The Cigarette Store, doing business as Smoker Friendly, has named Dan Gallagher as its new president, effective April 17, according to a Monday announcement.
Gallagher has worked for the fuel and tobacco retailer since it was founded in 1991 and has been its executive vice president and chief operating officer since 2012. He’ll continue in those roles as he takes on the additional title of president, according to the announcement.
Gallagher is replacing his brother, CEO and Chairman Terry Gallagher Jr., who had been Smoker Friendly’s only president since it was founded. Terry Gallagher will remain at the family-owned company as CEO and chairman of the board.
“Dan has been instrumental in the growth of Smoker Friendly since its inception and key in establishing the great culture we have in this company,” Terry Gallagher said in the announcement. “Those of you who have worked closely with Dan know he is very deserving of this role and extremely capable of leading this company.”
Dan Gallagher started his career with Boston-based Best Petroleum as an area manager before moving to his family’s company. He spent the next eight years as an operations manager of alternative fuels for The Cigarette Store’s Gasamat Oil banner before shifting back to Smoker Friendly as vice president of operations in 2002.
Smoker Friendly’s change at the president level comes during a busy period for the company, which is coming off a 54-store acquisition in March. Those locations, formerly Bob’s Discount Tobacco Shops in Indiana, are in the process of being rebranded to Smoker Friendly stores.
Boulder, Colorado-based Smoker Friendly owns and operates 342 stores across 13 states. The Cigarette Store is the largest tobacco store retailer in the U.S., operating a mix of tobacco stores, cigar lounges, liquor stores and fueling locations under the Smoker Friendly, Tobacco Depot, Smoke ‘N Go, Havana Manor and Gasamat banners.
