Shawn Stewart had been working in the tumultuous airline industry for over a decade when he decided it was time for a change. After constantly moving his family around and dealing with long stints away from home, Shawn and his wife Beth Stewart returned to their roots in Huntington in 1997 and founded Stogie’s, a small convenience store location at 17 Washington Avenue. 

Nearly three decades later, the Stogie’s brand has become synonymous with convenience and humor while growing impressively across the region.

Today, Stogie’s is run by the founders' daughters, Ashley Stewart and Lauren Stewart, who serve as operators of a growing business footprint that includes five stores, two car washes, and a dedicated corporate team. All together, Stogie’s employs around 25 local residents in the Huntington region.

While Stogie’s has expanded across Huntington, Barboursville, and most recently into Ceredo, the heart of the business remains rooted in convenience and commitment to the surrounding community.

At its core, the Stogie's brand aims to deliver complete convenience for its many customers. From cold beer, tobacco and lottery options, to premium cigars kept in on-site humidors and a carefully curated line of regulated CBD and THC products, Stogie’s offers a surprisingly broad selection of products.

The secret to their success lies in their signature drive-thru service available at every location.

"I think our drive-through is our biggest pull," Ashley explained. "We offer total convenience. You can stay in your car and get any of our products from the drive-through.”

“We even have menus for the vapes,” added Lauren. “We try to be really fast and really efficient. I think that's kind of our niche"

To make that convenience seamless and consistent across all locations, staff undergo thorough training to keep things moving fast without sacrificing customer service. Looking ahead, the company is ready to take that convenience even further by building an online ordering system on their new website for in-store pickup, with eventual plans for shipping orders in the near future.

When passing any Stogie’s location, you are bound to notice one thing immediately: the signage. Each store window is covered in numerous, bright, hilarious signs advertising current deals in an entirely unique way. In addition to the window signage, every Stogie’s location features an old-school marquee with witty, humorous phrases and jokes that are designed to bring a quick smile to commuters. That lighthearted approach to business isn't just a marketing tactic, it is a direct tribute to their late father and founder, Shawn, who passed away in 2020.

"He always wanted to laugh. That was his favorite thing,” said Lauren. “He always used to say ‘don't take yourself too seriously.’”

The sisters recall their father’s favorite philosophy: "It's better to be funny than cool." Today, they continue their father’s tradition and his motto lives on through every witty quote and custom sign created in-house by the Stogie’s team.

The impact of those roadside laughs reach farther than one might think. Neighbors frequently stop the sisters in public just to comment on the signs. In one instance, a customer at a local hardware store admitted to the sisters that whenever she gets upset with her husband, he drives her down the street to read the latest Stogie’s marquee to lighten the mood.

"You never know what people are going through," the sisters said. “Our biggest thing is, we want people to smile. You get a little chuckle and things brighten up a little bit."

Beyond bringing humor and convenience to the Tri-State area, Stogie's maintains a strong mission of supporting local causes and organizations. 

“We really try to support local businesses because this is our hometown,” said Ashley. “Our children go to school here. Lauren does dance school here, my daughter plays soccer here. My son goes to the YMCA every night. We are very local-based. This is our home, and we're really happy to be here and we try to support our community.” 

For over 15 years, Stogies has routinely supported and partnered with the local animal shelter for fundraising campaigns. In addition to collecting spare change left behind by customers, the team actively helps trap cats for local trap-neuter-return (TNR) programs, spends weekends walking shelter dogs, and crafts custom metal signs and banners for the facility. Next month, each store will host a "PAWS" fundraiser, allowing customers to write their name on a paper paw for a $2 donation straight to the animal shelter.

“We have seen some awesome improvements there, at the animal shelter,” said Ashley. “So we will continually help them out.”

That neighborly spirit extends directly into their newest market in Ceredo, where the local community has warmly welcomed the new store.

"Ceredo has been awesome to work with,” said Lauren. “They have been just a really, really great community," 

With five established locations across Huntington, Barboursville, and Ceredo, Stogie’s continues to prove that serving a community with quality service and genuine local heart go hand in hand.

Stogie’s will celebrate the grand opening of their new Ceredo location at 1541 C Ceredo Street on August 28 from 3-7 PM. Expect giveaways, grab bags, ice cream, free samples, and much more!