Any B&M Owners On The Forums?
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Every B&M owner I meet I always encourage them to visit the forums but they always sort of just laugh. The online retailers do a great job and all seem to get what we need/want from a retailer; this forum can be a great resource if utilized.
I'd love to own my own B&M, but sadly I don't
Good question though. I'll definitely keep checking back here to see if anyone does own their own B&M.
Good question though. I'll definitely keep checking back here to see if anyone does own their own B&M.
Yeah, I am still relatively new at this.. Been going at pipe smoking for a year or two now.
I'm 23 and can definitely see myself picking up enough knowledge over time to open a B&M one day, according to what the economy and laws are looking like.
I'm 23 and can definitely see myself picking up enough knowledge over time to open a B&M one day, according to what the economy and laws are looking like.
When I ask the B&M owners here if they come to the forums, they usually respond that after helping people all day 7 days a week pick out tobacco, pipes, and giving assistance to newbies, they just don't feel like going home and doing it on the computer.
No matter how passionate we are about our job, would you go home and do it for free ...for fun?
No matter how passionate we are about our job, would you go home and do it for free ...for fun?
Parker, lets not confuse things from the other string of posts. My favorite B&M is The Briary where the owner knows his stuff, visits all of the pipe shows, and is a well known pipe maker himself. Skip Elliot, and one of his pipes was actually discussed on the radio show a few weeks ago.
The other douchebag that didn't know that tins don't "go bad" is a whole other place.LOL :wink:
The other douchebag that didn't know that tins don't "go bad" is a whole other place.LOL :wink:
Cool, Carytobacco, glad to have you on the forums!! You must lurk and spy on us to learn our favorite blends, lol.
There is something to this. But I'd like to suggest that there is more to consider.
Forums like this one can be a great barometer into the rise and fall of trends in the tobacco and pipe consuming community. Participating in the forum, even as a lurker, can offer a business owner considerable insight at only the cost of his/her time. Further, if they have an internet connection in their store, they can do this while the shop is open, during slower sales periods. If I were running a B&M I'd be carving out part of my business day to scan the threads here and at the other pipe forums I am sure exist but never visit... 8O
In my world of coffee & tea constant scanning of social media, and online communities is all part and parcel of making sure that the drinks/blends/concepts I develop are relevant, interesting and will drive sales.
-- Pat
For example, think how valuable it would be for a retailer to know that Gaslight was much anticipated, or that White Knight has already gotten great reviews and they should plan to stock up for the next few months.
Why would he need to be online, when he has a lounge full of us posting on strings like this right now. When I see something you guys are discussing, I go, "Hey Skip, got any of that Klondike Gold they're talking about?" :
:
But, I know what you mean. I think Carytobacco may be doing that, as he's only posted 38 times in two years, apparently :wink:
:But, I know what you mean. I think Carytobacco may be doing that, as he's only posted 38 times in two years, apparently :wink:
I work at a cigar shop on Saturday. We sell "some" pipes when we have them. I try to use my knowledge to influence the owners to buy different things. But to little avail.
I know we're debating for the sake of debating... but I'm game. :lol:
On this end, my immediate answer to your question is, "Because we're in different retail worlds." B&Ms here are not permitted to allow smoking on premise. So with the cost per square foot of retail space, many B&Ms have downsized into smaller shops and more and more have given over space to the cigar and merchandise aspects of their business.
The lounge/easy-chair, sitting area has gone from the tobacconist shop; and as a result the social aspect of the tobacconist shop has been eroded, here. As a result of limited interaction with the pipe smoking public, the knowledge base of the shopkeeper or assistant has diminished as the product mix has become more diverse. I gotta think that dedicating an hour to online activity would help get a clear/clean understanding of broader consuming trends in the market place.
-- Pat
I think both pipe shop owners, managers, and employees, and others in the tobacco pipe business, would
do well to visit this site on some regular basis, during slack business hours, in a disciplined way, not browsing,
but picking up information. There are a lot of marketing ideas, trend indicators, and other sorts of information.
This wouldn't be the only source. A pipe show or two a year seem almost required. It couldn't be a fun visit to
this site, not recreational as it is for most of us. I don't plan on doing so, but I feel I'd be a far better pipe salesman
or tobacco salesman keeping up with this site than otherwise.
do well to visit this site on some regular basis, during slack business hours, in a disciplined way, not browsing,
but picking up information. There are a lot of marketing ideas, trend indicators, and other sorts of information.
This wouldn't be the only source. A pipe show or two a year seem almost required. It couldn't be a fun visit to
this site, not recreational as it is for most of us. I don't plan on doing so, but I feel I'd be a far better pipe salesman
or tobacco salesman keeping up with this site than otherwise.
I wasn't debating. I was just attempting humor, of which I apparently am no good at.
Move down here. In the South, I can pretty much smoke anywhere I want. If there are laws, even the police are hazy on what they are. And, more than likely they smoke too.
Move down here. In the South, I can pretty much smoke anywhere I want. If there are laws, even the police are hazy on what they are. And, more than likely they smoke too.
Not too far from me here in Georgia then, cary!
I do have a degree in Management Information Systems, which is a part of the business school at the University that I attended. I currently work in the IT department of our local hospital.
But one day, once I build up some credit and get bored with working on computers, you guys may see a new B&M may pop up in the Atlanta, Newnan, or Columbus area.. hmmmm ... Pflan's World of Pipes... I can see it now.
Wonder what kind of initial investment a B&M would require. Guess it would depend on how big and bad I wanted the place to be.
One day.. one day.
I do have a degree in Management Information Systems, which is a part of the business school at the University that I attended. I currently work in the IT department of our local hospital.
But one day, once I build up some credit and get bored with working on computers, you guys may see a new B&M may pop up in the Atlanta, Newnan, or Columbus area.. hmmmm ... Pflan's World of Pipes... I can see it now.
Wonder what kind of initial investment a B&M would require. Guess it would depend on how big and bad I wanted the place to be.
One day.. one day.
I've been lurking and posting on here for a couple of years but it was during slow times during the day. I've been more active lately since we are now a site sponsor of PM. I've browsed a couple of the other "major" pipe forums but this one seems to be the most active and most supportive of site sponsors.
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