For decades, Avanti Cigars, makers of the Parodi, called this building on North Main Avenue "home." Avanti, which means forward in Italian, recently moved to a building in Dunmore. Demolition on the North Main Avenue structure began last week.
I don't understand how anyone can smoke anything, especially a Parodi, but to each, his own. It's a kick that a famous product, one popular with my people, is made in our own back yard.
I happened to be in Baltimore many years ago when the McCormick spice plant at the Inner Harbor, was demolished. I swear, you could smell the cinnamon in the demolition dust. Alas, there was no tobacco or other scents wafting up from the North Main Avenue rubble.
The building might be on the way out, but at least the local production remains.
