Are OTC blends really OTC?

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Piping Rooster

Can't Leave
Jun 29, 2022
398
2,065
Champa Bay
I've been searching every where, all the drug stores around me, wally world and the only thing I have found is Capt'n Black. Anyone know what stores actually carry the old codger blends? I'm in central Florida.
 
Jan 30, 2020
1,850
6,086
New Jersey
A bunch of delis by me used to carry pouches and tubs of the common ones. Haven't looked in a while though, but at least in 2019/2020 I remember seeing them behind the counter. CH, captain black, half and half, etc.
 
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verporchting

Lifer
Dec 30, 2018
2,879
8,933
Just within the past few years many drugstores chains and grocery stores stopped carrying most pipe tobaccos that were available previously.

I used to see pouches at gas stations, newsstands, grocery stores and drug stores all the time. Once CVS stopped it seemed like everyone else bailed out too. Now it’s internet or B&M tobacco shops mostly if you want the Codger blends.
 

JimInks

Sultan of Smoke
Aug 31, 2012
60,846
553,683
I believe its an antiquated term at this point, just used to describe tobaccos once sold over the counter at drug stores or wherever.
I agree with this. I live a city of almost 300,000 people, and nobody carries pipe tobacco expect for one B&M and JRs inside and outside the city. It's been that way for years. And this is North Carolina.
 

Piping Rooster

Can't Leave
Jun 29, 2022
398
2,065
Champa Bay
Was hoping to find a cheaper alternative to my favorite all day blend, GH American Delite. Looks like I'm going to have to eat the shipping charges which to say for a ½ lb of half and half is still cheaper than the GH blend.
 
Jan 30, 2020
1,850
6,086
New Jersey
I would look at non-nationwide chains. Private delis and convenience stores(at least here in my part of NJ) that sell cigarettes also usually have a rack of chew/dip, backwoods cigars and a few OTC blends for pipe. My county is also still pretty populated by cigarette and dip users so there's a market for it here.
 
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Terry Lennox

Can't Leave
Aug 11, 2021
379
2,129
Southern California
The major online retailers are your best bet. They seem to have all the blends still made in pouches or larger sizes.

I remember in the late 1980's walking into a Walgreens in south Florida and they had an entire section of tobaccos in pouches and tubs together with racks of Dr Grabows, corn cob pipes, Czech tools, pipe cleaners and lighters.
 
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ray47

Lifer
Jul 10, 2015
2,451
5,610
Dalzell, South Carolina
In my town in SC you can't find OTC blends, or what I like to call "Classic Blends", in our Wal Mart, drugstores and even most Mom & Pop stores. Fortunately we do have a few tobacco stores that carry pipe tobacco, but the Classic Blends are few and their over priced compared to online tobacconists, even with shipping. If I were you, I'd deal with them for your Classic Blends.
 
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Piping Rooster

Can't Leave
Jun 29, 2022
398
2,065
Champa Bay
In my town in SC you can't find OTC blends, or what I like to call "Classic Blends", in our Wal Mart, drugstores and even most Mom & Pop stores. Fortunately we do have a few tobacco stores that carry pipe tobacco, but the Classic Blends are few and their over priced compared to online tobacconists, even with shipping. If I were you, I'd deal with them for your Classic Blends.
Yeah I ordered a tub of H&H for the same price from SPC as my local B&M were selling a pouch of Captain Black.
 
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Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,248
108,337
I've been searching every where, all the drug stores around me, wally world and the only thing I have found is Capt'n Black. Anyone know what stores actually carry the old codger blends? I'm in central Florida.
Got any local cigarette stores?