So, I'm out of town for a conference and I'm headed back early in the morning. I decided to explore the town by trying to find different B&Ms since I had the afternoon open until I met up with some friends I haven't seen in awhile that live in the same town as the conference. Firstly, we need to figure out a way to differentiate between a head shop and a tobacco shop. I even started calling places and saying that I really want a tobacco pipe not something else that we call a tobacco pipe so we can buy and sell them. So after about 5 head shops and one very overpriced B&M, I find a place that is just about to close as I'm driving by. The guy was nice enough to let me in.
Now, I had a rule that I wasn't going to buy a pipe unless a. it was a semi-bent bulldog from a decent maker or b. it was a Peterson Kinsale with a p-lip. I don't know why I wanted one of those huge Peterson's but I do. I also really like the one p-lip I have and wanted to get another. Don't judge me. So, they had boxes of Petersons. Like 15-20 and a Savinelli half bent Bulldog. I knew I was getting a pipe. None of them had the price marked on them. They guy at the counter clearly wanted to go home. So, I asked him if I could quickly look through the Petersons, I was looking for something specific and if the price was right I would totally buy a pipe. I found 4 Peterson pipes that were close enough to what I was looking for. I packed all the boxes up, put them back neater than I could find them, and straightened the case nicer too. Hey, he was doing me a favor by staying open at this point, I could at least help him out by not being a slob.
Ok. 3 Peterson Arans, 1 Flame Grain, and a Savinelli on the counter. No price. He looks around for a little bit and then says, "Screw it. What are you thinking?" I put the flame grain and another Aran I really liked as a tie for first, an Aran XL and the bulldog as 2, and this other Peterson Aran as 3rd choice. He looks at them and says, "$85 for everything but that big one. That's $95." I tried to explain that they are different qualities and different lines. He said but they're the same size so they're the same price. I grabbed the flame grain because, well I liked it. No idea. Knew it had to be a little more than an Aran but I liked it. It wasn't until I got back to the hotel room and my computer and realized that these pipes retail at about $100 more than what I bought it for and you can find them online for $144.
Not quite sure how this guy is staying in business but next time I'm in town I'm picking up that Savinelli bulldog!
Now, I had a rule that I wasn't going to buy a pipe unless a. it was a semi-bent bulldog from a decent maker or b. it was a Peterson Kinsale with a p-lip. I don't know why I wanted one of those huge Peterson's but I do. I also really like the one p-lip I have and wanted to get another. Don't judge me. So, they had boxes of Petersons. Like 15-20 and a Savinelli half bent Bulldog. I knew I was getting a pipe. None of them had the price marked on them. They guy at the counter clearly wanted to go home. So, I asked him if I could quickly look through the Petersons, I was looking for something specific and if the price was right I would totally buy a pipe. I found 4 Peterson pipes that were close enough to what I was looking for. I packed all the boxes up, put them back neater than I could find them, and straightened the case nicer too. Hey, he was doing me a favor by staying open at this point, I could at least help him out by not being a slob.
Ok. 3 Peterson Arans, 1 Flame Grain, and a Savinelli on the counter. No price. He looks around for a little bit and then says, "Screw it. What are you thinking?" I put the flame grain and another Aran I really liked as a tie for first, an Aran XL and the bulldog as 2, and this other Peterson Aran as 3rd choice. He looks at them and says, "$85 for everything but that big one. That's $95." I tried to explain that they are different qualities and different lines. He said but they're the same size so they're the same price. I grabbed the flame grain because, well I liked it. No idea. Knew it had to be a little more than an Aran but I liked it. It wasn't until I got back to the hotel room and my computer and realized that these pipes retail at about $100 more than what I bought it for and you can find them online for $144.
Not quite sure how this guy is staying in business but next time I'm in town I'm picking up that Savinelli bulldog!
