CRAPPY local B&M blends

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jallen49

Might Stick Around
Aug 11, 2011
95
0
Am I the only one who is fed up with crappy, generic local blends?? I mean, who smokes all these blends???

It amazes me that at a local tobak shop there can be a dozen local blends and the majority of them are aromatics that all (pretty much) taste and smoke the exact same. I'm guessing that the only thing that sells them is the fact that maybe one smells like apple and another smells like vanilla...
Does anyone else share my concern? If not, feel free to disagree and share why.

 

fshu2

Can't Leave
Jan 22, 2011
457
1
it seems to me your main issue is you dont like aromatics. i had the same issue i started to get fed up with pipes awhile back because i thought they all tasted the same it turns out thats just the way i tasted them. they all do indeed have a different taste its just that you dont have a delicate enough palate yet to taste it. it could be that some of these blends really are that bad but why dont you try buying some english and blending in aro blends. or buy some high quality aro blends. you could have don this already i dont know but these are just my thoughts.

 

spartan

Lifer
Aug 14, 2011
2,963
7
Still exploring my local B&M's house blends. I'll get back to you on that after my first pipe club today ^_^

 

seanz

Part of the Furniture Now
May 8, 2011
650
1
Southland NZ
i would be happy to have somewhere that had house blends. some of us have to fight government depts to just get any tobacco apart from what B.A.T deem suitable for our kiwi plaate.

 

jallen49

Might Stick Around
Aug 11, 2011
95
0
I love aromatics blends, and that's why I opted to sample a few aro blends from this particular shop. But I was just so disappointed with generic taste these blends exemplified.

Of course I can't speak for the rest of the world's local B&M blends, but the southeastern town I live, I can definitely say that at about all locations, the aro house blends are about all the same.

I'm sure many of these local B&M shops get all their blends from the same place no doubt.
But make no mistake, I am a lover of QUALITY aro blends (Autumn Evening, Mid-Day, Blue Note, to name a few of my favs).
And I am not at all trying to say that I am unappreciative for the local shops in my town. I have spent many dollars after having happily skipped out the door just after finding that prized blend I have been searching for. My quarrel is just with their cheap aro blends.
I'm not quite sure I would categorize The Tinderbox with local B&M shops, I rather put them with The Davidoff stores, kinda like the Targets and Walmarts of tobacco.
anyways... just my 2 cents.

 

sherlock

Can't Leave
Aug 21, 2011
464
6
I guess I am lucky also. My B&M has a great selection of bulk pipe tobacco. I would agree with others to give it time before you write them all off. Often I will not like something the first time and try it again a little while after and love it. This still happens to me after tens years of pipe smoking.

 

schmitzbitz

Lifer
Jan 13, 2011
1,165
2
Port Coquitlam, B.C.
Funny thing, bulk blends are. I know for certain that my closest B&M sells Brigham and C&D blends as their store bulks, but wouldn't you know it - some of the guys that frequent the shop won't buy them because they claim "questionable quality", while raving about the pouch or tin of the same product (and I'm not just talking aro's here). 8O

Which isn't to say this is the case here - just something I noticed that gave me a chuckle.
Oh, and I'll toss in Schefield and Sons French Vanilla and/or Peaches and Cream blends. Well neither are bulk, they are as close as the mall franchise tobacconist that is S&S is; and although they are blended by Brigham, they are swimming in PG, unlike the blends marketed under the Brigham name.

 

papipeguy

Lifer
Jul 31, 2010
15,778
35
Bethlehem, Pa.
My local has quite a few of the "candy" blends in the counter jars. Also has Stokebey and Esoterica stuff as well. I don't go for the aros but, obviously, a lot of people do. I figure that they enjoy them and if thier buying them helps keep the doors open then God bless them. If this B&M closed I don't know what I'd do as I hang out there 4 days a week. I'd probably buy the place to to have a hangout.

 

markw4mms

Lifer
Jun 16, 2011
2,176
2
Bremen,GA
I can't say much about local blends since I don't have a B&M within 50 miles of me. As for categorizing a B&M as a Walmart or Target of tobacco stores, I doubt they compare, at least around here, Walmart doesn't carry any pipe tobacco, and their prices on any tobacco products is way more the you could pay at a convenience store.

 

rigmedic1

Lifer
May 29, 2011
3,896
75
One shop around here stocks Altadis, one does Stokebye's. Many shops do have the same generic bulk blends in their jars. A good tobacconist will be happy to tell you details about where their tobacco came from. Not all, however, stock anything they mixed themselves, and some are not forthcoming.

 

cacooper

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jul 28, 2009
224
72
Parker, CO
Greetings,
The big problem with B&M's these days is that they're really CIGAR stores. The owner and staff know NOTHING about pipes, let alone pipe tobacco. Some shop owners absolutely refuse to cater to pipe customers (cigar snobs), others decide to cash in on the "pipe trend" and put in a few pipes and some tobacco. What you end up seeing is about a dozen or so cheap pipes on display along with a few jars of dried out vanilla flavored tobacco, usually shoved in a dusty corner in the back of the store. And the owner wonders why he doesn't sell any pipes!
The local sales rep (usually from Altadis) stops by and sets up the pipe-ignorant owner with their "top 10" best sellers. Of course nearly all are vanilla based, cavendish aromatics. Hence the sameness, especially from one manufactuter. Each tobacco maker usually uses a base casing sauce and process, and varies the blend by adding a distinct flavor such as vanilla, cherry, licorice, chocolate, etc. For instance, all Lane aromatics from 1-Q to HS-3 to MV-1000 are very similar. Same with McClelland. Same with Altadis. Sameness.
When I owned my store, I carried bulk blends from no less than 6 different manufacturers, including Lane, McClelland, Altadis, Stokkebye, House of Windsor and C&D. This provided variety and enough taste differences to satisfy just about anyone. Of course, I was a pipe oriented store that stocked cigars to pay the bills. Cigars sales were bread-n-butter, pipes were, and still are, my passion. Few, if any, tobacco store owners are passionate about pipes any more. Cigars are a much, much easier sell. Just point, say "it's good", and ring it up.
If you find a B&M that cares about pipes and pipe tobacco, and is willing to order and stock new tobaccos, by all means support them as much as possible. They are an increasingly rare breed.
CACooper

 

sherlock

Can't Leave
Aug 21, 2011
464
6
Again I guess I am lucky. The owner of my B@M is a pipe smoker. They do have cigars of course and a cigar expert but it is not just a cigar shop selling pipe stuff. I have had nothing but good experiences when I go into the shop. I'd love to tell you the store, but I don't want to break forum rules. If you happen to come to Denver let me know and I'll point you in the right direction.

 

cacooper

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jul 28, 2009
224
72
Parker, CO
Sherlock, I'm in the Denver area, which shop(s) are you referring to? I only know of two that are pipe oriented. Most others are heavy into cigars, and for good reason, since they outsell pipes/tobacco many times over.
CACooper

 

teamhavoc28

Can't Leave
Nov 10, 2010
498
0
I have a local b&m 20 miles from me. I actually enjoy their house blends but buy in smaller amounts simply because of cost. He doesn't offer discounts & paying an extra 20 bucks a pound plus state sales tax doesn't make sense. I'll buy a tin or estate pipe cause I like the guy but it's a cigar shop with pipes as a background note. I don't fault cigar focus but my wallet is thin enough without paying more taxes.

 

sjpipesmoker

Lifer
Apr 17, 2011
1,071
2
There are 3 B&M's around here that I go to... 1 has about 10 blends that are not house blends just tobacco blends, place #2 has about 30 bulk blends and most are dry, the 3rd is probably the best, they have about 25, 1/3 each being aros, English and virginas... All were great except some baklava and toffee blend they had... Threw them out after 2 bowls... I usually buy 1oz of a new blend to try, if I like it I go back and buy more

 

pstlpkr

Lifer
Dec 14, 2009
9,694
31
Birmingham, AL
My local carries Lane, and Stokkebye (I can't believe I spelled it right the first time!) in bulk, they are quality blends, and Skip also carries some "candy" blends... I find it pleasant to stick my nose in the jars and give most of them a good sniff strictly for the entertainment value. The "candy" blends tend to be popular with "newer" pipe smokers. Sophistication comes with experience. IMHO
Soap Box Alert!
It was mentioned above that cigars are B&M's "bread and butter". I believe it. There are probably a couple of good reasons for that. First they are easier to deal with than pipes and therefore sell well. The second being the margin is probably higher on cigars than it is on pipe tobacco. (No slight or insult intended toward those who know their cigars and enjoy them. This last statement is the result of the dispassionate eye of a MBA applied toward a particular type of retail product.) Demand will directly affect the margin. If something sells well, the margin will be higher. If a product is more difficult to sell or is slower to turn, costs will be higher. By extension; the margin will necessarily be lower. Pipes fall into this latter category.
That being said: The "cheaper" "candy" tobaccos will move faster than the artisan/boutique/tinned tobaccos. The cost will be lower and the margin will be higher while at the same time the retail price will still be lower. Therefore an astute B&M owner will stock the "cheaper" bulk blends (but only in quantities that are appropriate to product velocity)... Bearing that in mind; tobaccos like Lane 1Q and PS Luxury Bulls Eye Flake are comparatively inexpensive when compared to tinned tobaccos the turns are greater, and the margin lower because the cost may be slightly higher but are non-the-less profitable, because of the greater turns or stock velocity associated with their popularity among pipe smokers. The above must be balanced with the proprietor's knowledge of his clientele. If, his customers are sophisticated his business will not rely on the "candy" blends, but he will keep it in stock to develop new customers. He understands the pipe smoker's learning curve and maintains an appropriate inventory, of pipes and tobacco. And, can increase his markup (minimally) on tinned tobaccos grounded in good-will equity and customer loyalty.
While my local's prices are a bit higher than online retailers, atmosphere, good-will equity and the "shopping" experience are worth the little bit extra we pay.
Now, speaking specifically about the proprietor of The Briary; Skip Elliot.

He is a very nice fellow, everything one would expect in a successful retailer. However; I find this to be highly unusual in a tobacco retailer, Skip doesn't smoke. He has forgotten more about pipes and pipe tobacco than I will ever know... His passion... is making pipes. You should see him when he's finished one. I'll walk in (he knows I could never afford one, and they are usually sold as soon as they are posted on his site.) but he'll put it in my hands and give me a pipe cleaner and ask me what I think of his latest opus. He is a true artisan and his pipes bring a premium... (Skip might make 6 or 7 pipes a year. And, that would be a maximum. All of his pipes are perfect.) His passion for pipes is reflected in his Shoppe as well. He makes every effort to make his Shoppe the best it can be.
Jallen49 I suppose my point is this... The proprietor may not know who his customers really are and stocks what will sell quickly and has a good margin, and is not necessarily focused on those customers with some experience and sophistication, like yourself. He may have no real passion for pipes.
IMHO

:puffy:

 
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