Meet Dean Parsons; he is the founder of Epic Cigars, which offers premium cigars crafted with knowledge, patience, time and dedication. Tobacco started as a hobby and as gifts for real estate closings for the former law enforcement officer turned entrepreneur.
However, he discovered his love for premium sticks as a Harley-Davidson owner, as he would often enjoy a cigar after riding with friends. He recalled to Ebony attending annual bike rallies like Laconia and Daytona Bike Weeks and winding down with a cigar after a long ride.
For him, cigars can connect people and bring them together as they engineer conversations, camaraderie, and relaxation. Also, they paired well in the mornings with a coffee or whine, whiskey or bourbon in the evening.
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Although cigar has always been part of Parsons’s life, he did not see the need to turn his hobby into business until he went to the Dominican Republic. He explained that after quitting as a law enforcement officer, he turned to real estate and often frequented the Dominican Republic for his business. It was during one of the trips that he learned about the art of making cigars.
“I travelled to the Dominican Republic for several years and then moved there in 2009 and resided there for almost 10 years,” he told Ebony.
In 2010, he launched Epic Cigars and he now attributes the success of his tobacco brand to good mentorship and surrounding himself with the right minds in the tobacco industry.
“It’s not something that happens overnight. I’ve seen many companies come and go over the last 10–15 years. My time spent living in the Dominican Republic developing the Epic brand is one of the many things that sets us apart.”
