In Hommage to Fader's: The End of an Era

[popsmusix]

Wow, I'm glad I clicked on this thread. I grew up not 10 mins from the Rolling Rd/Rte 40 location. I wasn't into pipes then, you know being only a kid and all, but I have heard the name before and now I'm sorry I never made it in there. I just might have to visit their other locations before they all close. Thanks for sharing this.

 

[addamsruspipe]

Did they make pipes as well as sell them? Asking because I have a estate pipe with Faders stamped on it.

 

[ssjones]

@addamsruspipe - like many larger tobacconists, Faders had pipes stamped with their name. But they also had on staff a master pipe craftsman, so perhaps he made pipes exclusive to the store. This all from Pipepedia:

While Fader's continues to offer pipes from a great many makers, they do not currently offer their own line of pipes. However, they often offered house lines over the years, including the Fader, made by the Shalom Pipe Factory in Israel, Fader's Calvert, named for the store's flagship location at 12. S. Calvert Street in downtown Baltimore, Fader's English Rough, Fader's M/L, lined with African meerschaum, Fader's Tan Blast, which was made in Italy, Fader's Naturals, and Fader's Filter Pipe.
Prior to the early 1960s, Fader's also employed its last in house master pipe craftsman, Josef "Hoffie" Hoffman, now a broken pipe.

 

[andrew]

I don't think b&m's closing is from a lack of pipe and cigar smokers, I think it's more from the shift to online ordering, and it's just going to keep happening

 

[deathmetal]

Statistically, there was a serious drop in smokers in 2015. Add to that the "double your price, plus" cost of a B&M, and you can see why they're having a drop in walk-ins, except for people who like to smoke there.

 

[andrew]

I wouldn't use smoking statistics as it's going to concentrate on cigarette smokers. Online shopping has had the same effect to a lot of stores in general. I won't doubt if a lot of stores go out of business in the future. Its like Sears is closing most of their stores, and they were around for a very long time.

 

[deathmetal]

Online shopping has had the same effect to a lot of stores in general.

It seems to me that there are other reasons why retail is dying.
Most of the online stats are suspicious...

 

[fnord]

RVP:
That's one of the nicest tributes I've ever read on this forum.
You're fortunate in the cultivation of many good memories, friendships and those pictures will always be pleasant reminders. I hope the Cantonsville staffers who wanted continuing employment were absorbed by the other storefronts.
Nicely done.
Fnord

 

[rockvillepete]

Thanks for your thoughts and kind words everyone. I feel as though I’ve lost a good friend, and in fact have as I don’t know if I’ll ever see some of these folks again. I hope that we can somehow get together and stay in touch.
Since writing this post, I’ve had some communication with another of Fader’s regulars who filled me in on some of the goings-on immediately prior to the closing. The impression we’re left with is that the Catonsville & Owings Mills locations were more or less sacrificed and left to die on the vine during the preceding months, perhaps to concentrate resources and finances toward the Allegheny Avenue location. Inventory at both locations had fallen sharply, forcing regular customers to go elsewhere. There really wasn’t a significant drop in clientele before this period. Most likely the increase in taxes and the prospect of highly burdensome regulations signed the death warrants for these locations. Hopefully the one remaining Fader’s location can weather the storm but I'm afraid this may be a sign of things to come.
A sad state of affairs, especially for Bert and the other salaried staff who relied on Fader’s for their livelihoods. We don’t know if they will be able to continue at the Towsen location or be forced elsewhere. I really feel for them and wish them all the best.

 

[deathmetal]

Might be a good time to get a mailing list together for as many customers and employees as you can find, then maybe you can all meet up on the regular and smoke some Mixture 79 together.

 

[ssjones]

The Chesapeake Pipe club meets at the Owings Mills location, so more sad news.

 

[deathmetal]

Come to Texas. The Briar Shoppe is PC and kind of... pretentious... but it's a nice place to smoke.
We're 100% 965 friendly, because among other people, I love the stuff.

 

[rockvillepete]

Yea, we have one of those hoity-toity kind of B & M's not far from the Catonsville Fader's with a Diamond Crown cigar lounge no less. I'm amazed they don't charge admission to the place and certain they would if they could get away with it. Perhaps I'm being a bit biased and unfair but I could never really warm to the place or their customers, who seem snobbish and look down upon pipe smokers. But then they're primarily a cigar shop with a smattering of tobacco tins and a few Peterson's on display.

 

[metalheadycigarguy]

The bearded gentleman in the second pic next to Mike is a friend of mine from YT. He used to work for Fader's and is a good friend of Mike's. Though I've never been to shop I've heard plenty of stories about how great a shop Fader's was and watched video's from inside the shop. It's very sad that this Tobacconist closed.
On the bright side, I recently acquired a Meerschaum pipe from ebay, and inside the case it has the Fader's logo and address on the inside of the case. From the information I was able to get from my friend, who asked Mike about the pipe; the pipe was made for Fader's by CAO in the early 1980's. So I have a nice piece of Tobacconist history so I feel lucky to have it since the shop no longer exists.

 

[rockvillepete]

metalheadycigarguy: That would be Erik, one of the Catonsville regulars who did in fact work at Fader’s for a time. Great guy! When he was a kid he used to go to Fader's with his grandfather. He’s made a number of pipe-related videos on YouTube under the name 1972 Woodsman. He actually helped pack up the store the day it closed and has a video documenting it. I wish I had known as I really wish I could have helped.
Congrats on your Fader's Meerschaum! That location still had a few of the Fader's CAO meerschaums for sale, amazingly. Don't know if they'll go to the Towson store or what's become of them. Now I regret not grabbing one. They also commissioned pipes from I believe Comoy's back in the day and had a number of Comoy's Christmas Pipes from the early 80's on display until a year or so ago when someone bought the lot.

 

[glassjapan]

Very sad news. Hopefully the store in Towson can find a way to keep their doors open. If they don't own that building the rent has to be ridiculous. Very prime location in Towson. I'll have to stop by my next trip to Maryland.

 

[mikeinbrooklyn]

Wow, small world. Rolling road... One of my friends used to frequent that store. I wouldn't be surprised if you knew the same people. I used to work near the Towson location and would stop in there. Our cigar club used to hang out at the Calvert street location, with the last owner before that went belly up in the mid 2000s. I bought my first real cigar lighter from that store.
A good gang at a b&m is half the hobby to me, and I miss the guys at my last home, Cross street tobacco in Baltimore. No good shops in Brooklyn. If you have a good b&m enjoy it while you can and never feel sorry for supporting them, they are a dying breed

 

[csharp]

Does anyone know which blends are exclusive to Fader's?

 

[ssjones]

Here's all of their blends, some may no longer be available (Balkan Sasieni bulk?). King Eider was my favorite English.
http://faderstobacco.com/sample-page/tobaccos/

 

[csharp]

@ssjones Thanks for the responding. That list is sadly out of date many wish someone carried Penzance in bulk.
I was wondering which blends might be blended in house? Also at one time they had some of their more popular blends tinned.