The founder of C. Gars Ltd “is no longer a shareholder or employee” of Dominique London, the group announced in a statement.

In 2021, the merger of Mitchell Orchant’s C.Gars Ltd and Dominique Gyselinck’s La Casa del Tabaco Group gave rise to Dominique London (DL), which today owns over 30 brick-and-mortar shops across seven European countries.

“In the five years since, Mitchell has supported the group by opening stores, championing the trade and passing on a knowledge of Havana cigars accumulated over a lifetime,” the group stated in a press release. “Dominique London is grateful to Mitchell for all his support since the merger.”

Mitchell Orchant “is no longer a shareholder or employee of the group, but will support Dominique London as an ambassador,” DL announced, formalizing a withdrawal from the shareholder base that had already been in effect for several months.

A pioneer in online cigar sales, Mitchell Orchant—now 62—founded C.Gars Ltd in 1997 after launching one of the UK sector’s very first specialized websites.

Over the decades, he built a distribution empire by developing a network of physical shops (notably Turmeaus), becoming a key player in the collectible cigar market through vintage cigar auctions, and establishing himself as a leading figure in the British and European markets.

“When our two companies came together in 2021, I found in Mitchell a partner who understood that this industry is built on relationships rather than transactions,” Dominique Gyselinck stated in the release. He will forever be the Founder of C.Gars, and that legacy is now part of ours. He leaves with our gratitude and our friendship, and we very much look forward to his continued support for the group.”

With 33 locations across seven countries (Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, the United Kingdom, Germany, Monaco, and Luxembourg), Dominique London operates the largest network of cigar shops in Europe.

Photo: ©Dominique London