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ohn Kaemmle‘s variety store is a little bit humid compared to others, but e wouldn‘t have it any other way. Kaemmle, owner of Quick Trip Variety. located on Erb St. W., in WaterlOo, has built a 200â€"squareâ€"foot humideor inside his store, under the name The Lions Den. Looking to expand into more specialty items, he said he wants to provide the community with something they can‘t find anywhere else. So far he‘s succeeded, being the only store in Waterioo to offer a fullâ€"sized walkâ€"in humnidor. "What 1 want people to know now is this isn‘t just a destination for variety, but also cigars," he said. Kaemmle said he entered the cigar retailing business in 1995 when he attended a convenience trade show in Kitchener. He was approached by a cigar distributor, who sugâ€" gested he set up a small disâ€" play and sell a few boxes of cigars in his store. "He said. ‘If it doesn‘t work, we‘ll give you back your money." Right away, sold all of those boxes withâ€" in a week," Kaemmle said. He expanded his collecâ€" tion of cigars from a small stand to a twoâ€"footâ€"wide humidor which would hold 20 boxes of cigars. That stand only lasted four months before demand led to doubling the size. Eventually, in 1999, he built a 16â€"foot humidor. "My problem was the highâ€"end premium does not sell out of a cabinet," he said. Inspiration to expand his business came in the form of winning a trip through a special promotion offered by one of the cigar compaâ€" nies he buys from. epeeeen WB _ £201â€"80 King St. S. + Waterloo, ON + N2J IPS Russ McEachnic EFC TE . gmg Reremeni & ts Office 15199886 2360 ext 241 CVP Panmine Specubst . Email russell mceachnic@investorsgroup com CSA Quick Trip variety store offers fullâ€"sized walkâ€"in humidor In â€" February â€" 2004, By Tm Muspity For The Chrontle McEAcHNIE .Investors s Group John Kaemmile, owner of Quick Trip Variety in Waterloo, stands with a box of Aurora Preferidos. Sitting on his shoulder is Willis, a new addition to the store. Kaemmile plans to keep Willis in a cage out front as a way to draw customers inside The tions Den. Kaemmle won a contest, along with four other cigar retailers in Canada, to visit a cigar plantation in the Dominican Republic. He spent a week touring factories and fields, learning the trade and rolling his own cigars. "We toured the plantaâ€" tions, saw how they started from a little seedling and the different stages they went through," he said. Kaemmle said he was impressed with how many steps are involved in making a fine cigar. "From seedling to the time the cigar is produced takes two years," he said. Kaemmile said there are a number of qualities to look for in a good cigar. BUSINESS He said the important factors are taste, how well it burns, the colour of the leaves and the texture. He said the most impor tant quality is aroma. "A good quality cigar does not stink. It has a nice aroma to it," Kaemmle said. During a conversation with cigar makers, Kaemmile told them many people who vacation in Cuba and return with cigars keep them in their fridge, which will lead to a loss of Navour. He warned, cigars must be kept at a proper temperaâ€" ture and humidity, or else they will dry out. Kaemmle said they were insulted to know the cigars were being treated that way. Gary Miller # Petals & POLS inc. _ Fiower & Gift Shop They stressed to edu Xitchener 725 Oftawa St S Call 742â€"7221 oo Tyc) "Fop YoOUR VALENTINE" LONG STEM _ SWEETHEART ROSES 1. ROSES $94%® &A 0 3$24% .. Available in mm Assorted Colours â€" @@ Kaemmle said the comâ€" panies, which are mostly familyâ€"owned. handle the tabacca leaves 50 to 100 times from seedling to cigar. cate people they need to put {cigars) in a humid environâ€" ment," he said. "You‘ll never get the cigar the way it was intended to be when you change the temperature and humidity â€" you can smoke them, but it won‘t be what it‘s intended to be," he said. He said the workers and owners of highâ€"quality cigar companies take great pride in their work, rolling between 450 and 600 cigars per worker, per day. _ _"The way they do their quality assurance and checks, they have to be conâ€" Waterioo 65 University Ave F Cali 885â€"2180 Available in Assorted Colours stantly smoking the cigars that they‘re rolling," he said. "Their supervisor is walking around the whole time â€" they‘re out there smoking them, too." He said the reason for that was to ensure quality while employees work. He said one company he visited had five bad draws per 10,000 cigars rolled. "When I was there, 1 talked to all of the guys and told them what I did," Kaemmile said. "They told me to immeâ€" diately, with that kind of clientele, go to the next level." He said in the past year he has quadrupled his inventory. TAKING %+ THE KIDS? "I now have over 350 Swimwear for Children n Murbeye rHOro varieties of cigars," he said. Working with nine disâ€" tributors of cigars, he sells brands from Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Honâ€" duras, Nicaragua, Spain, [reâ€" land, Mexico, Holland and more "The market now has changed. It used to be the Cubans were 75 per cent of the market," he said. "The Dominivans are now handâ€" inâ€"hand with the amount of cigars they sell." â€"\"I‘ve got cigars that go from S} to $100 each." His highest end box of cigars sells for about $2,100 for a box of 25. Quick Trip Variety was opened by Kaemmle‘s parâ€" ents, Kurt and Rose, in March 1964. Shoe cutters by trade, the couple renovated a small house, which has since gone through five renovations until it reached its current state of 4,500 square feet, attached to a strip mall which kaemmle also owns. Along with The Lions Den. Kacmmle also added Willis, . tame eightâ€"monthâ€" old trupical bird, named after i‘uffalo Bills running back Willis McGahee. "I thought it would be a good addition to the store," he said. Kacmmle took over the store lrom his parents in 1985 after a career of playâ€" ing termis professionally in Europe. Kaemmle also sells humidors to customers, ranging in price from $25 to $1,000. He also sells a selecâ€" tion of highâ€"end lighters, cutters and other accesâ€" sories. It isn‘t just cigars The Lions Den offers. "You would think that with all the smoking bans, the smoking would be down," Kaemmile said. "It‘s the contrary. I am totally amazed at how many peoâ€" ple I‘ve seen coming into the store." For more information, go to www lionsdencigar.com.