Darian ‘Jack’ Jackson, Dapper D’s Cigars: Discovering achievement, making a spot to unwind

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Darian “Jack” Jackson enjoys cigar.

One or two a day.

He additionally desires to spend his time with buddies who wish to loosen up in an overstuffed chair whereas watching a sport, conversing or simply meditating within the smoke.

Unable to discover a place becoming his wants, he opened his personal cigar lounge: Dapper D’s Cigars.

“The Japanese have high-end, upscale cigar lounges which might be geared to essentially enable individuals to have the flexibility to return in and simply loosen up. I believe a variety of occasions we don’t enable individuals to essentially decompress from their days. And in order that’s what Dapper D’s is meant to be,” Jackson stated.

Darian “Jack” Jackson launched his first Dapper D’s Cigars in 2020 in River Metropolis Market in North Jacksonville.

Photograph by Jeffrey Leeser

There are two areas – 725 Skymarks Drive in River Metropolis Market and 150 Fountains Manner in Saint Johns off County Street 210 in The Fountains at St. Johns. A 3rd is within the works for Downtown.

Jackson displayed an entrepreneurial spirit whereas serving 10 years within the U.S. Navy. As a recruiter whereas stationed in Memphis, Tennessee, his workplace was the second greatest within the Navy, behind solely New York Metropolis. He’d unwind after work at a close-by cigar lounge.

The previous cigarette smoker needed to give up so he switched to cigars. At first it was one or two per week. Then he got here to benefit from the firm of his fellow cigar people who smoke and he grew to become an everyday.

He determined to place his time there to raised use. He acquired a job there as a tobacconist and realized concerning the enterprise of cigars.

Like many Navy veterans, Jackson’s final obligation station was in Jacksonville and he determined to remain. He took a job as a monetary adviser however wasn’t fulfilled. 

Darian “Jack” Jackson within the walk-in humidor at Dapper D’s Cigars in River Metropolis Market, which provides greater than 40 manufacturers.

Photograph by Jeffrey Leeser

His spouse, Ranisha, inspired him to comply with his dream of working his personal enterprise.

When Jackson instructed his supervisor, Chris Tuttle, about his plans, Tuttle provided to assist. 

Tuttle, who had 5 extra  companies on the time, served as Jackson’s mentor.

Jackson signed the lease for the River Metropolis Market retailer in July 2020.

The 1,600-square-foot retailer was perfect for the primary one. Working with the owner, he was in a position to begin it for about $250,000.

Jackson took on a silent accomplice, pursued funding from the Small Enterprise Administration and invested his financial savings.

He selected the placement close to Jacksonville Worldwide Airport as a result of he noticed its progress potential and that there wasn’t an easy-to-access cigar lounge off Interstate 95 from there to the Georgia state line.

Jacksonville has a historical past of being a profitable cigar city, he stated.

Within the late 1800s, El Modelo  plant produced 6 million cigars a 12 months. There have been different producers as effectively. Right this moment, Jacksonville is the headquarters of Swisher Sweets.

He opened his second location at 150 Fountains Manner in 2023. It’s 2,400 sq. toes and has patio seating. 

Each areas have a bar and lounge space, walk-in humidor with greater than 40 manufacturers and a personal members space. Beer and wine is bought on the bar.

He has nearly 50 membership members at every retailer. There are three tiers. 

The Bronze is $50 a month and features a non-public 12-by-12-inch personalised humidified cigar locker, invites to member occasions and entry to the members’ lounge geared up with TVs with sports activities packages.

 The Silver prices $100 per 30 days and contains the Bronze perks plus a ten% low cost, one visitor admission per go to and 24-hour concierge supply service. 

The Gold is $200 per 30 days and is topped off with $100 month-to-month promotional credit, a ten% low cost on occasion reserving and limitless visitor admission per go to.

In addition to the lounge, clients can order cigars and associated merchandise from the web site dapperdscigars.com. The mail-order enterprise is about 10% of his gross sales.

Jackson, 33, lives as much as the identify Dapper D’s. With about 40 fits in his closet, he stays well-dressed. He additionally wears shirts with “Dapper D’s” monogrammed, in script, on the cuff. 

“I’ve acquired a go well with man, Arminius Patterson. This man has performed fits for individuals who have been in Forbes journal. A variety of Jaguar gamers are draped in his stuff,” he stated.

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