Grand opening: October 17, 2025
Tobako 1491 is created in reverence to the indigenous tobacco traditions. This store is located inside the CentroVilla25. I was at CentroVilla for Hispanic Heritage Cultural Program - Culturiando, wandered by the store, and had the loveliest conversation with the owner.
STORE/INVENTORY: Tabako 1491 immerses the guests into the cultural significance of tobacco to Indigenous communities across the Americas. The business is reverence to the history of tobacco from the ceremonial standpoint and recreational use. The store is small but packs an immense amount of treasures. They sell only very highly rated Caribbean cigars (around 100 rating). You can find them stored in humidifiers. There is an actual tobacco plant in store grown by the owners. The store also sells Taino Indigenous Handmade Clay Figures made and shipped here from the Dominican Republic. They are amazing and very reasonably priced around $30-60. There are also high quality t-shirts, Dominican clay figure necklaces, and more. At the epicenter of the store is our locally renowned Ariel Vergez's mural depicting a tobacco ceremony.
SERVICE: My knowledge of tobacco is limited to smoking cigars in the Dominican Republic, so I learned so much this evening. The owner is incredibly friendly and beautifully shares the story of his store and traditions. I love deeply rooted traditions and appreciated his warm welcome of the store.
EVENTS: The store is currently being set up. It officially opens on October 17 (with ribbon cutting) during Areyto Nights celebration. Check out CentroVilla social media to learn more.
I really enjoyed the opportunity to wander into the store before it's opening by complete accident. If you are tobacco aficionado or have one in your life, this store is a must visit. read more