California: Bay Area Roll Call?

[mluyckx]

Is that Mission Pipe off Alameda in San Jose ? here for business this week. Was planning to pay them a visit tonight or tomorrow night. I'll be back here the week of Jan 9.

 

[buster]

Mission pipe shop has a large selection of pipes. Pipe tobacco selection is kind of lacking but they have a huge selection of cigars. I mostly shop at Smokers Paradise on Union and Camden off highway 85 for tobacco. It is a small funky shop but it has lots of tins and bulk. They recently got some Ozona orange nasal snuff if you are interested in snuff!
If any one is interested in a trade? I have a tin of S/G Firedance flake, and Mac Baren chocolate and honey. Only smoked two bowls from each tin.

 

[bbauer]

mission is a small chain in the bay area. i know they have one in the sj area, but they also have one in livermore and i think a few others around.

 

[brewshooter]

I've been to Mission Pipe a few times, the one over in Pleasanton. A get together would be a good idea. Of course, not this weekend!!!
Buster, I'm going to have to check out that place. I LOVE Ozona Orange!!!

 

[buster]

I like it also, and probably the last snuff they can stock. I asked them to pick up some American snuffs but I do not think it sells very fast. So if you go in chat with them about getting more and tell them you will come back if they do. :D When I cant smoke I bring my snuff along.

 

[mluyckx]

@Buster: I probably will only have time to swing by either Mission Pipe or Smokers Paradise. Still looking for:
* Peterson Holiday Season 2011 and perhaps a tin of Escudo Navy (but I can call either before hand of course to check)

* A small, relatively cheap (under $50), 1/4 bent apple or brandy, perhaps in Viking or Duca Carlo to carry around.

* A trial of a very heavy Latakia blend to see whether my mouth problems are indeed caused by Latakia.
Which one do you think I'll have more luck ? Which one is more likely to let me try of the heaviest Lat blend they have ?

 

[buster]

You could call both shops but smokers paradise has a better selection on tobacco, both have good selections on pipes. Mission may have a larger selection of pipes? I got a Butz Choquin at S/P for $65 last month. They have so much tinned tobacco it's hard to choose, and a lot of bulk to choose from. Some nicely aged tins on the shelves! And a walk in humidor for cigars.
If you are working in Cupertino smokers paradise is easy to get to. Just head south on Hw 85 to Union. Turn left onto Union and stay in the left lane until you see Woodard road. Turn left onto Woodard and immediately into the parking lot on the right. If you go to far on Union,you can make a U turn at Camden. The shop is between a pool supply and a Chinese restaurant.

 

[buster]

Smokers paradise has many heavy lat blends in bulk and some open sample tins if you ask nicely. I think they are your best bet. Selection, easy freeway access and closer to where you will be.

 

[brewshooter]

I like it also, and probably the last snuff they can stock. I asked them to pick up some American snuffs but I do not think it sells very fast. So if you go in chat with them about getting more and tell them you will come back if they do. When I cant smoke I bring my snuff along.

Might want to see if they can get the Silver Dollar snuffs. I believe they are Toque's latest offering for the American market and sold by one of the U.S. distributors. I picked up a tin of the Original at Grant's in San Francisco and it is a decent snuff. It also comes in several flavored versions.

 

[zanthal]

I'd vote for Smoker's Paradise, haven't been there.

 

[lestrout]

I get out to the Bay Area several times a year, and always make sure to visit Piedmont Tobacconist in Berkeley and have dropped in on Telford's in Marin, Grant's downtown SF, and Mission Pipes in Pleasanton and San Jose. I've been to one of the first Golden Gate Pipe Club meetings at Telford's, which is fabulous. The Peninsula PC moved from Mission to Edward's and they are on my list.
If any schedule emerges for East Bay get-togethers, I'll try to link up, being based in Alameda.
hp

les

 

[mluyckx]

I was able to swing by Smokers Paradise yesterday. Excellent experience ! Knowledgeable and friendly staff, good selection of both tins and bulk. Medium pipe selection, however mainly on the more expensive side. With my PAD fund depleted, I didn't buy anything although there was a rather nice BC that caught my eye. Perhaps next time.
I was able to pick up a tin of Repose (I've been wanting to try that one anyway). Apparently they put a little date sticker on the tin when they get them in and shelve them. This one said... May 2002. For $13 I scored a 9 year old tin of C&D Repose ! Can't wait to pop that and savor it.
All in all, if you're ever in the area, it's a good store to try out. I know I'll be back.

 

[buster]

Cool! I'm glad you enjoyed my go to store. Some of the tins are very dusty! I have scored some aged tins also. :D There are some Rattray's tins up on a top shelf I'm eyeing. I think I will pick up the Marlin Flake as I hear it only improves with age.
Well merry Christmas and glad you are enjoying your trip.

 

[zanthal]

I went to Smoker's Paradises' website, and saw the picture of their tobacco wall. They've got a much more impressive selection then Mission Pipe in Pleasanton. Here's a quote from their site:



We have the largest selection of tinned tobaccos available on the West Coast. We also have a very large selection of bulk and blending tobaccos from around the world. We invite our pipe smoking customers to come into our stores and sample a pipe bowl of the many different tobaccos from Aromatics to English to Flake and Rope tobaccos and almost everything in between.
But do they have a TV, and comfy chairs?

 

[buster]

Much better selection than Mission pipe for sure. There is no where to lounge as it is a very small store that is packed to the rafters with tins of tobacco. 8) I understand the store they bought in Palo Alto "Paul's Pipes" has an even more impressive selection of bulk. I have not made it there yet. There is a park about 3 blocks from the smokers paradise, with benches and bath rooms. I go there before I pick my son up from school some times for a smoke. The park name is Hogue Park.

 

[clanobucklin]

FYI Bay Area - Sonoma County Pipe Club "Sonoma Puffers" esta muerto.
Won't go to Telfords or Piedmont Tobacconist (for personal reasons) - although I encourage locals to frequent local BM's.

 

[barling]

The Golden Gate Pipe Club meets at Telford's in Mill Valley the first Thursday of every month (in fact, they are meeting tonight, April 5th). The great Greg Pease is a member and is known to bring some of his new (unreleased) blends as well as some of his vintage treasures to share with the club members. Club President Mike Axelrod always brings some of his treasured pipes (and he has some fabulous pipes...including some JT Cooke) and he is always generous enough to offer them to members to smoke. I usually bring some of my home brewed beer, and they serve snacks and beverages, and we all sit around and talk pipes. Once a quarter the club hosts a dinner at a member's home, where we cook up a storm and smoke pipes until the late evening. Despite the fact that I live over an hour away in Livermore, I have not missed a meeting since joining. Membership is 50 dollars a year, which includes the price of admission to events, and Telford's gives a 10 percent discount to all club members on pipes and accessories (no tobacco). When I joined I bought about $1000 worth of pipes, so it immediately saved me $100 on the spot, paying for itself in spades.

 

[buster]

If I spent a grand on pipes? Well if I had a grand to spend on pipes that would be swell! Spending about eighty grand on an addition to the house at the moment and need some stuff for my boat and have a baby on the way so. I'll be smoking what I have. I think a Bay Area camping smoke out trip would be kind of cool! Cooler full of beer and rib eyes, a few camp sites and some charcoal. Weather is almost perfect! If I can do it before the June due date it might work out?

 

[zanthal]

this is the second time I've heard of this Mill Valley club ... it's a drive, I've been out there for a concert before but it's a great location, very low key but still pretty populated in the downtown.
It might just be worth the drive, I'll have to consider it.
thanks barling. ::

 

[barling]

We spent a large part of the meeting with Greg Pease discussing a special blend he is planning on making for the Golden Gate Pipe club. Next meeting he is going to bring some tobacco for us to sample and we are going to collectively create a blend. If you want to participate join the club and come to the next meeting!