CIGAR CITY...

Ybor City in Tampa has to be one of the most exciting and interesting spots of all time. Unlike so many totally predictable and boring tourist traps in America, Ybor City is the real thing. Not too much has changed since the 1800s when thousands of immigrants (mainly from Cuba) arrived here to work in the cigar factories. The modern Ybor City (which is hardly modern) is all about great restaurants and a plethora of real-live cigar stores. There is also plenty of bars, tatoo parlors and some unfortunate clubs that make Ybor a definite adult experience. Ybor is not to be confused for Disney - nor should it be. It is a bit crazy and that's part of the presentation.

And yes, there have been some incidents in Ybor and unfortunately, the local media goes out of their way to report every detail. The result is a perception that Ybor is dangerous even though most of the problems take place in the 3AM time-zone. Ybor is anything but dangerous but we all know that perception becomes reality and the local politicians (who could easily fix the problems) remain silent and allow the media to continue their bashing.

Oddly enough, the most recent example is courtesy of a prominent, local cigar magazine. Of all the members of the media, one would think they would go out of their way to help Ybor with its reputation for trouble. After all, they distribute their magazines in their cigar stores.

They actually decided that this would be a good time to feature a story that happened in 1933. It involved a madman who murdered his entire family (including their dog) with an ax. They chose the following headline and positioned it on their front cover - HORROR IN YBOR CITY!

The real horror is that a publisher who is dependent on the cigar industry would reach all the way back to 1933 to help denigrate Ybor at a time when so many are trying to change the public's perception of this classic destination. The murder was indeed horrendous, and one could suggest that it is a legitimate story (which it is). Having said that, publishing a magazine is more difficult than ever, and it's not the time nor the place to attack the very people who are keeping you in business.