Today, May 29th, 2025, Davidoff of London — the iconic cigar shop in St James’s — celebrates its 45th anniversary, marking 45 years since it first opened its doors in May 1980.

To celebrate, Edward Sahakian, who started the shop in 1980, and his son Eddie Sahakian, who runs it today, sat down together for a heartfelt chat, which you can watch on YouTube:

Eddie began by thanking his father for everything—calling him the true founder and visionary behind the shop. He said the shop, the experiences, and the community around it all started because of Edward’s dream. Edward, smiling and relaxed, said he never expected to still be part of it 45 years later and joked that only smoking cigars might be the secret to living a long life.

They both took time to thank everyone who has helped them over the years—loyal customers, their dedicated staff, friends, and especially family members like Edward’s wife Greta and Eddie’s children.

Edward described the past 45 years as a journey with no fixed destination—just full of joy, surprises, and many cigars. He said he was happy to see Eddie take over and hoped they’d be around for many more anniversaries, even imagining celebrations for the 50th, 60th, and beyond.

A special moment in the video was when they opened a box of limited-edition cigars made in 2020 for the shop’s 40th anniversary. They had planned to smoke one cigar from that box every year on the shop’s birthday.

As they opened the box, they remarked on the amazing aroma of the cigars and were pleased to see how well they had aged. Eddie explained that these cigars were designed to get better over time and that five years was a good point to check how they were maturing.

Eddie also remembered that, in 2020, they enjoyed this cigar with a bottle of Glenrothes whisky from 1980—the same year the shop opened. He joked that they’re like “terrible drug dealers” because their cigars are so good, they can’t resist smoking them themselves.

They ended the video with a simple, genuine thank-you to everyone who has supported them. For Edward and Eddie, working in the cigar industry is more than just a business—it’s about people, relationships, and sharing something special.

In another tribute to the anniversary, Kirby Allison joined the celebration with his own video, sitting down with Edward and Eddie to light up the rare and elegant Ramon Allones Hunters & Frankau 225th Anniversary cigar.

Their conversation highlights years of cigar history, tradition, and the legacy of the Sahakian family.

Here’s to 45 years of memories—and many more to come. 🥂💨