![]() | Tampas first cigar factory. Auteurs secondaires : Cigar City Collection Résumé : A Historical marker
"The first Havana cigar was rolled at this site by Sanchez y Haya Ca., on April 13, 1886. Licensed as Factory No. 1 with Don Ignacion Haya and Don Serafin Sanchez as propritors. Superintendent of the factory was Laurcano Sanchez. At the end of the first year of this factory was turning out 500,000 cigars per month. Ignacio Haya Label cigars are still be produced in Ybor City." (Funding) Funded in part by the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS), Ephemeral Cities Project. Tampa |z 1271000 |2 ceeus Hillsborough County |z 12057 |2 ceeus United States of America -- Florida -- Hillsborough County -- Tampa Droits : All rights reserved. 2005. C24-05714 | Partager |
![]() | A Potrait of Ignacio Haya. Auteurs secondaires : Cigar City Collection Résumé : Don Vicente was entertaining Ignacio Haya, a manufacturing friend from New York, when Gargol and Gutierrez arrived. Haya, of the firm Sanchez and Haya, had come to Key West for both business and pleasure; he always enjoyed the warm Florida climate. Sr. Haya was also there to discuss business. Both he and Ybor were constantly being threatened with labor strikes which could cripple their operations. Haya saw the problem as so serious that he
had already dispatched his associate, Serafin Sanchez, to search for other possible locations to open branch factories.8 Don Vicente was also confronted with labor hostility in Key West, and he too wanted to move to a
location where labor was not organized. They were undoubtedly influenced by other manufacturers who were forming company towns, away from the crowded cities, as a means of accelerating production and limiting union influence. Ybor and Haya sent inquiries to Galveston, Mobile, and Pensacola, expressing their interests in
possibly locating in one of those cities. Don Vicente had earlier learned about Tampa from Edward Manrara, but had not yet given it serious consideration as a possible location for a branch factory; not until the visit of Gutierrez and Gargol. (Funding) Funded in part by the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS), Ephemeral Cities Project. Tampa |z 1271000 |2 ceeus Hillsborough County |z 12057 |2 ceeus United States of America -- Florida -- Hillsborough County -- Tampa Droits : All rights reserved. 2005. C24-05713 | Partager |
![]() | A Warehouse filled with cigar boxes at Gradiaz-Annis and Co. Auteur(s) : Robertson and Fresh Photographers, 1925-1960 ( Photographer ) Résumé : Julius B. Annis was born June 4, 1890 in Luvno, Hungary. At present there is nothing known of his parentage, or when he emigrated to the United States. It is known that he registered for the draft during World War One and at that time he was residing at Brooklyn, New York. He married Minnie Brosow before 1917 and had at least one child, Morton Lawrence Annis Sr.
It is evident that Julius became affiliated with one of the larger and well known cigar companies, "Sanchez and Haya" in New York City. A brief history of this cigar company and it's founders is in order, so that the evolution of the company can be seen in regards to "J. B. Annis".
"Fact & Fancy About Cigars and Tobacco", by Morton L. Annis Sr. (1967)
In 1867, Senors Ignacio Haya and Serfino Sanchez, natives of Spain came to New York City with $1000.00 in capital and started what was to become one of the most successful cigar manufacturies in the world. In 1886 they moved their operations to Tampa, Florida and they received the U.S. Revenue designation of "Factory No. 1". Tampa soon became the cigar manufacturing industry giant and Sanchez & Haya retained it's leadership roll. The company ultimately acquired and merged with many of the old-line Tampa producers, such as Morgan Cigar Co., Schwab-Davis y Cia. and many more. By 1892, both Senor Haya and Sanchez were leaders of the Spanish community and their financial ability, philanthropy, and industry were legendary.
J. B. (Bunny) Annis began as a "drummer", or cigar salesman, who traveled from coast to coast selling his wares to Tobacconist and cigar merchants. "Dapper, loquacious, true bon vivants of the era .. perhaps the original American Salesman." Julius Annis, was at this time a guiding spirit and became partners in what is now known as Gradiaz, Annis or "Gradiaz y Annis", and was the Dean of these legendary "Knights of the Panetela."
In 1963 Gradiaz Annis became a Division of General Cigar Co., Inc. Julius Benjamin Annis died the following year (June 1964) in Tampa. His son, Morton Lawrence Annis Sr. (1917-1979), President of Gradiaz, Annis, wrote about his father in 1967:
"My father had a basic compelling motivation for excellence of product which was, in truth, his religion and his way of life. His love for tobacco and fine cigars was sacrosanct and so traditional in concept that he vigorously opposed all modern technological advances, preferring to create cigars in the great classic style of his youth."
Gradiaz, Annis is still known world wide as "World Leader in Luxury Cigars". (Funding) Funded in part by the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS), Ephemeral Cities Project. Tampa |z 1271000 |2 ceeus Hillsborough County |z 12057 |2 ceeus United States of America -- Florida -- Hillsborough County -- Tampa Droits : All rights reserved. 2005. R01-10928 | Partager |