About Us

The year is 1921. The place, Chicago. While Prohibition kept most of the country dry as dust, in this toddlin’ town the bathtub gin flowed, and the speakeasies roared to the beat of a new kind of music. It was the Jazz Age. A time of abundance, decadence, and luxury. While Al Capone ruled the great city from his penthouse on the lake, an ambitious young man named Jack Schwartz opened the doors to his new establishment, and a legend was born. No password was needed to get into Jack’s place, and the wares were strictly legal.

Word spread quickly, and Jack Schwartz Importer soon became a Chicago staple. Now in our 79th year of operations, we at Jack Schwartz Importer look back with pride on our rich heritage. As a new century dawns, we look forward to serving you in the same time honored tradition.

The Story Of The Westminster

On a hot August morning in 1959, our man Jack Schwartz boarded a 4-prop Lockheed Electra bound for Havana. He carried a newspaper, a leather satchel, and the plans for an exciting new cigar line code named: WESTMINSTER.

Upon his arrival in Cuba, Jack met his contact and was transported to a remote village in the Vuelta Abajo region. Days of painstaking research followed. Rolling, smoking, tasting one blend after another, with nothing but the colorful Cuban nightlife as a diversion. Also the remarkable cuisine. And did I mention the music? Jack loved to dance.

Anyway, when all was said and done, Jack Schwartz had created the WESTMINSTER line. Seven sizes, one distinctive taste. Now a medium-bodied blend of the finest Honduran tobacco, to this day WESTMINSTER remains a Jack Schwartz exclusive; the largest selling cigar line in our history, and the best kept secret in the cigar world.

Pssst! One more thing. The story doesn't end there. If you love the medium-bodied richness of the Honduran WESTMINSTER, wait until you try the Dominican version that our man Bill O'Hara is cooking up. Can you say smooth? Stay tuned...

Store Operation Information

• Jack Schwartz Importer is located at 141 W. Jackson Boulevard (the east lobby of the Chicago Board of Trade building)
• Our Hours of Operation are:
  Monday – Friday 7:30 am to 5:00 pm
  Saturday – By Appointment
• We can be reached 3 ways:
  Phone: (888) SEE-JACK or locally (312) 782-7898
  Fax: (312) 786-0037
  E-Mail: freematches@jackschwartz.com
• We accept VISA, Mastercard, and American Express. We also love cold, hard cash.

Guarantee

Jack Schwartz Importer guarantees that every item we sell is 100% to your satisfaction. Our standard is your standard. Because we stand behind every item we sell, if you are, for any reason, dissatisfied with your purchase, we'll exchange it - no questions asked!

Back Order Information

Okay, here's the skinny on backorders. As good as we are, sometimes we find ourselves temporarily out of product. But don't worry, you're dealing with professionals. The solution is our patented Jack Schwartz Automatic Ship System, or Jack-ASS for short.

At your request, we will place you on the Jack-ASS list for automatic shipment of most any cigar we carry, including some of our harder to get products. It's fail-safe. It's guaranteed. As soon as we get the goods, you get your goodies. Heck, we'll even call you first to let you know what's about to be coming to you, if you so desire.