Smoker Friendly acquires Low Bob’s Discount Tobacco

BOULDER — The Cigarette Store LLC, a Boulder-based retailer that operates under the Smoker Friendly brand, has acquired the 54-store Low Bob’s Discount Tobacco chain, operated by Richmond-Master Distributors Inc.

The chain, based in South Bend, Indiana, will be rebranded as Smoker Friendly.

“We are very pleased to welcome the Low Bob’s team to the Smoker Friendly family,” Smoker Friendly CEO Terry Gallagher Jr. said in a prepared statement. “Pat and Scott Carrico and the Richmond Master team have been longtime friends and leaders in the tobacco outlet channel. We are fortunate to make this acquisition and strengthen our Smoker Friendly footprint in Indiana bringing our store count to 80 in the state.”

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Patrick Carrico, president of Tobacco Central Group, said, “The last twenty years Low Bob’s Discount Tobacco built an outstanding company through the dedication of our hard-working team. This transition will take our retail stores to the next level. Smoker Friendly’s growth and innovation in our industry have shown us our company could not be in better hands. We are happy that Smoker Friendly recognizes the strength of our company and its future potential.”The purchase marks the seventh acquisition that Smoker Friendly has completed  in the last four years, bringing the store count to 344, operating in 13 states. The Cigarette Store LLC is the largest licensee of Smoker Friendly International, and the largest tobacco store retailer in the United States, operating tobacco stores, cigar lounges, liquor stores and fueling locations under the names Smoker Friendly, Tobacco Depot, Smoke ‘N Go, Havana Manor and Gasamat, in addition to its e-commerce site, paylesscigarsandpipes.com.