October 1998 Volume 25 Number 5 ShopTalk with Jim Lawson: Reflections from Afar - What's New in Pipes At this year's RTDA trade show, there was a modicum of uncertainty regarding the cigar trade - too many brands competing in a maturing market. But interest in pipes, as well as sales, seemed to have been escalating. Take a look at some of the pipe lines offered at the show. RTDA Review: Manufacturers Offer Cigars Galore by Bob Ashley With a dizzying array of merchandise to select from, retailers had the upper hand at the industry's traditional merchandise order-writing show. This year, the major manufacturers came on strong, with numerous deals and strong support. Region Report: Indonesia: It's Tobaccos and Cigars It was spices and tobaccos that brought Indonesia its early success in international trade. Now, after years without representation in U.S.-bound cigars, a new variety of wrapper leaf and a modern cigar plant have restored the "Spice Islands" to their former prominence in U.S. humidors. Q & A: Carlos Fuente, Jr. The Fuente family has achieved near-celebrity status in its many years in the cigar industry. Carlos "Carlito" Fuente, Jr. took a few moments from his hectic schedule at the RTDAshow in Nashville to speak with Smokeshop and discuss Fuente cigars and the current face of the industry. Retailer and Tobacco Industry News SMOKESHOP's general news department. bringing you up-to-date information and breaking stories about manufacturers, distributors, and wholesalers. Hurricane Georges Batters Dominican Republic Cigar Bars Raided in New York City Los Angeles Sues Tobacco Companiesover Secondhand Smoke Warnings Cigar TV Acquired by Reliant Corp. UST Closes Nashville Tobacco Museum Las Vegas Show Expands Scope Consolidated Cigar Acquires 50% Stake in Cigar Savor Enterprises Cigarette Tax Hike Would Cut Smoking Says CDC Study Dominican Cigar Corp. in Licensing Agreement with Rap Star Mack 10 Havana Group Posts Higher Quarterly Revenues Colibri Group, Dunhill End 15 Year Distribution Agreement Kentucky TV Station Pulls Retailer's Ads European Tobacco Trade Fair to Premier in 2000 Gifts and Accessories for Cigar, Pipe, and Cigarette Smokers California Smokers Have Choices; Retail Tobacco Shops Don't What's Happening and Where in the Tobacco Industry Tobacco Scores Two Big Regulation "Victories" Products and News from the Pipe World Tobacco Products and Industry Promotions SMOKESHOP (ISSN 0146-9266), established in 1970, is published bi-monthly by Lockwood Trade Journal Co., Inc., 130 West 42nd Street, Suite 1050, New York, NY 10036 USA. Copyright © 1998 by Lockwood Trade Journal Co. Inc. HTML production and copyright © 1998 by Keys Technologies. All rights reserved.