Is It Taboo For New Members To Post Critically Of Local Merchant experiences?

[ssjones]

I don't know the last time you visited Russ' old shop near Wolf Road (Habanna Cigar). He left that location last year to move his operations to PA and is no longer connected with that shop. All of his glass jars with his Hearth & Home blends were removed. I stopped in just after he left and found no pipe tobacco, save for a few leftover scraps. I'll have to stop by again next week and see if they reinstated any pipe products.

 

[ssjones]

and the apparent result as I'm getting from ssjones is that they no longer try and sell oxidized-stem pipes, or they are finally learning to restore them so that more newbie buyers don't get socked with having to learn that onerous task before they get to enjoy their purchase.

You are completely misinterpreting my comments, let me clarify:
- The shop has the same condition pipes from visits several times this year and in 2014 (see my threads on all of my visits, just use Google or the search feature. IE, nothing has changed from my first or last visit.

- They have pipes that have been restore and some that have not, this varies from estate to estate.

- Oxidized stems were certainly available from their estate collection and this is the condition that I hope to find a pipe. I'd rather do the work myself.

- New pipes are available for folks who do not want to restore a pipe. I did not examine them as I had no interest.

- if you are willing do some restoration, they have a fine selection of very good quality British and Italian estate pipes.

- The crew isn't very knowledgeable about pipes. I would say their pipe expertise is on par with the majority of shops I visit all over the East Coast.
There is an outstanding pipe shop nearby. I'd recommend you visit them, but if you come at those guys with the attitude portrayed in this thread (and to the team at Edleez), those guys toss you out in short order. This shop has many new, high grade pipes as well has wall/basket pipes. So, if you go there, be humble and just listen.

 

[pruss]

so that more newbie buyers don't get socked with having to learn that onerous task before they get to enjoy their purchase

With respect, newbie buyers get "socked" with having to learn all sorts of things when they take up pipe smoking. Most folks fumble through their first few/many pipe buys until they find the shape, size, finish, and engineering that suits them best. This is, of course, compounded by pricing and what the pipe smoker can afford.
I, like Al, and many others prefer to save ourselves some up front cash and invest sweat equity and shop time and materiel to increase the quality of the pipes in our collection without paying exorbitant prices for new or NOS prices.
Like most of the other folks who have read through your soliloquies, I think you'd have been better served by taking the refund and finding another pipe. Further, learning how to do basic cleaning and maintenance is important for any pipe smoker. Cleaning up oxidized stems is regular cleaning and maintenance.
I wish you luck, and less angst, with your continued journey in pipe smoking.
-- Pat

 

[cosmicfolklore]

What I am getting out of this is that when a car is discounted because of its paint job, you don't buy it and demand a new paint job. However, they seem, by your own story, tried to make it right, even though I don't think many places would have done that. Switching stems is NOT a common practice except with a few odd makers who design for that purpose. But, I've never balked at oxidation in the first place. This is something we discuss quite a bit on here. Even with cars, you have to take care of the paint and plastic. Upon dredging through all of this, I would have just taken the refund with a smile. Well, actually, the oxidation wouldn't have ticked me off in the first place. I would have been happy with getting a pipe. But, even at that, it was a cheap pipe. I've dropped pipes that cost more than that into the river while fishing.
I think that the responses that you are getting are showing a failure to understand your issue. I thought I understood in my first responses, but re-reading this, I just don't get it. Sorry.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

In fact, I think that you've shown what awesome customer service this place has. Obviously a tobacconist that has that many staff members must be doing awesome business. And, then to offer to switch a stem on a pipe that they aren't making diddly in profit on is amazing. I will have to drop in and check this place out when I am in the area next. ::

 

[admin]

TLDR, but closing based on other's feedback.