Davidoff is a Swiss tobacco goods house founded by Henri Davidoff and family in in the early 20th century. Originally from Russia, the Davidoff family fled to Switzerland in 1906 amidst the political turmoils in Russia. The first Davidoff tobacconist shop opened in Geneva in 1912. Henri's son Zino Davidoff spent the 1920s in Central and South America, learning the tobacconist trade. He returned to his family in 1929 and used his knowledge and experience to open a specialty cigar shop in 1930. The location in Switzerland, which was spared much of the destruction and chaos of World War II, allowed the Davidoff name and reputation for fine cigars to expand throughout the 1930s and 1940s to great success. The original tobacconist shop was sold in 1970, but Zino Davidoff stayed on as the brand's ambassador until his death in 1984.