Brick and Mortar

I'm interested in the topic of B&M's in general. I have another consuming hobby that has been characterized by the disappearance of its B&Ms over the last two decades. I understand that the same has happened in the pipe community -- long established and popular B&Ms now gone. I have come to the conclusion that the internet is not the principle reason for the extinguished stores, but their inability to create a niche and to understand what the internet provides that they choose not to.
Let me explain. And ask how these characteristics apply to the pipe community. And then I would welcome your comments.
Pure Cost: The main complaint by B&M owners is that they cannot compete with internet prices. And, in general, that is true. But that does not mean that customers won't pay higher prices if there is something they deem valuable resident in the B&Ms. It costs nothing to surf the net; it costs to drive to my local B&M. I don't pay taxes over the internet; I do at my B&M. I have to pay for shipping from the online store, unless I order about $100 or more in merchandise; I don't pay for shipping at my B&M. An shipping, combined with taxes, can wipe out any savings I would have for online shopping. I get a good discount online; I get a decent discount at my B&M. So, all in all, if I know exactly what I want, it is cheaper to go online. But if I don't know exactly what I want, I can waste a good amount of money purchasing something I would not have purchased if I would have handled and examined it in person.
So, cost is a big factor if I am shopping for a specific item that makes postage or total order amount reasonable. But, if not, my B&M is more attractive.
I have found that there is often a knee-jerk reaction by B&M folks that internet pricing is wiping them out. To some extent they have an argument; but it is not a complete argument.
Knowledge: When I order online, I have to do a lot of research myself. Even then, I might not be sure of the item I am purchasing. When I go into a B&M, I expect to be able to talk to knowledgeable people who have done their own research or have experience. That knowledge is a valuable addition to a B&M's attraction. It can make traveling to the B&M quite worthwhile.
Online sites often provide minimal information about a product, except for marketing superlatives. I have to do my own research. I have also noted that there are also people behind B&M counters that are essentially ignorant of their own product. It is very frustrating to ask a question and hear, "I don't know" -- or, worse, "If you can come back on Wednesday (or after lunch, or this evening, or when we hire somebody), Joe will be here and he can answer your questions. I think."
It seems to me, in the tobacco world, the basic division is between the cigar guys and the pipe guys -- and the knowledge can be equally segregated. In my other hobby, there is a massive division between the aspects of the hobby, resulting in completely blank looks if Joe isn't in the store.
Availability: This is where online sources shine. They have inventories that B&Ms can't hope to match. OTOH, online stores tend to carry only the better selling and more popular items from the bigger manufacturers. B&Ms can create a niche for unusual and hard to get items and, with knowledgeable staff, can market them to in store customers.
But, again, I've noted that some B&Ms chant the mantra of -- "That's not available". Or even worse, "We can order it, but we don't know when it will be here". Or "We should have some in this Spring. Maybe." And, "Yes, but we sold the only one we had in stock. I don't know if we are going to order any more." These sorts of responses drive customers away. B&Ms, it seems to me, can take individual orders, communicate their status, and cultivate customers. But many don't.
Atmosphere: There just isn't any atmosphere online. That's that. And this is where B&Ms can shine. They can showcase their merchandise and news about new merchandise and interest groups and special events and so on and so on. They can make just going to the store an anticipated event. They can make an unplanned purchase a pleasurable transaction. They can be, in short, fun.
However, I go to B&Ms where cliques of folks, who don't seem to be buying anything, either sit around or block the aisles or get rowdy. There are other customers who show up to socialize with the sales staff or each other, making it either unpleasant or nearly impossible to ask questions or even make purchases. I've stood around for 10-15 minutes, placed my merchandise back on the shelf, and left such stores
There don't seem to be a surplus of sales folks who have the skills to disengage and get down to the business of selling. Which can negate a big B&M advantage.
Convenience: Online shopping is indeed very convenient. I can place an online order at 2:00 a.m.; I can't wander into my B&M anytime I feel like it.
However, if I need something right away, there is no substitute for the B&M. Unless, I'm willing to pay a fortune for overnight delivery for an online item, I can get what I need from my B&M at the beginning of the next business day. which gets me into the store and makes me a customer.
This is, it seems, yet another opportunity for B&Ms.
Experience: The online purchase, unless you have problems with the website, is a flavorless experience. It can be the opposite of fun. But it can be quick and painless.
And this is another area where B&Ms can shine or can collapse. If the customer finds that showing up at the B&M is going to be educational and fun and pleasant, he'll come back. But it the experience is frustrating and costly and fruitless, he'll head back to his computer. The opportunity the B&M has for face to face, direct communication with a customer can be ruined by the factors pointed out above ... or by other factors.
B&Ms, sometimes called "Mom and Pop's", often fall into the trap of thinking that their problems are the customer's problems. If Joe doesn't show up, or the shipment is late, or they ran out of the item I called to confirm they had in stock, or they didn't hold the item they promised they had, or they rescheduled the special event, or they have to close early today because of a family issue, or they just can't hitch up their cajones and tell the freeloaders to buy or leave .... then the allure of the internet grows.
That's my spiel.
In my other hobby, for the reasons above, I shop almost exclusively on the internet ... except for common supplies that I need right away and which I have confidence are in stock.
So, I wonder if some of these same factors apply to pipe and tobacco B&Ms. Round my area, I have been pleased by the atmosphere, knowledge, convenience, and some experiences of shopping at our B&Ms. I can wait; I have enough tobacco and sufficient pipes for the rest of my life. However, the availability, some prices, and some experiences have been problematic.
Are pipe and tobacco B&Ms in trouble and how much have they contributed to their own problems?

I will be in PHX soon. Around Surprise. Any suggestions on the best B&M's?
I have noted, as you point out, that pipe smokers are a minority in our local B&Ms. And that the cigar smokers dominate the stores ... and the chairs ... and the TV. Some, I think, actually live there.

The owner(s) you describe are like those in my other hobby. He complains about the internet, but won't act to increase his selection and appeal. His other lines cover my area of interest; he can't be making any money on it.
The owner of my local pipe shop is pretty knowledgeable and welcoming and one of her employees is absolutely great. She she is talking about selling the shop. I can't think of anybody that would invest in it.

There do seem to be trends outside of cost that impact B&Ms. I conclude from the above that knowledgeable service, warmth and hospitality, stores not allowing cliques to dominate, and product availability are important to pipe smokers.
Like others, one of my two local shops is almost exclusively cigar smokers and the other is dominated by cigar smokers most afternoons -- they occupy the chairs and choose the TV channels. In fact, the second shop has a pipe evening every Friday and it is not unknown for some cigar smokers to just continue smoking and chatting and occupying space right in the middle of the pipe event. I will go to the shop with the intent of having a bowl and to chat with the pipe knowledgeable employee (the owner always seems to be preoccupied or involved in something other than the shop or on the phone with personal issues, although she does provide pretty good customer service) or to read, but, if the cigar group in there in force, I'll just leave. And that has me returning home and shopping online.
I don't begrudge the cigar smokers; I understand the economics. But I wonder if, over time, the pipe smokers drift off, can the cigar smokers keep the shop afloat.

Having established at least a conversational relationship with a couple of the workers at my local B&M -- and not being a cigar smoker -- I have been told that theft is not common. But, it happens and when it happens, it can be financially nasty. The thieves usually go for the expensive cigars. I was told of one incident when the thief made off with about 50 cigars.
There is usually only one worker in the shop; the owner can't afford to have two. It is difficult to see into the humidor, cigars are easy to conceal, and it is easy to tag-team a single worker (one distracts while the other steals).
With only two real cigar shops in my metropolitan area, many of the cigar customers are unknown to the staff. with customers they know, the staff is much more relaxed. And, from my POV, a good number of the people who enter the shop are (1) pretty scruffy, (2) can act pretty weird, and (3) are often clearly just wandering around killing time. There have been two occasions when I've stayed in the store just to show a presence when there was a single female worker and the customer was suspicious.
Nevertheless, if pipe smokers are treated as second class customers -- because they are seen as second class customers -- then the internet beckons. My local B&M is very considerate of pipe smokers -- depending upon the employee. And I have never been treated rudely. But, the employee is clearly stressed when we are talking about the merits of a pipe or selecting among several tobaccos (with intent to buy) and cigar purchaser after cigar purchaser interrupts my selection to get a single cheap cigar. I am prepared to wait out the interruptions, but I've seen other pipe customer lose interest and leave. So, we are back to the single, overloaded worker. Contributed to, perhaps, by an owner who isn't in the store that much.
Having said that, the other local B&M is nearly pure cigar, has 2-4 workers in it who are clearly not interested in pipe smokers, have misled me about several purchases (learned as I understood more about the pipe hobby), and they can be rude. So, after about four visits, I've never gone back.
At this point in this thread, my sense is that customer service, knowledgeable staff, and adequate product (or the ability to mix the requested blend) are very important. And that cost is not necessarily the determining factor in patronizing a B&M.
Discussion of pipe smokers dissatisfaction with the local B&Ms seems to constantly return to salesmen who don't have the product to make sales and, whether they have the product or not, don't know how to sell it.