Oldest American Pipe Tobacco Shops

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zeedoctorae

Might Stick Around
Sep 10, 2017
84
12
Greetings All,
I am looking to start trying home blends from some of the oldest pipe shops in the country and was in need of a little direction. Can you help me by giving me the names of some of the oldest pipe "brick and mortar" shops in the US? Thanks for any guidance!
-The Doctor

 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,623
44,833
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
L.J.Peretti established 1870.
Keep in mind that shops are always creating new blends and that many old blends are no longer available because many of the types or sources of tobaccos that were grown and used in those blends at that time are no longer available. If your intent is to smoke something a particular shop blended in the 19th century in the hope of experiencing exactly what their 19th century customers got, you're not likely to find it.

 

warren

Lifer
Sep 13, 2013
11,699
16,207
Foothills of the Chugach Range, AK
IRC is probably the only, long established shop, to have blends specially constructed (engineered? a bow to cosmic) under their name. Their 3 Star blends and others are widely sold. The only other "long established would be Nat Sherman (80 years?), recently sold.

 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,623
44,833
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
Also, keep in mind that many of these blends sold under the store's name are not made by them. Sutliff tobacco is even older than Iwan Reis, having been founded in 1849 in San Francisco. They were initially storefront retail tobacconists, like IRC or Peretti. Now they're commercial blenders and suppliers of tobaccos to blenders.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
A relative newcomer but a good one, Nat Sherman, since 1930; to view or discuss their blends go to natsherman.com or phone 1-800-mycigar. Cliff Gold, lead sales associate is someone to ask for. They're at 12 East 42nd Street, NYC, 10017.

 

tonypuff

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jun 27, 2011
116
0
I recently took a trip to Portland Oregon and while i was there i visited Rich's Cigar Store (they offer a very nice selection of all things tobacco) their sign states they were established in 1894.

 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,623
44,833
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
Leave us not forget Pipe Works & Wilke, which dates back to 1872. The B&M store closed years ago but continues on as an online seller of their tobacco blends:
https://www.wilkepipetobacco.com/
I recently took a trip to Portland Oregon and while i was there i visited Rich's Cigar Store (they offer a very nice selection of all things tobacco) their sign states they were established in 1894.
It a very nice store. I used to like Alder St a lot.

 
Jan 28, 2018
12,952
134,613
66
Sarasota, FL
Not sure how old Watch City in the NE is but they have some nice house blends. Uhle's in Milwaukee was founded in 1939, they have some marvelous house blends, especially if you like Burly. I really like Peretti's No 8 which is a spicy VaPer. And Gatlin Burlier in Gatlinburg, TN has some nice blends. Their Newfound Blend is one of my personal favorites. Iwan Ries has been mentioned, I only ordered two of their house blends before. Both were made for them by another company.

 

JimInks

Sultan of Smoke
Aug 31, 2012
60,852
553,810
This is a side note on the subject. Wilke bought the Surburg blends years ago. Surburg started in 1856, and the new owner of the blends, John Brandt, has brought some of those products back. Crystal Palace was introduced in 1856, and re-introduced last year.

 

redone

Starting to Get Obsessed
Aug 4, 2018
284
76
Well this place is “only” 100 years old and is relatively near me, but too far for a regular visit. St. Charles, MO.
https://www.johndenglertobacconist.com/
I know they ship all over the US. The Vintage Virginia is a lighter blend that I could easily smoke and enjoy all day. Can’t recall which ones are made by them or others but I believe they will tell you if you ask.

 
Jan 28, 2018
12,952
134,613
66
Sarasota, FL
All of Gatlin Burlier's blends are renamed Peter Stokkebye blends. They actually had a huge fine slapped on them by the Feds a few years ago for telling people that they make those blends. It is a lie. If you like those blends, order some from SPC or P&C for a lot cheaper.
Which Sutliff blend is Newfound Blend?

 

zeedoctorae

Might Stick Around
Sep 10, 2017
84
12
Thanks, all! You've given me much to look into. I live minutes from Iwan Ries and have been there many times. I am also very familiar with Wilke and Peretti, which I love. Thanks again!
Joe

 
Jan 28, 2018
12,952
134,613
66
Sarasota, FL
Cosmic, from what I understood, that did happen several years ago and they took those blends off their list/site. My understanding, which could be incorrect, is the blends they now have are their own. Otherwise, I guess they're violating the rights of Stokkebye again. Either way, whoever's blend it is, I like their Newfound Blend.

 
If they’ve changed since the lawsuit, then I am ignorant of what they’re practices are now. My first hand knowledge was that they were trying to tell me that PS LTF was definitely not PS LTF when I asked them. They said they made it themselves from Virginias grown locally, and that because it looks, smells, and tastes like LTF, that didn’t mean anything. I returned to my pipe club, and a friend told me that he knew what each and every blend was that they sold. Then weeks later we read in the paper that they had been closed temporarily and fined for telling a federal agent the same sort of things they told me. Included in the article was that they had no manufacturing liscense, so their claims to be making tobaccos were totally false. This is different than just renaming blends in jars. They were lying about being manufacturers.

Now, they may have spent the huge amount of money it takes to manufacture and distribute their own blends. They may be making their own now, but in the face of costs of doing so with current FDA regulations, and their history of lying... who knows. I just avoid the shop now. How can I trust someone who has done something like that?
But, they are definitely an interesting little shop, ha ha. The workers definitely have a lot of charisma.

 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,623
44,833
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
Otherwise, I guess they're violating the rights of Stokkebye again.
Not necessarily. A number of blenders have produced blends that they sell not only under their own name, but to different houses for relabeling as house blends or blends sold under a different brand name. McClelland made a lot of bulks as house blends, as does Germain's (that's the origin for the Esoterica line), Lane (1Q alone has something like 26 relabelings), Stokkebye, and Sutliff, among others.

 
Yes, almost all tobacconist rename blends. But, when asked they tell you what they are. Not, that they made it. Maybe they are having another company make some blends just for them now. Like I said, I haven’t been back since they were closed. It’s kind of a tourist place on the strip in Gatlinburg. Not good prices, and cater to the souvenir hunters. It is definitely worth checking out if you ever there. But, When I go to the Smokey’s, I tend to avoid that part of Gatlinburg. It’s expensive and geared towards commercial touristy things.

 
Jan 28, 2018
12,952
134,613
66
Sarasota, FL
Their advertising say they now have a license, are registered or something. Hopefully, they learned their lesson. Regardless, I like the Newfound Blend and will keep buying it from them.
Seems to me if Stokkyebye has an issue with them, you would think they'd quit selling them tobacco.

 
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