The distinct smell of burning tobacco was one that Richard Gonzmart grew up with. Gonzmart is a fourth-generation owner of the Columbia restaurant in Ybor City, a Tampa Bay suburb that is aptly nicknamed “The Cigar Capital of the World.” As a child, watching his grandfather smoke a cigar was a daily ritual.
“I remember seeing him smoke a cigar from 8 in the morning to 7 at night; it was normal for me,” Gonzmart said. “The cigar industry was vital; (Ybor) was known as the cigar capital of the world and I still view it that way.”