American Made Wholesalers

brianm37 · Oct 28, 2014

Hi There!
Long time reader, first time poster. So happy to be part of this community!
Straight forward question: I'm looking for an American wholesaler where I can design a few different pipe shapes and order them in bulk (100+ per month). I'm starting a pipe company and need a company to source my pipes. I would love a few suggestions of American companies. If anyone knows of someone overseas that'd work as well, just looking for options right now.
Thank you ahead of time!

daimyo · Oct 28, 2014

So you want to start a second party pipe company or do you own a tobacco shop and are looking for shop pipes? Do you make your own pipes by hand? Either way, I don't believe there are any pipe factories in America.

newbroom · Oct 28, 2014

I just have to say, this sounds preposterous. Contact Jayson Dagner.

brianm37 · Oct 28, 2014

Thanks for the response. I do not carve pipes, unfortunately, but I am looking for a company who can produce high-quality pipes at scale, and I can sell them as the new company I've founded. I don't own a tobacco shop and will only sell them online (for now).
Thank you!

lonestar · Oct 28, 2014

Contact Todd Johnson. Other than that you are looking at Italian companies for what you need.

daimyo · Oct 28, 2014

I do not mean any disrespect but it sounds like you want to slap your name on a quality pipe and sell it. The question should be, why would anyone buy one if you did? What do you plan to offer that isn't already available from companies started by actual pipe makers? What do you know about ensuring longevity or even basic pipe construction having never made pipes? Most people who simply want to cash in on a popular item do not produce a good product or add to the landscape. Are you an engineer, artist or something else that might lend to the field? Even newly minted brands like Icarus came from the mind of an actual pipe maker and most store brands are just existing product with a store name.

ejames · Oct 28, 2014

Either way, I don't believe there are any pipe factories in America.

Three that I can think of off the top of my head.

1- S.M. Frank-- Kaywoodie,Medico and Yellowbole in New York.

2- IP&A --makers of Dr. Grabow in Sparta, North Carolina.

3- Monarch Pipe Co. Bristow, Ok.

warren · Oct 28, 2014

Large pipe retailers have their brand put on pipes all the time. While there are a couple of companies that make their own pipe in the US I believe they are strictly cobs.
If you have the money you can anything made anywhere is you want to pay for the tooling up, etc. I doubt any of the companies that supply retailers with "branded" pipes would be interested in doing special shapes for a retailer.
And, where in the heck are you going to sell 100 pipes a month. China?
I'd love to see your business model. I wish you success.

daimyo · Oct 28, 2014

Ejames, they are still running factories in America?

brianm37 · Oct 28, 2014

I do not mean any disrespect but it sounds like you want to slap your name on a quality pipe and sell it. The question should be, why would anyone buy one if you did? What do you plan to offer that isn't already available from companies started by actual pipe makers? What do you know about ensuring longevity or even basic pipe construction having never made pipes? Most people who simply want to cash in on a popular item do not produce a good product or add to the landscape. Are you an engineer, artist or something else that might lend to the field? Even newly minted brands like Icarus came from the mind of an actual pipe maker.

Hey Daimyo-
Great questions and no disrespect taken. I can assure you I am not interested in "cashing in" on the pipe industry. Pipe smoking has and will always be a deep passion for me. My desire is to take this passion to a new demographic and market that isn't buying pipes today. This market consists of a younger generation, largely urban, and trendy buyers.
You raise good questions- mainly why would anyone buy a pipe from me?- and the answer is that I know this market, and will partner with the best American pipe manufactures to design (and we can use that word loosely) a pipe that appeals to this market. While certainly not a novice, I agree that I am not an expert on pipe construction, which is why I am partnering only with the best manufacturers I can find. In fact, I've been in discussion with a few of the above brands/individuals to do the actualdesigning and manufacturing.
Make sense? Hope you can get behind it!

ejames · Oct 28, 2014

Ejames, they are still running factories in America?

Yes,they are still in operation. I was just at the Grabow plant in July.

BTW- Monarch makes pipes for Carey, the "Aerosphere" and the Carey "Magic Inch".

lestrout · Oct 28, 2014

For what it's worth, the business model of designing pipe shapes and outsourcing the manufacture was done by a well known NYC shop, The Connoisseur - but the late Ed Burak had a physical store and did a good job marketing and displaying the product. He cultivated a loyal clientele the old fashioned way.
hp

les

rx2man · Oct 28, 2014

As was mentioned earlier Todd Johnson......they are already making 2 lines for P&C
http://briarworksintl.com/custom-mfg/
quote from their site.......
"Custom Manufacturing

At BWI we can bring just about any design-concept to life. We are a fleet footed company employing trained engineers, professional designers and graphic artists, as well as a team of world renowned pipemakers. Whether you’re interested in 30 pipes for your pipe club or 3,000 pipes for world-wide distribution, we can move swiftly from idea (yours or ours) to sketch to a handmade model, and finally into full scale production in only a matter of weeks."

daimyo · Oct 28, 2014

Brian, fair enough but I would argue that younger buyers are already driving the current uptick in pipe smoking. If you have a fresh aesthetic then you may well indeed attract some new smokers into the fold but be cautious with tying an aesthetic to an age demographic. There are many young pipers here and just like the codgers, their tastes vary from Olie Sylvester's Zombie creations to the classic Dunhill shapes. Still, if you have a vision and the capitol then I wish you the best of luck and eagerly await some new designs.
Ejames, thanks for the info. With the cheaper prices I had assumed most of these companies had moved production overseas but it's nice to see that is not the case. I thought it was just cobs, maples and artisan pipes coming out of the US these days.

warren · Oct 28, 2014

There's always room for someone who is selling the best. That said, getting into a business that governments around the world are dedicated to taxing out of existence doesn't appear to be the best idea. You've got an uphill battle trying to establish a new brand in the tobacco business.

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