Date: 09/22/2020
Author: Inspector Z

The Netherlands loses another iconic shop. Cigarros Adelante in the luxurious Frederik Hendriklaan in The Hague closed its door last Saturday. The Frederik Hendriklaan is a famous shopping street, famous for the quirky boutique shops, mixed with large chains. And right on the corner of that street, in a building from 1770, Peter and Tineke Van Spronsen opened a tobacconist. In 1981 they opened the doors op Cigarros Adelante. 

Retirement

And now, almost 39 years to the date, the husband and wife team retire. The children of the couple have no interest in continuing the family business. In the current day and age, it’s close to impossible to sell a tobacconist store. Banks won’t loan to acquire a tobacconist, and people that have the money to buy a good shop rather spend it on something else. So with the retirement of Peter & Tineke, the doors of this iconic tobacconist close forever.

For those who ever visited the shop, talking about the interior will bring back memories. Peter & Tineke ran the shop with passion and an eye for detail. Cigarros Adelante had the best shop windows of any tobacconist in the country. And that’s not discrediting other tobacconists, but praising Cigarros Adelante. We wishe Peter & Tineke much enjoyment in their retirement.

Ministry of Cigars - The Netherlands loses another iconic shop
the smokers garden behind the shop

The Hague

The closing of Cigarros Adelante means that The Hague lost two iconic tobacconist stores in the last few years. The equally iconic, and much older, G. De Graaff store closed a few years ago. That monumental building was in such bad shape, it was not feasible to store cigars there anymore. The landlord was unwilling to renovate the building, forcing the store to close.

Right now, there are two addresses to go to in The Hague: La Casa del Habano The Hague and Hamilton Souvenirs & Gifts. The La Casa del Habano only sells Cuban cigars and G. De Graaff cigars as LCDH owner Yvonne Litz owns G. De Graaff. Hamilton Souvenirs may not look like a tobacconist from the outside but has a good selection of cigars from Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and Cuba. Right on the edge of town, in Rijswijk, there’s a third option worth checking out: De Oude Leeuw.

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