Crossing the state of South Dakota from east to west today, I hit Rapid City by lunchtime. I decided to check for tobacconists while I was sidetracked. Didn't have big expectations, since pipe tobacco is hard to source back in Sioux Falls, the largest city in the state and closer to my home. Rapid City does its best to be "Metropolis West," as it can, keeping their services up-to-spec for locals, tourists to the Black Hills, and Ellsworth Air Force Base just 10 miles away.
When I stopped at the "Smoke Shop" to check it out (cigarettes and cigarillos there, mostly), I got a friendly tip. Hearing what I was looking for, they immediately referred me to the Tobacco Warehouse, just around the corner from them at 680 N Lacrosse St. There are two other shops, they told me. But they said they wouldn't be the kind of pipe store I'm looking for, catering more to glass pipes and hookahs and tobacco toys of that nature. They assured me Tobacco Warehouse was the place to go.
Sorry. They didn't allow cameras inside the store. I just have the snapshot from my iPhone.
It is brick-and-mortar only, having closed down their company's internet operations due to increases in online tobacco sales. They don't have a website and don't think they need one. They do well.
Most of their pipe business is from a current boom coming from nearby Ellsworth AFB. Airmen there are giving up cigarettes, looking for a suitable and distinguished way to continue their connection to tobacco.
Meerschaums ranging from $100 to several hundred dollars are prominent in the displays. There are a few Grabows tucked away on the bottom shelf in one corner. No familiar, "step up" pipes (No Savinellis, no Petersons, etc). But not much of a pipe selection other than that. I was interested in the pipes on the top shelf of the glass counter display. They were all displaying brand-side down. And when I asked their makes, they didn't know. It was just what their distributor had sent them, and they were low right now.
Two tall bookcase-like shelf and rack displays behind him held the tobaccos. The ones on the customer's right held a number of tobaccos kept in stock at customer request. I didn't recognize some of the names, and didn't think to write them down (because at this point, I thought I was going to get to take some pictures yet, I hadn't asked and been told no yet). The shelves on the left were the usual Captain Black, Carter Hall, Prince Albert -- and some big plastic bags of tobacco for $7 or $8. He talked about how some customers weren't buying them because they were cheap but actually preferred them.
There were also bulk tobaccos in 4 oz and 8 oz bags. Three different cherry blends, if I remember. Or else two, and one of those in two sizes maybe. Some interesting names but I was in a hurry, taking in everything at once. And there was one I really should have picked up: Black Hills Blend. It was a really sweet-smelling tobacco. Maybe I'll pick that up on my way back Friday. Just for the location-name. Gotta have that.
Another to the right of where the customer stands, a glass wall display, housed collectible tobaccos in their original tins and cans. Historical interest.
Tobacco Warehouse had a wider selection of pipe cleaners available than I've seen in the tiny tobacco shops I've visited back home. Never have too many of those, so I got a couple bundles of extra fluffles and churchwardens. He didn't have any thin ones for Falcons, though, dang it.
He was just getting excited about talking "pipe" with me, saying he was going to get me some samples -- and had just slapped a Comoy's Cask No. 1 packet in my palm -- when the store got bum-rushed with customers finishing their lunches and hitting the shop before returning to work.
So, since I would only be in the way, I waved bye to them and let them get on with their successful little business.
Most of the shop was not about pipes. He had novelty lighters and gizmos. One he showed me was a USB cigarette lighter that charges from your laptop. And there was a cigar section behind a door. Lots to offer by way of cigars. And of course, just about any kind of cigarette, cigarette tobacco or rolling aid you wanted. And a small tribute to the bong and hookah crowd, but not much.
Friendly place. The three people working while I was there were just friendly as could be and chatty as all get out. Could have talked to them forever. So I got the feeling right away, that if I lived there, this would be a frequent stop. He'd keep what I liked on hand for me, and maybe sneak in some samples I hadn't thought to try, anxious to hear my impression of this or that. Talk about tobacco legislation and current trends.
Small. But accommodating. No feeling of limitation. They want to be *your* tobacco shop, and I think they really want to learn more about pipes. They just don't have a calling for it yet.
Yes. I did mention Pipesmagazine.com. Several times. Maybe you'll get to meet them here? We'll see.
But the short version to this post is, Rapid City does have a tobacco shop where you can get your pipe fix when you're in a fix. It's not that far off the route. Very easy to find. If you yourself are whizzing through Rapid City, take a moment to check it out, then tell me what I missed in my in/out today.
When I stopped at the "Smoke Shop" to check it out (cigarettes and cigarillos there, mostly), I got a friendly tip. Hearing what I was looking for, they immediately referred me to the Tobacco Warehouse, just around the corner from them at 680 N Lacrosse St. There are two other shops, they told me. But they said they wouldn't be the kind of pipe store I'm looking for, catering more to glass pipes and hookahs and tobacco toys of that nature. They assured me Tobacco Warehouse was the place to go.
Sorry. They didn't allow cameras inside the store. I just have the snapshot from my iPhone.
It is brick-and-mortar only, having closed down their company's internet operations due to increases in online tobacco sales. They don't have a website and don't think they need one. They do well.
Most of their pipe business is from a current boom coming from nearby Ellsworth AFB. Airmen there are giving up cigarettes, looking for a suitable and distinguished way to continue their connection to tobacco.
Meerschaums ranging from $100 to several hundred dollars are prominent in the displays. There are a few Grabows tucked away on the bottom shelf in one corner. No familiar, "step up" pipes (No Savinellis, no Petersons, etc). But not much of a pipe selection other than that. I was interested in the pipes on the top shelf of the glass counter display. They were all displaying brand-side down. And when I asked their makes, they didn't know. It was just what their distributor had sent them, and they were low right now.
Two tall bookcase-like shelf and rack displays behind him held the tobaccos. The ones on the customer's right held a number of tobaccos kept in stock at customer request. I didn't recognize some of the names, and didn't think to write them down (because at this point, I thought I was going to get to take some pictures yet, I hadn't asked and been told no yet). The shelves on the left were the usual Captain Black, Carter Hall, Prince Albert -- and some big plastic bags of tobacco for $7 or $8. He talked about how some customers weren't buying them because they were cheap but actually preferred them.
There were also bulk tobaccos in 4 oz and 8 oz bags. Three different cherry blends, if I remember. Or else two, and one of those in two sizes maybe. Some interesting names but I was in a hurry, taking in everything at once. And there was one I really should have picked up: Black Hills Blend. It was a really sweet-smelling tobacco. Maybe I'll pick that up on my way back Friday. Just for the location-name. Gotta have that.
Another to the right of where the customer stands, a glass wall display, housed collectible tobaccos in their original tins and cans. Historical interest.
Tobacco Warehouse had a wider selection of pipe cleaners available than I've seen in the tiny tobacco shops I've visited back home. Never have too many of those, so I got a couple bundles of extra fluffles and churchwardens. He didn't have any thin ones for Falcons, though, dang it.
He was just getting excited about talking "pipe" with me, saying he was going to get me some samples -- and had just slapped a Comoy's Cask No. 1 packet in my palm -- when the store got bum-rushed with customers finishing their lunches and hitting the shop before returning to work.
So, since I would only be in the way, I waved bye to them and let them get on with their successful little business.
Most of the shop was not about pipes. He had novelty lighters and gizmos. One he showed me was a USB cigarette lighter that charges from your laptop. And there was a cigar section behind a door. Lots to offer by way of cigars. And of course, just about any kind of cigarette, cigarette tobacco or rolling aid you wanted. And a small tribute to the bong and hookah crowd, but not much.
Friendly place. The three people working while I was there were just friendly as could be and chatty as all get out. Could have talked to them forever. So I got the feeling right away, that if I lived there, this would be a frequent stop. He'd keep what I liked on hand for me, and maybe sneak in some samples I hadn't thought to try, anxious to hear my impression of this or that. Talk about tobacco legislation and current trends.
Small. But accommodating. No feeling of limitation. They want to be *your* tobacco shop, and I think they really want to learn more about pipes. They just don't have a calling for it yet.
Yes. I did mention Pipesmagazine.com. Several times. Maybe you'll get to meet them here? We'll see.
But the short version to this post is, Rapid City does have a tobacco shop where you can get your pipe fix when you're in a fix. It's not that far off the route. Very easy to find. If you yourself are whizzing through Rapid City, take a moment to check it out, then tell me what I missed in my in/out today.
