Is your B&M worth the extra cost ?

mluyckx · Feb 4, 2012

So here's a question or poll for you guys.
I just went to the local B&M which has been real helpful to me over the last several months and stocked up on some of my favorite bulks. Note that in Texas, tins are more and more difficult to get, but this store carries a nice supply of bulks.
So, in I go, while she's filling my order, we start talking about a blend I hadn't tried. "Fill up a bowl and try it", she goes. As I grab the jar and walk over to the counter, an older man shuffles over to me with the words "Let me try some of that too". He grabs this old, beat-up full bent out of his jacket, stuffs it with his thumb and while I'm still fiddling, he's up and puffing away. We sit down and enjoy a bowl together. And yes, I ended up buying 4 Oz. of it.
A little while later, a younger guy walked in, wanting to know about pipes and tobacco. We steered him to a cob and some 1-Q. Showed him how to pack and he lit up right there with us.
All in all, I spent a good hour just hanging out and chatting. On the other hand, I ended up paying $49.95 a pound for the same tobacco that goes for $30 a pound at any of our sponsor on-line retailers.
So... is this 50% mark-up worth it ? Is the atmosphere, the advice, the free samples, the camaraderie worth it ? I'm starting to wonder. It still is now, but how much longer will I do this.
How about you ?

nsfisher · Feb 4, 2012

no. not worth it here in Nova scotia. 50gram pouch of anything is $20.00.

when i order from states it is 3.75-12.00 for 50 grams. even paying shipping, on a mere equivilant of 3 pouches is still 30.00 cheaper. But also, we cant go into a B&M, stuff an puff either. maybe if that was the case, i would certainly make more trips to it for sure.

pawpaw · Feb 4, 2012

Once apon a time I went to bars and drank a couple of adult beverages, well i dont do that anymore. You ever notice the price of a couple beers would normaly cost more than a full six pack. I consider going to my local B&M kinda like going to the bar. i get to spend some time chatting with fellow smokers and maybe try a new blend and support a local bizness. it may cost more than shopping on-line but the face time with other smokers trying to solve the world problems while blowing smoke rings is priceles. and here in NC tobacco is cheap :nana: a 100 gram tin of Hal o the wind is $13 and any tin of C&D is $9.95

mluyckx · Feb 4, 2012

Oh tins are ludicrous here on TX. It's at least twice what you pay or more. That's why at least 3 B&M's I know off here have stopped carrying them.

Bulk at least is only 50% more ;-)

pstlpkr · Feb 4, 2012

For my local B&M... Absolutely.

crpntr1 · Feb 4, 2012

if I lived closer to the b&m your ref, to mick i would def make it in once a month or so.

radio807 · Feb 4, 2012

So... is this 50% mark-up worth it ? Is the atmosphere, the advice, the free samples, the camaraderie worth it ? I'm starting to wonder. It still is now, but how much longer will I do this.

Do it for as long as you care about having a local B&M. I have nowhere to smoke indoors during the winter, so I'm glad to have a B&M only 10 minutes away where I can smoke. I don't buy tobacco or supplies online because my B&M will either have or order what I want. It's worth it to me to pay the extra bux. Unfortunately it seems that most people are asking the same questions that you are, and are deciding to go the online route because the bottom line is everything to them, no matter how much the B&Ms may cater to their customers. Not to worry, in not so many years from now there will probably not be many places left, so you won't have to wonder if it's worth it anymore.

crpntr1 · Feb 4, 2012

& just to support local I'll still get one blend fom them : puffy

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jship079 · Feb 4, 2012

I like to support all of my local businesses

maduroman · Feb 4, 2012

i always spend money at my 2 b&ms. kalifornia tax is horrid and they spend enough on taxes to hire another person.
btw, an oz of bulls eye flake costs me just under $9, but i consider it money well spent.

spartan · Feb 4, 2012

You have to wiegh the evil taxes you're paying vs keeping these local B&Ms in business. Of coarse if the B&M was smart, they'd create a website and have access to out of state customers that don't have to pay taxes as long it is not shipped in-state.
The smarter B&Ms will survive. The weaker will fail. :crying:

mluyckx · Feb 4, 2012

@radio: oh it is still worth it to me.... They carry all the bulks I like, so that's where I buy them.
I have seen records stores disappear, book stores... I would hate to see this happen to good tobacconists... As long as I can afford it and as long as they're there, they get my monthly visit for several pounds of my favorite bulks. Even the misses agrees it's important to support the local merchants ;-)
I'm just afraid that one day the price difference will make it prohibitive. :crying:

lifeon2 · Feb 4, 2012

Since discovering my local B&M I have spent a decent amount of time and money there. If they have what I'm looking for I buy it there. If not I will order it. The owner and I as it turns out have much in common and he became a customer of mine the same day I became a customer of his. I support local small business as much as my budget allows of course being a local really small business myself could have something to do with my thinking. So yeah a few bucks more if I want to sample something new or a little extra tax on my supplies is always worth the face time and company to me.

radio807 · Feb 4, 2012

I'm just afraid that one day the price difference will make it prohibitive.

I hear you loud and clear on that one! I'll be a shame when that eventually happens...I say "eventually" because the combination of lost sales to internet houses and governments that are hell bent on wiping out smoking through crippling regulations and taxation will eventually kill all of them.

puffy · Feb 4, 2012

I buy my pipe tobacco online it's about 25% cheaper than my B&M.When I go there which isn't that often I hang out for a while drink some coffee and smoke a cigar.

rigmedic1 · Feb 4, 2012

One of the locals started carrying Peterson tins, at about $2.00 more than online. On the other hand, the shipping often makes up the difference, so there is that. I buy my pipe maintenance supplies at another B&M because he carries a bulk blend that I cant get anywhere else, and there is a B&M near Biloxi Mississippi that carries a bulk tobacco I like at a great price. So, for the most part, if I can get it locally I do, because the price differences aren't too great. And I buy what I cant get locally online.

mluyckx · Feb 4, 2012

Let me just add another piece to the story of this morning. Remember, I spent over an hour just hanging out ;-)
As I'm checking out with my stash, it appears I actually had 2 pounds and 12 ounces. So she's doing the math of 8 Oz. and 4 Oz. and adding in tax and the discount. So I joke around with her and go:

"Sorry about that. It would have been easier on you if I would have had another 4 Oz. of something and made in an even pound."

She replies "Oooohh.. I have something for you. It's a blend we don't have out in a jar but we keep it in the back for a guy who really likes it."

Admiring her sales(wo)man-ship I laugh and go "Ok.. what is it ?"

Lo' and behold. It's McClelland 5100 Red Cake.

I just recently read some post here where some of you were bragging about it. So I added in 4 Oz. of that to make it an even 3 pounds. I just finished a bowl of it and it is indeed a very nice, sweet, unflavored Virginia. Adding that one to my regulars too now.
Now once again, that is why I like my local B&M. It wouldn't happen if you bought on-line.

sherlock · Feb 4, 2012

It is absolutely worth it to me. I am not sure what the tax rate is here in CO, but when you factor in shipping, shopping at the B&M is about the same price, maybe just a dollar or two more. They also have all of the hard to find tins fully stocked. SL, Penzance, etc, are always on the shelf. The best thing, however, is the atmosphere. There is always somebody to talk to and someone to recommend new baccy and cigars to try. I try to support both online and local shops, but I am moving more and more to buying at the locals because I want them to stick around.

dhintonca · Feb 4, 2012

Here in British Columbia we're paying $28-$35 for a 50g pouch -- most of that is taxes. Not the B&M's fault. I patronize him when I can afford to, and try to buy pipes from him rather than online because I like to handle the pipe before deciding. If I order online from the USA it's a lot cheaper, but I'm liable to get hit with duties and taxes on top of the shipping, in which case it ends up costing more than if I'd bought locally. It's worth ordering a few pouches as if the amounts are small they often slip through without duty/tax. I was shopping at one online who wanted $25 shipping with a $20 minimum -- if I had to pay duty on top of that I'd have to take out a loan!

batdemon · Feb 4, 2012

Well, the only B&Ms near me cater more to the cigar smoker and they are not close to me. The few times I have visited them they were courteous but they had vertually no expertise as far as pipe baccy, they seemed to know cigars inside and out but very little pipe knowledge. That being the case, 99% of my purchases are online. I would have no problem supporting a local B&M IF they offered the pipe knowledge and choices I find online. : puffy

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Is your B&M worth the extra cost ?

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