Elliot Abel

Elliot D. Abel, founder and owner of Tobacco Corner Ltd.

Elliot was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on Jan. 7, 1930, and was the only son of Ivy and Maurice Abel. He served a year in the United States Army prior to beginning his employment as a traveling salesman in the women’s apparel industry. In 1969 Elliot listened to his wife, Sandra, followed his passion, and settled into a new career when he opened the original Tobacco Corner Ltd. on Highland Avenue, thus turning his pipe-smoking hobby into a Memphis institution. Tobacco Corner offered the first walk-in cigar humidor in Memphis and quickly became a popular hangout for pipe and cigar smokers.

He was a proud supporter of the Boy Scouts of America, the Special Olympics and University of Memphis Tiger Athletics.

Abel died Tuesday, January 31, 2017.