The Cigarette Store LLC (TCS) dba Smoker Friendly have announced that they have acquired the Richmond Master Distributors, Inc. stores dba Low Bob’s Discount Tobacco based out of South Bend, Indiana. The 54 stores located across Indiana will be rebranded as Smoker Friendly stores, expanding the brand’s existing presence in the state.
Patrick A. Carrico, President of Tobacco Central Group, stated, “The last twenty years Low Bob’s Discount Tobacco built an outstanding company through the dedication of our hard-working team. This transition will take our retail stores to the next level. Smoker Friendly’s growth and innovation in our industry have shown us our company could not be in better hands. We are happy that Smoker Friendly recognizes the strength of our company and its future potential.”
Smoker Friendly CEO Terry Gallagher Jr. commented, “We are very pleased to welcome the Low Bob’s team to the Smoker Friendly family! Pat and Scott Carrico and the Richmond Master team have been longtime friends and leaders in the tobacco outlet channel. We are fortunate to make this acquisition and strengthen our Smoker Friendly footprint in Indiana bringing our store count to 80 in the state.”
Founded in 1991 and headquartered in Boulder, Colorado this is the seventh acquisition Smoker Friendly has transacted in the last 4 years, bringing the store count to 344, operating in 13 states. TCS is the largest licensee of Smoker Friendly International, and the largest tobacco store retailer in the United States. TCS operates a mix of tobacco stores, cigar lounges, liquor stores and fueling locations under the names Smoker Friendly, Tobacco Depot, Smoke ‘N Go, Havana Manor and Gasamat, in addition to its e-commerce site, paylesscigarsandpipes.com.
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