in his new venture. Let's hope he has the LEAF, though. Great ideas, great names and
great reputations don't go INSIDE the wrapper. You need tobacco for that.