@motie2 I know this is not much help, I have Nutty Cut, but I don’t remember exactly how it was *shrug*. I can say that it was ok, just not memorable😬 I must try this Barbados Plantation you speak of😀. I always get side-tracked with other tobaccos....kind of like a “shiny”.......oh look——a “shiny”😬
@PappyJoe I thought you were trying to use up some of your stock before getting more. It's nice to know you're like most of us and just can't help yourself... Seriously, congrats of the acquisitions...
@motie2 I have a tin of Peterson's Nutty Cut. It's an okay aromatic, not my favorite, but I received some compliments for the aroma when I smoked it in public.
@Wrmills What is a "local B&M?" No, seriously, I know what a local brick and mortar tobacconist/pipe shoppe is; it's just that there ain't one within less than a 90 minute drive total, going and returning. So, I'm at the mercy of P&C, Smokingpipes, and various other online merchants, including eBay. (It's a hard life ) Were it not for the internet merchants, I probably wouldn't smoke.... being unwilling to settle for drugstore and codger blends, all of which I smoked in my first pipe life, before I discovered Latakia and English blends, leaving aromatics behind altogether.
And these days, in my second pipe life, I only smoke aromatics, Again, go figure.....
@Wrmills Welcome to the forums! Well it really just comes down to your value set. I think there is a lot of merit in supporting local B&Ms; however, with prices twice as much as online, keeping your pipe lit gets more and more difficult. But as @motie2 mentioned, if it weren't for internet merchants, I probably wouldn't smoke either. Some will go every once in a while to show support.
As a marketing professional and having studied B&Ms vs eCommerce, the one aspect that B&Ms can REALLY make the difference is the in-person experience. A tobacconist must be solid at building relationships and has to build a community around it. Marketing rule of thumb is that it takes 80% more to gain new customers than it does to retain them. So, if your B&M is AWESOME and you feel that they are deserving of your money, then by all means price may not be the issue. I've heard this once and it stuck to me: "If a street performer makes you stop, then you owe it to them to drop a few coins."
Honestly, it's a cigar shop with very limited pipe tobacco and employees that don't know very much about pipe tobacco, so I guess you answered my question!
@Wrmills - I am one of the few, the fortunate ones who lives near enough a local B&M's that actually knows about pipes and pipe tobacco. Just outside of New Orleans (about 34 miles west of where I live) is Mayan Imports. This is the third location in the area and while the focus of the other two spots are cigars, this one is about 50/50 between pipes and cigars. In fact, 3 years ago when Tinderbox closed down in Metairie, Mayan Imports bought all of its stock and hired its main employees to run the new shop. They are very knowledgeable.
I support Mayan Imports because they support the New Orleans Pipe Club by allowing us to hold their meetings there. For the past 3 years, I have bought about 90 percent of my new, unsmoked pipes and my pipe tobacco through them. I've seen their invoices so I know that what they are paying for tinned tobacco is pretty close to what you pay online.
Yes, I pay more to buy from them but I understand they have to mark up the prices to make a profit. They have to pay the mortgage on the building they are in. They have to pay utilities. They have to pay their employees. So I don't criticize them for charging 4 or 5 dollars more than the on-line shops. I also don't have to pay shipping which is an additional cost if you don't blow $75 at a time.
Something else this B&M provides is a clean, well lit place to sit around and smoke with friends. It has one large smoking lounge where we hold our meetings. It has a smaller smoking lounge with a table and chairs for six. It has a covered patio by the front door with tables and chairs for 24 smokers. Or you can sit in one of the six chairs between the front store window and the cash register and talk to the employees.
@Oddjob27 and @PappyJoe hit the nail on the head regrading the two most important aspects of B&Ms, and yes absolutely you pay more.
But besides hosting our pipe club and our social smokes its also provides me a place to just go and smoke and relax during the winter months here in northern Illinois, as the only other place I smoke my pipe this time of year is in the car when traveling.
When I started smoking pipes again in 2016 after several decades without, SWMBO said she was afraid I'd become addicted to tobacco (again). Now she admits she was wrong: she says I'm addicted to pipes.
@Oddjob27 Please let us know your thoughts on the Ashton Artisan’s Blend after you've got a couple of bowls under your belt, It sounds like something I'd like to try
@Oddjob27 AOM podcast? Very nice. And also nice hauls! I look forward to your reviews on the SPC blends and the Ashton blend as aside from Plum Pudding I have yet to ever partake of these blends myself. Happy smoking!
I picked picked up some Maltese Falcon and some Haunted Bookshop. I also picked up a few new mms. It has been too windy to take the Shire Cobbit out for a smoke but warmer weather is coming.
Comments
I know this is not much help, I have Nutty Cut, but I don’t remember exactly how it was *shrug*. I can say that it was ok, just not memorable😬
I must try this Barbados Plantation you speak of😀. I always get side-tracked with other tobaccos....kind of like a “shiny”.......oh look——a “shiny”😬
@PappyJoe I thought you were trying to use up some of your stock before getting more. It's nice to know you're like most of us and just can't help yourself...
Seriously, congrats of the acquisitions...
As of yesterday I finished off 9 different jars of tobacco from my cellar. I only bought 3 new tins to go in the cellar.
I smoke BCA, RLP-6, JOSN, Lane VBC, and Molto Dolce on occasion. I also mix these together in varying proportions.
But most of the time I smoke straight Barbados Plantation, my daily go to blend. If there could be only one, that would be it.
What is a "local B&M?" No, seriously, I know what a local brick and mortar tobacconist/pipe shoppe is; it's just that there ain't one within less than a 90 minute drive total, going and returning. So, I'm at the mercy of P&C, Smokingpipes, and various other online merchants, including eBay. (It's a hard life
And these days, in my second pipe life, I only smoke aromatics, Again, go figure.....
Honestly, it's a cigar shop with very limited pipe tobacco and employees that don't know very much about pipe tobacco, so I guess you answered my question!
I am one of the few, the fortunate ones who lives near enough a local B&M's that actually knows about pipes and pipe tobacco. Just outside of New Orleans (about 34 miles west of where I live) is Mayan Imports. This is the third location in the area and while the focus of the other two spots are cigars, this one is about 50/50 between pipes and cigars. In fact, 3 years ago when Tinderbox closed down in Metairie, Mayan Imports bought all of its stock and hired its main employees to run the new shop. They are very knowledgeable.
I support Mayan Imports because they support the New Orleans Pipe Club by allowing us to hold their meetings there. For the past 3 years, I have bought about 90 percent of my new, unsmoked pipes and my pipe tobacco through them. I've seen their invoices so I know that what they are paying for tinned tobacco is pretty close to what you pay online.
Yes, I pay more to buy from them but I understand they have to mark up the prices to make a profit. They have to pay the mortgage on the building they are in. They have to pay utilities. They have to pay their employees. So I don't criticize them for charging 4 or 5 dollars more than the on-line shops. I also don't have to pay shipping which is an additional cost if you don't blow $75 at a time.
Something else this B&M provides is a clean, well lit place to sit around and smoke with friends. It has one large smoking lounge where we hold our meetings. It has a smaller smoking lounge with a table and chairs for six. It has a covered patio by the front door with tables and chairs for 24 smokers. Or you can sit in one of the six chairs between the front store window and the cash register and talk to the employees.
I picked picked up some Maltese Falcon and some Haunted Bookshop. I also picked up a few new mms. It has been too windy to take the Shire Cobbit out for a smoke but warmer weather is coming.