Why Brolo Exists

I didn’t grow up in a typical household, I was adopted and raised by my grandmother, who ran a honky tonk called The Junkyard Club. That place was pure grit and glow: neon lights buzzing over pool tables, a Galaga machine lit up the corner, and a jukebox that never quit. It’s where I first fell in love with the vibe, the kind of place where stories were told, hands were shaken, and people showed up for each other... in their own way.

Later in life, I found myself living in bars again, but this time for different reasons. Eventually, I got sober. I left behind the "friends" whose loyalty was tied to the next round, but I craved that same connection. What I found instead was something deeper: a brotherhood born not in bottles, but in smoke.

The cigar lounge became my new gathering place. I sat beside people from every walk of life, folks I had nothing in common with except a shared respect for the leaf. Vulnerability showed up. So did laughter, real talk, and something I didn’t know I’d been missing: a chosen family.

Brolo Cigars is built on that feeling.

It’s for anyone who’s ever longed to belong. For the ones who’ve been through it, come out the other side, and still value the sacred art of slowing down.

This isn’t just a cigar, it’s a seat at the table.

Light Up & Lean In.
— Joshua Stephens, Founder