Leader of Manchester Marketing Firm Buys Historic Cigar Factory

In an effort to create a gateway for professional creative culture while also linking to Manchester’s rich manufacturing history, Travis York, oresident and CEO of GYK Antler (formerly GY&K Marketing and Griffin York & Krause), recently purchased the R.G. Sullivan 7-20-4 Cigar Factory Building on Canal Street. The agency plans to relocate from its River Front Drive office in Manchester, which it has occupied since 2001, into the 55,000-square-foot, seven-story building at 175 Canal Street in early 2015.

A New Hampshire native, York is one of five sons in the York family, with three of his brothers working at GYK Antler. Each of the brothers contributed to the purchase of the R.G. Sullivan Building. In a unique twist to the story, York’s family actually owned the building for roughly 20 years from the 1960s to the 1980s. At that time, the family business, Indian Head Shoe Company, manufactured a athletic shoes, including those worn by Hall of Fame NFL quarterback Johnny Unitas, there. The manufacturer’s former retail outlet, now Indian Head Athletics, is still owned by his parents and is situated across from the Verizon Wireless Arena in downtown Manchester.

“We are taking the bones of a historical building with a deep heritage in Manchester and in my own family, and putting an innovative and progressive marketing agency into the space,” said York, who happens to collect 7-20-4 Cigar memorabilia. “We want to help turn the building into something that is a sought after place for creative, technical and professional service companies and will attract top-notch employees and clients.”

The R.G. Sullivan Cigar Company began manufacturing cigars on Canal Street in 1906, employing 400 people and producing 12 million cigars each year, making it one of the largest cigar manufacturers in the country. According to a 1931 Time Magazine article, Roger G. Sullivan named his famous cigars, “7-20-4” in reference to a winning lottery ticket with the same numbers. The building withstood a fire in 1947, and the company was ultimately bought out and the factory was shut down in 1963, with owners blaming Fidel Castro’s regime for making it difficult to obtain the desired Havana tobacco used in its cigars. GYK Antler will extensively renovate the building’s first two levels to house its growing team.

York said GYK Antler is expanding rapidly, and while the leadership team and staff love the historic old River Front Drive school house it currently occupies, the agency has simply outgrown the space. The firm, which offers a full breadth of creative, cutting-edge services, including digital, video production, social media, web development and content creation, employed 30 people in 2005 and today employs 70. Likewise, the agency has grown from $9 million in billings in 2005 to $16 million today. The firm also has satellite offices in Boston and Los Angeles.

“As a dynamic marketing and advertising agency, it was important to us that our new building fit the needs of a world-class creative agency servicing high profile clients like ESPN, Sweet Baby Rays and Bauer,” said York. “And as a New Hampshire native and leader of a homegrown company with a 39-year legacy it was also extremely important to us that we find a space that was iconic and distinctive locally. We certainly feel that we have accomplished both of these goals with this building.”

When renovations are complete, the building will keep the R.G. Sullivan sign displayed along with GYK Antler’s new branding. Renovations will create a more open feel, with plenty of natural light and an emphasis on developing a highly collaborative, mentally stimulating environment.

Photo: Ownership of the iconic R.G. Sullivan Cigar Factory building came full circle this week as previous owner Arthur Sullivan of Brady Sullivan Properties handed over the keys to new owner Travis York of GYK Antler. Travis, along with his four brothers contributed financially to the purchase of the building once owned by family from the 1960s to the 1980s when it was Indian Head Shoe Company. Pictured in photo from left to right are Dylan, Tyler, Kyle, Evan and Travis York and Arthur Sullivan of Brady Sullivan Properties.