WENDELL TOWN
A RICH TOBACCO HISTORY
We curate the finest brands, boutique factories, and small-batch producers. Every cigar in this shop earns its place.
THE STORY OF WENDELL
A Town Built on Tobacco
Wendell’s story begins with tobacco.
In the 1850s, a devastating crop disease known as the Granville Wilt forced tobacco farmers to leave Granville County in search of fertile land. Many settled here in eastern Wake County, planting the seeds of a new community.
As farms prospered, schools, churches, businesses, and homes followed. The village was named after author Oliver Wendell Holmes and officially incorporated in 1903.
The arrival of the railroad transformed Wendell into one of eastern North Carolina’s most important tobacco markets. Warehouses, merchants, and auction houses filled downtown, creating opportunities for generations of local families.
The farmers, merchants, warehouse workers, and entrepreneurs who built this town left a legacy that still shapes Wendell today.
At Wendell Cigar Co., we are proud to preserve and share their story.
R.B. WHITLEY
Banker · Farmer · Town Builder
Few people had a greater impact on early Wendell than R.B. Whitley.
A successful businessman and farmer, Whitley founded the Bank of Wendell in 1907 and helped establish the town as a thriving tobacco market. He owned warehouses, stores, lumber mills, and farmland throughout the region.
Local legend holds that Whitley personally helped clear the land that became Main Street. During the 1918 influenza epidemic, he opened his home, Sunnyside, to care for the sick.
More than a businessman, R.B. Whitley was a community builder whose influence can still be seen throughout Wendell today.
MONK-HENDERSON TOBACCO CO.
From Wendell to the World
Founded in 1919
Founded in 1919, the Monk-Henderson Tobacco Company became one of the driving forces behind Wendell’s economy.
Local farmers brought their tobacco to market, where Monk-Henderson purchased, processed, and packed the leaf into massive wooden barrels known as hogsheads before shipping it around the world.
The Third Street warehouse provided jobs for generations of Wendell residents and helped establish the town as a respected center of the tobacco trade.
Today, the historic warehouse stands as a reminder of an industry that connected a small North Carolina town to global markets and helped shape the community we know today.
JUNE PERRY (1935–2022)
Merchant · Mayor · Community Leader
For generations, June Perry was one of the most recognizable and respected figures in Wendell.
Through Perry’s Store and Perry’s Gun Shop, he served customers with the same values that guided his life: hard work, honesty, and service to others.
A former educator, mayor of Wendell, businessman, church leader, and civic volunteer, June devoted decades to improving the community he loved. Whether helping build local organizations, supporting schools, or welcoming neighbors into his store, he believed in leaving Wendell better than he found it.
His legacy lives on in the people, businesses, and community he helped shape.
Our Shop Exclusive Private Blend Cigars
We partner with factories and artisans who uphold the highest standards in the industry small teams, generational master blenders, and meticulous sourcing from the world’s finest farms.
