The Future of Dunhills (White Spots) in the US??

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So, I am at the Briary, taking a break from errands, minding my own business, smoking my pipe… when I get drawn into a conversation with pipe selling people talking to Skip. They were tossing around the Dunhill name and looking distraught. (Hmmm, me thinks, a quandary in the pipe world?)
It turns out that these pipe distributors were discussing the folding of Music City Marketing and all of its umbrella companies. This means no more Nashville pipe shows, and… no more Dunhills imported to the United States, apparently. The owner is just getting out of the business. No no no, I know what the layman immediately assumes when a business does this. It does not mean they have failed. I, myself, have closed a B&M, so has my wife, and many friends. We do this until we are ready to either move on to different work, or we just want to retire out. I do not know why this guy is closing shop for sure, but some speculation was tossed about. Pipe guys like to do this, ha ha.
According to Skip, this guy was the only Dunhill… I mean only “Alfred Dunhill’s White Spot” importer in the United States. We are no longer allowed to say Dunhill, by itself, when referring to pipes… apparently. The other guys seemed to concur about future new White Spot imports. So, I suggested that this would be a great opportunity for someone to step in and take over the US import of this new Anti-pipe industry Dunhill, otherwise rebranded as White Spot products. And…. It was suggested that Dunhill doesn’t… ehhherm... Maybe I should refrain from this line speculation. Besides, I am just a pipe smoker setting in on a conversation. What do I know?
But, anyways, I asked Skip and the boys if this was all public information… meaning, “Can I post this to a public forum?” I got the big grins and “go get ‘em,” from the big dogs.
So, this spins a few questions for me…
Is Dunhill’s plan to just completely get out of the pipe industry?
Was this truly the only importer distributor of these :::couch cough::: White Spots in the US?
Does this mean the end of new Dunhill’s in the US?
How will this affect the many, many, many Dunhill collectors?
Did anyone hear anything else at the Chicago show?
How long will the current stock of new Dunhills last on the market, and how will this affect pricing? Will they go up or down?
Will the crime fighting duo escape the evil grasp of the maniacal Joker and his team of miscreant pranksters?

So, tune in, same Bat-time, same Bat-channel! Nano Nano!

 

ashdigger

Lifer
Jul 30, 2016
11,379
70,057
60
Vegas Baby!!!
I stopped reading when you stated "minding my own business" and the voice in my head called bullshit. But I returned and saw White Spot I just stopped reading. I'll continue to smoke my Dunhills.
BTW, I have an old Dunhill pipe box and on the box is the "White Spot" wording. They're just changing around words and branding.
I'm not their market anyway. I only buy Dunhill pipes pre-1968.

 

fitzy

Lifer
Nov 13, 2012
2,937
27
NY
Hopefully Laudisi or someone similar will step in and take over the US distribution.

 
Ha ha, Ash, who minds their own business in a pipe lounge?
The thing about changing words around is "who?" If Dunhill is not a factory, nor a company involved in the pipe industry, and some other company owns the name, and doesn't want it directly on the pipes nor tobacco, who? Who is it making the pipes? Just some other company that leases the name?
Laudisi, maybe. The thing is that one of these guys is an importer/distributor of other brands, and he seemed to suggest that it might be tough for someone to get the brand. He may get the Winslows, but the problem is that some brands refuse to do business with companies that carry certain other brands. And, it was suggested that a few other Danish companies would consider taking on Winslows as a breach of contract. Or, some other such legal garbledygoop.

 
Oct 7, 2016
2,451
5,195
Apparently, the Italian market for White Spots is healthy. One shop owner who I am Facebook friends with and does not advertise his inventory on the internet says his inventory of Dunhill, er White Spots, turns over about the same as Castello, but not as fast as Radice. (His inventory of Danish high end carvers is the fastest in turns, but he doesn't ever have as large a stock, though he gets what he can). His overall pipe business is down considerably from where it was when we first made connections 20 years ago, but it is up appreciably over 5 or so years ago.

 

woodsroad

Lifer
Oct 10, 2013
11,591
15,311
SE PA USA
Stanwell is owned by STG, which also owns CI and P&C. P&C is the the actual distributor of Stanwell pipes, I believe, not Music City.
As for "The Pipe Formerly Known As Dunhill", someone else will pick up the line, if it makes business sense to do so. And, of course, if "The Pipe Formerly Known As Dunhill Inc." actually wants to sell them.

 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,253
108,358
Just as well that Duane managed to grab one then afore they disappear from the face of the earth.
Yep, needed a good beater pipe to keep from damaging my good pipes.

 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,253
108,358
Well of course. I smoke my Weavers, Holms, Winslows, Provenzanos, Sordinis, Jeppesens, Beckers, and meers most of the time to protect my good cobs as well.

 

ssjones

Moderator
Staff member
May 11, 2011
18,322
11,087
Maryland
postimg.cc
Dunhill appears to only want their products to be associated with luxury goods and clothing.

Do pipe smokers really go into B&M's and buy new Dunhills? JB Hayes has a few new ones, but they've been in their case for years.

As oldgeezer remarks, the Italian vendors are where to go for Dunhills pipes, in selection and price.

I assume SmokingPipes will continue to sell them as long as they are in production?

 
The Briary has been moving quite a few "White Spots," but they had just started carrying Dunhills again a year ago. He has a much larger selection of pipes in the store. It must be a hassle to put all of them online or something. But, to be frank, the guys behind the pipes seem to agree that Dunhill has totally turned it's back on all pipe related products.
Yeh, not everyone shops online. Heck, most of the guys that I hang out with at the Briary aren't online at all. The happier and more affluent a person is in the community, the less likely they are to even own a cell phone, is just my observation. So places like The Briary that specializes in high end pipes attracts these folks. Guys that still like to do things the old fashioned way.
One of my good customers and friends that recently passed, started the Enterprise Car Rental company, refused to be anywhere near a cell phone or a computer, and he was about the happiest person I have ever met in his status. He will be missed.

 

bigpond

Lifer
Oct 14, 2014
2,019
13
I wouldn't worry overmuch. These pipes are the bedrock of the industry. Id imagine the margins are rather high on these and cutting out the distributors fee would lead higher profits.

 

bigpond

Lifer
Oct 14, 2014
2,019
13
I suspect distributing the premier pipe brand will be lucrative to whichever laudisi decides to pick up the gauntlet.

 
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