J.C. Newman Cigar Co.

Ybor City – J.C. Newman’s El Reloj Factory dates back to 1910 and boasts original architectural features updated with modern amenities. As the oldest family-owned premium cigar maker, this historic venue pays homage to Tampa’s reputation as the “Cigar City.” The newly renovated venue offers three separate spaces for events, each with a distinct style to create a stunning backdrop for any special event, including wood floors, brick walls, and lots of natural light.

Pet-Friendly


The Ceremony:

Our newly built Cigar Worker’s Park serves as a beautiful outdoor ceremony space for couples looking for a more natural setting to say their vows. The park has a capacity for 150 of your friends and family to come to celebrate the most important moment in your life. The park features a gorgeous fountain and bistro lighting for a more intimate atmosphere for the ceremony. To help beat the well-known Florida heat, fans and misters have been added to the park to help keep guests cool as they wait for the ceremony to start, and the green and luscious landscaping of the park offers a beautiful backdrop for those looking for a more natural feeling for both the ceremony and the photos.

The Cocktail Hour:

Our first-floor space is an excellent option for a cocktail hour between the ceremony and the reception. With the museum detailing our company’s history and building, it offers many great conversation starters and knowledge for your guests to learn more about your unique venue of choice. The main focal point of the space is the marble-topped reception desk which doubles as a bar for cocktail hour. The factory store shelves are a great way for couples to display a photo wall filled with pictures of loved ones and moments throughout their relationship. Our antique clock mechanism makes for a stunning backdrop for any photo, and our hand-painted murals offer a seamless modern blend to complement our building’s unique vintage charm.


The Reception:

Built in 1910 and renovated in 2020, our space seamlessly blends modern amenities with original architectural features. Our Hospitality Room on the second floor is where all the reception magic happens. The room features a contemporary mixture of original brick walls and classic white for a backdrop that will surely make any decorations pop. The venue itself exudes so much charm and character that minimal decor is needed to make the natural beauty of the building stand out. The Hospitality Room has a capacity of 120 guests for a seated dinner while still maintaining space for a DJ and a dance floor, or 175 guests with a cocktail-style setup. The space also offers a built-in catering kitchen for the caterers to have the ability to prep and stage dishes. The room also has a projector and projector screen for any photos or crests the couple may want to project on the wall.


Pricing:

12-hour rental package. 12 hours for set up, event, and clean up.

Rentals are priced between $6,000 and $7,500, depending on the day and time of the event (this should be depending on how many spaces you book), and include banquet tables, cocktail tables, and modern black chairs, as well as audiovisual equipment and on-site parking with security.

The main event space on the second floor can seat up to 120 guests with a dance floor and DJ or around 170 cocktail-style. Our Cigar Workers Park, across the street, serves as a beautiful ceremony space, and the first-floor museum and factory store serve as a great transition space for cocktails between the ceremony and reception.

Couples can enhance their event experience with cigar rollers for $500 or access to the first-floor museum and factory store. As well as the third-floor lounge for $250 or Cigar Workers Park for $1,000.

For use of the main event space exclusively, the rental fee is $6,000. You can add the two additional spaces for $500-$1,000.

This rental fee includes the following:

  • 16 – 60” round banquet tables
  • 14 – 6’ rectangle tables
  • 150 – Black chairs
  • 16 – Cocktail height tables
  • 4 – Tobacco cart bars
  • Private Bridal Suite
  • A/V equipment
  • Private parking and a security guard
  • Venue Coordinator


Karissa DiPillo | J.C. Newman Event Coordinator Headshot

Meet Karissa DiPillo

Karissa DiPillo is event and community partnership coordinator at J.C. Newman Cigar Co. She attended Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania. Previous to this job she was an event coordinator at a firm in Philadelphia and also an event coordinator at a venue in Atlantic City NJ. What she loves about the event spaces here at JCN, they are unique to Ybor City, as there is no place like it. You get that industrial look with a little modern touch, best of both worlds. You don’t need much decor in the spaces, a little goes a long way. Her favorite part about this job is the first step of showing the couples the spaces and helping them imagine what their wedding or event could look like, and how they could customize it to make it their own.

Website
267-885-8521

J.C. Newman Cigar Co. Reviews from Marry Me Tampa Bay Couples:

Marry Me Tampa Bay curates the below reviews from real couples whom we've personally interviewed. As Tampa Bay's most trusted wedding planning resource, these reviews are 100% accurate and aren't created by fake accounts.

Bride and Groom Wedding Vows Kiss. Greenery Ceremony Arch with White Flowers| Tampa Bay Wedding Venue J.C. Newman Cigar Co. | Florida Wedding Planner Parties A La Carte | Florist Bruce Wayne Florals

Romantic White and Green Ybor City Wedding | Hotel Haya

We envisioned a unique wedding venue and made our selections based on our wedding design and style. Brant and I wanted to get married in a Cigar Factory. J.C. Newman recently renovated their venue in 2019. It was the perfect match for our wedding design.

The staff at J.C. Newman Cigar Company were so welcoming and shared our excitement with us. They were welcoming, accommodating, and very responsive, and shared our excitement with us every step of the way. It truly made the planning process so much easier.

-Katie and Brant
Vintage Inspired Tampa Bay Wedding Ceremony Decor, Simplisitic Brick Exposed Industrial venue, Metal Black Chairs, decorated with Candles, White Rose Petals, and Greenery, Ivy and Vines Wrapped Around Staircase | Unique Florida Wedding Venue J.C. Newman Cigar Co. in Ybor City

Romantic Industrial “Old Tampa” Ybor City Wedding | J.C. Newman Cigar Co

We were looking for something that was a little different than most weddings. We wanted a space that would not be too big for the number of guests we were having, and we wanted it all at one spot.

There were many many reasons why we chose J.C. Newman Cigar Co. We chose the venue. not only for the uniqueness and how amazing the venue space is but also because it reminds us of old Tampa. My husband's mother's family used to be in the cigar business. I walked in and knew instantly this is where I want the wedding to be. Their service was amazing; the whole staff was fun to work with. I can go on and on how great it was to have the wedding there and how helpful they all were.

-Callie and Sam
Cocktail Style Wedding Reception | Industrial Tampa Wedding Venue J.C. Newman Cigar Factory

Romantic White and Green Industrial Ybor City Wedding | J.C. Newman Cigar Co

I wanted a blank slate with some character. Quinn really wanted everything indoors due to the Florida weather. We also were looking for a place where we could have everything all in one place: ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception. 

We were originally supposed to be married back in June 2020 at a different location but we had to postpone and then our venue closed down. My sister works for JC Newman and told us they were having weddings there. We went and saw all of their new renovations and fell in love. It incorporated the industrial feel with historic Old Tampa. We could not have asked for a better venue. Everyone was very responsive and helpful. The day ran smoothly because of their knowledge of the venue and how to work with vendors. 

-Courtney and Quinn