Alternate Outlets For Pipes and Blends?
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I was in a pipe and cigar shop in San Francisco about ten years ago. It was the only place I could find pipe tobacco in and smoke in, which was ok because it was pretty nice place with a decent selection. I bought two pounds of tobacco and the next day I stopped by for a smoke and the guy said no. You can only smoke if you bought something that day. And all I could think was, I bought two effing pounds you douchey piece of garbage. I wish I remembered the name of the place because I would tell you all not to go there if it was still open.
So yeah. Pipe smokers are second hand citizens. They treat a guy who buys one cigar better than a pipe smoker from out of town who buys a lot more.
So yeah. Pipe smokers are second hand citizens. They treat a guy who buys one cigar better than a pipe smoker from out of town who buys a lot more.
What business, in their right mind, would want to add the inventory costs of pipes and tobacco given the ROI? And why would you want someone occupying valuable real estate for an hour or two that spends $2 on a bottle of water? Cigars shops rely on the guys that pop in and purchase 1 to 5 cigars at a time in general. Most people buying boxes and stocking their humidors shop online for the price savings. And with the huge anti smoking sentiments these days, what other type of business would want to spend the money on inventory and open themselves up to criticism from all the anti smoking Nazis?
Rut row, we're in big trouble.
Anecdotally, My local B&M Smoky's seems to be expanding their pipe tobacco offerings, in addition to their "own" blends in Jars..
What does that say? There are some hipsters that go in there buying pipes and tobacco, but also Ive seen alot of "normals" as well.. I have hope.. more pipe smokers the better as far as Im concerned. Supply eventually follows demand.. assuming the various do gooders cant overwhelm market economics.
What does that say? There are some hipsters that go in there buying pipes and tobacco, but also Ive seen alot of "normals" as well.. I have hope.. more pipe smokers the better as far as Im concerned. Supply eventually follows demand.. assuming the various do gooders cant overwhelm market economics.
If ever in the Tidewater area,IE,Norfolk,Virginia Beach, Hampton,there is Emersons,with multi locations.Mostly a cigar shop, they have their house pipe blends, some tins(Peterson,MacBaren,Sutliff,Dunhill,ect.Usually 20-30 pipes in the display case(Nording,The Canadian outfit with the maple inserts, what is their name?and a few others......Good chaps.You can smoke on the premises,although I normally smoke at home.
The time that pipe smoking was an everyday man's activity is simply gone. Like it or not it is very much a niche market.
The only way this can sustainably be kept alive is online. Having a B&M and hoping for a stray pipe smoker to walk by your business is going to get increasingly hard.
The other way I can think of is to make a pipe shop a destination and meeting place that people are willing to travel to. Sort of like a continuous Chicago Pipe Show.
The only way this can sustainably be kept alive is online. Having a B&M and hoping for a stray pipe smoker to walk by your business is going to get increasingly hard.
The other way I can think of is to make a pipe shop a destination and meeting place that people are willing to travel to. Sort of like a continuous Chicago Pipe Show.
Yes they can clean a variety of things used to burn various types of vegetation. The one head shop I've bought them in actually sells tobacco pipes and a tiny bit of pipe tobacco. They also have a basket of little carved meerscham pipes that look pretty cool.
The best thing about the pipe community is the blue-collar-ness of it. Compare it to the cigar crowd. Vulgar conspicuous consumption larded with snobbery, pretension and oneupmanship everywhere. No one’s posting pictures of even their most expensive artisan pipe parked next to the gearstick of their leased Mercedes. Pipesmoking is enjoyed without all that vulgarity, thank God.
Incongruous potential locations for pipe and tobacco counters:
Barber Shop
Auto Parts Store
Coffee Shop
Garden Shop
Sporting Goods
Hardware Store
Lumber Yard
Truck Stop
Marina
Barber Shop
Auto Parts Store
Coffee Shop
Garden Shop
Sporting Goods
Hardware Store
Lumber Yard
Truck Stop
Marina
That would work here in my part of the world. We still have lots of pipesmokers in and around my community. And people still willing to try new ways of tobacco consumption.
I don't lease my Merc.
I do none of the above. And, I certainly do not resent them. I do, however, carry a bit of resentment of those who speak in generalizations, tarring everyone who smokes cigars with such a broad brush. You've damned more than couple of members with your asinine snobbery and pretentiousness.
I don't lease my Merc. I do none of the above. And, I certainly do not resent them. I do, however, carry a bit of resentment of those who speak in generalizations, tarring everyone who smokes cigars with such a broad brush. You've damned more than couple of members with your asinine snobbery and pretentiousness.
Cool your jets and re-read my post. My comments were about the general culture of the cigar community online, not about individual cigar smokers (of whom I am one). Don’t take it personally.
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You didn't mention the "on-line" community. Only selective reference was, "the cigar crowd." Unfortunately I can't guess at your meaning, only can parse what you posted. I'll do better, promise!
I would broaden that to say the best thing about the pipe community is the all-collar-ness of it. You have writers, educators, and other professionals along with professions that would be described as blue-collar. I love the fact that I’m learning with and from people of all different backgrounds and types.
The ideal companion business to selling pipe tobacco is something that makes the proprietor money while people sit in the lounge and smoke their pipes. Spend $15 on a tin and $30 in the lounge. Social clubs and alcohol are the two things that jump to mind, but they’re so obvious that the legislators here have already banned them.
If any such adjunct business became conspicuously successful at attracting pipe smokers, it’d be outlawed.
If any such adjunct business became conspicuously successful at attracting pipe smokers, it’d be outlawed.
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