The owner and staff are jerks so why do I keep going back just to walk out mad?

crapgame

 I did it again, I have been  hoping that the last few times I went to
the "tobacco" shop in the mall near where i live that the bad
experiences I have had were isolated incidents but alas that is not the
case! First the pipes and have been replaced with water bongs..glass
crack pipes..and all kinds of other items of questionable use.there were
8 Dr. Graybow pipes hanging on a wall all covered with dust and 4
Nording pipes in a case..THATS IT!!!!!!
The tobacco was WAY
overpriced..$5.85 /oz for lane bulk tobacco!!! Capt. Black pouches near
10 bucks....100gr tins of Frog Morton and Bombay extra..24.85 a tin!!!
I
decided to not make the trip a total waste and decided to try Capt
Black dark because I have coupons for $6 off a pouch...and as I take out
the coupons the bitch behind the counter starts to sigh very loudly and
started tongue clicking as she watched me tear a coupon from the card I
had...she sighs a few more times and LOUDLY  proclaims.."I guess some
people just don't know that THIS store doesn't accept or take any
coupons so just put those away because you are wasting your time!"
Such
a pity..the old owner sold me my first pipe and always had a new
tobacco for me to try when new ones came in...I guess I am just missing
the old shop owner and atmosphere his store had...Going to the shop when
Dick owned it was like going to visit an old friend but now the shop is
filled with young hoodlums lookin at crack pipes and buying tee shirts
that have dope leafs on them and other crap like that...the place even
has copper pot scrubbers for sale in the shop..thats what people use in
crack pipes so the shop is targeting a different cliential....thats it
for my rant..and people wonder why B&M shops are disappearing..

PipeProfessor

Wow, sorry to hear that the store went down the tube! Unfortunately, selling the products they do probably brings in more money than a traditional pipe and cigar shop. This just reinforces the need for tobacco pipe smokers to band together and bring back the old values.

crapgame

@PipeProfessor I know that I have never felt like the staff ever wanted to see me a cigar or a pipe when i walked in..almost seems like they stock a few pipes and cigars along with some tobacco to appear legit

LostMason

I'ld file a complaint about them with STG.Why would STG want a retailer that is refusing their coupons.
Would seem to be a conflict of interest.The closest B&M I go to can be fun and frustrating.They have
one little dweeb that must be a child genius,always makes me feel as though he's snobbish.went in the
other day in my work jean,both knees worn out.He wouldn't even put his phone down while talking to me.
Just kept texting and saying "hmmm,what was that?" I left with my wallet just as heavy as it was when
I entered.

pylorns

Sounds like a great place to avoid!

piperdave

That is a shame, I don't think I would call it a tobacco shop any more. Maybe just a "Smoke Shop" sounds like that is all it will sell.

crapgame

@piperdave I think they used to be called "head shops" back in the day!

PipeProfessor

Well lets hope that places like these go by the wayside, but I have a bad feeling they will continue to pop up.

Anthony

It's all so sad, no matter, what a place sells these days, I find customer service, has left the building. I will say I am fortunate enough to live in the Chicago area, and can go to Iwan Reiss where Pipe and cigar people are still treated like kings. everyone there is friendly and knowledgeable, and they have everything. Also Arlington Pipe and cigar has a wonderful new owner. You can also go to smoking pipe. com. The quickest way to stop bad service is to not spend in there shop!  

drac2485

Unfortunately, I have watched tobacco shops in my area over the years turn into head shops.  Some have gone so far as to only carrying 6 different bags of rolling tobacco and that is the only tobacco they sell.  I still have a few that have decent choices of cigars in 1 or 2 standup humidors even though one in normally filled with Acid cigars.  The pipe tobacco selections are usually WAY over priced, $15 for a pouch of captain black and $60+ for a tub, but the one I frequent takes coupons.  I normally go to my B&M Cigar shop Tobacco Lane as they at least stay true to the leaf.  Unfortunately, pipes aren't to big in my area so I just shop online.  There is a part of me that think I would lose my mind, truck, and house if I were to ever go into a store full of pipes

tomatobodhi

I am really lucky to have a good tobacconist in my area. He lived in Japan and learned about pipe smoking and tobacco blending there, and laughs now that if he hadn't met his "master," he'd probably be making a lot of money and being miserable today.

I think it is great that he has "diversified his streams of revenue" by selling movie nostalgia memorabilia and gentlemen's supplies (pomades and shaving supplies, beard and mustache oils and waxes, etc.). He calls it a Tobacco and Gentleman's Store, which is a really great way to diversify product that is commonly desired *within* the pipe smoking community of do-it-yourselfers, old-fashioned-types, and pretentious hipster college students (hey, their money is green) instead of diversifying product to include an undesirable element.

drac2485

@tomatodhi that store sounds right up my alley, where pre tell is it located.

tomatobodhi

@drac2485 It is Ash & Ember Gentleman's Shop in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. Unfortunately, they tax the out of pipe tobacco in Arkansas (treat it as cigarette roll-your-own), but I hope Joe's store survives for years to come.

drac2485

@tomatobodhi I think will have to swing by when I am in that part of the country on my next trip through Arkansas. Thanks. I'll just make sure I bring my own tobacco to smoke on the trip