View source for Republic Tobacco

{{short description|Multinational tobacco retailer}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Republic Tobacco
| logo = File:Republic Group logo.gif
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| image = File:Mucha-job.jpg
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| image_caption = [[JOB (rolling papers)|JOB rolling papers]] 1896 ad (bought in 2005)
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| industry = [[Tobacco]] 
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'''Republic Tobacco [[Limited partnership|LP]]''' is a [[Multinational corporation|multinational]] wholesaler, distributor, and retailer of [[tobacco]], based in the [[Chicago, Illinois|Chicago]] suburb of [[Glenview, Cook County, Illinois|Glenview]], [[Illinois]], [[United States]].

Republic Tobacco is wholly owned by Republic Group (Republic Technologies LLC is the parent company), which includes the manufacturer affiliates of [[TOP (rolling papers)|Top Tobacco]], Republic Technologies: [[JOB (rolling papers)|JOB]] and [[:fr: Odet-Cascadec-Bolloré|Odet-Cascadec-Bolloré (OCB)]] [[cigarette paper]]s, Altesse GmbH (filter tubes), H.T.H. Tabak ([[cigarettes]], [[Snuff (tobacco)|snuff]], and tobacco), and Productos Technologicos Catalanes (smoking accessories), as well as Republic Tobacco, representing a combined sales and distribution presence in more than 90 countries [http://www.tobaccoretailer.com/uploads/IndustryNews/2005/0502_industry_news2.asp].

The company was founded by Donald Levin. Levin began with a small smoke shop called Adams Apple (which still exists, although it is no longer owned by Levin). He then went into wholesale distribution and grew his company into the largest [[roll-your-own]] tobacco company in the world.{{Citation needed|date=June 2008}}

In 1969, Levin became the U.S. distributor for JOB rolling papers.  He built the brand and used the profits to purchase the TOP Tobacco Factory & Brands from [[R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company|R. J. Reynolds]] in the early 1980s. He is rumored to have a copy of the check he wrote to RJR on his wall to this day.{{Citation needed|date=February 2007}}
[[File:Cartine ocb.jpg|thumb|Rolling paper OCB]]
Over the years, Levin oversaw his company's expansion, which eventually culminated in 2000 his purchase of some of the [[Bolloré]] brands like [[France|French]] brands [[Odet-Cascadec-Bolloré|OCB]] and [[JOB (rolling papers)|JOB]].{{Citation needed|date=February 2007}}<!--The Bolloré article doesn't mention this--> In July 2009, he also bought from Bolloré Papeteries du Léman and Papeteries des Vosges, two French paper mills specialized in thin papers [http://bollorethinpapers.com/?idMenu=33].

He also purchased the [[Chicago Wolves]] sports team; produced many movies, including ''[[Maximum Overdrive]]''.

==See also==
* [[List of rolling papers]]

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*[http://www.therepublicgroup.net/eng/ Company profile]

[[Category:Tobacco companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Cigarette rolling papers]]
[[Category:Companies based in Glenview, Illinois]]