BALTIMORE COUNTY — As the holiday shopping season ramps up, veteran-owned businesses say where people choose to shop can make a meaningful difference.
At Davidus Cigars in Towson and at 12 other locations across the state, President and CEO Steven Castro says his business is rooted in lessons learned during his time in uniform.
Castro is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Class of 1986.
“I served in the United States Marine Corps as a helicopter pilot for nine years,” Castro says.
During his service, Castro flew combat missions during Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He says cigars became a way to pass the time with fellow service members while deployed.
“A lot of times in the middle of the desert at night there’s nothing to do, so we’d play cards and smoke cigars,” Castro says.
After leaving the military, Castro planned to fly for the airlines, but layoffs in the mid-1990s forced him to change course. He and his brother opened their first cigar shop in Frederick, Maryland, in 1996 with one employee.
“We have grown to now 13 stores throughout the state of Maryland,” Castro says. “It’s been a long journey over the last 30 years, but it’s been a good one.”
Castro says supporting veteran-owned and local businesses is especially important during the holiday season.
“I think it is important for you to shop local and take care of your regular local businesses because it takes a lot to get a retail store, any small business, open,” he says.
Davidus Cigars also offers a standing 10 percent discount to active-duty service members, veterans, reservists, firefighters, and police officers.
When it comes to gift-giving, Castro says Davidus Cigars stands out by offering exclusive products that customers cannot find online.
“One of our signature brands is Lord Baltimore Cigars,” Castro says, calling it “a unique cigar.”
In Baltimore’s Highlandtown neighborhood, another veteran-owned business is also welcoming holiday shoppers.
Mark McLaughlin, co-founder of Old Line Spirits, served in the U.S. Navy from 2001 until 2010 on active duty, followed by additional years in the reserves. He worked as a naval flight officer aboard EA-6B Prowler aircraft and deployed to Iraq, the Middle East, Japan, and other locations.
McLaughlin and his business partner, who is also a Navy veteran, met while flying together. After leaving the military, they decide to start a business and learn the craft of whiskey-making from Vietnam War veterans on the West Coast.
“There’s a lot of immediate trust there,” McLaughlin says. “We came together as friends very quickly.”
Old Line Spirits specializes in American single malt whiskey, a newer category in the spirits industry. McLaughlin says that makes it a standout gift option during the holidays.
“We make single malt whiskey,” he says. “It’s a very fun gift to give because a lot of people probably haven’t tried it before.”
In addition to its flagship whiskey, Old Line Spirits offers seasonal holiday products, including traditional eggnog and maple syrup finished in whiskey barrels.
McLaughlin says shopping local plays a critical role in keeping businesses like his running.
“It’s a really big economic force that keeps us going,” he says. “People who take the time to buy something local.”
Both veterans say holiday shopping is an opportunity to support small businesses rooted in the community and the people behind them.