B&M In Southwest Florida

[jabomano]

I live in Ft. Myers and have yet to find any pipe shops in my area or even outside my area. The only shops are head shops. If any member lives in Florida I'd appreciate any info you can give me as to where they are or if indeed there are any. Plenty off cigar shops/bars but they carry no pipe tobacco or pipes besides the basket variety. Online his good but I'd like to start an acquaintance with a shop.
Thanks.
Ray

 

[jabomano]

Or does your B&M ship? Looking for McClelland 5100 as usual.
Ray

 

[cigrmaster]

Ray,

I live in Sarasota Fl and there is one shop Benningtons on St Amrmand Circle that sells pipes. Their selection is ok but watch out for the Petersons. Many have some type of flaw so you need to look them over with a fine tooth comb. Their tobacco selection is nothing like it used to be as Florida passed an 85% wholesale tax on pipe tobacco years ago. A tin of Samuel Gawith Best Brown flake that you can buy online for 9 bucks and change, sells for 22.95 at Benningtons the last time I was there.
The guys who own the shop are real nice guys, brothers actually. They have some accessories and they will do some types of cleaning and repairs to pipes. I wish I could give them more business but I ain't paying that tax.

 

[cwarmouth]

I have the same situation here in Boise Idaho. The Boise area is the only metropolitan city in the state (if you can call it that.) A population of a bout 600,000 people and you cannot buy any pipe tobacco aside from the standard drug store variety pouches or renamed bulk aromatics. Yet there is a fantastic cigar shop that has every cigar you can imagine. Do cigar smokers really outnumber pipe smokers so dramatically?

 

[daveinlax]

Do cigar smokers really outnumber pipe smokers so dramatically?

Yes! 8O

 

[jabomano]

They certainly do outnumber us as do cigarette smokers and I think one reason is because we're a society of convenience. It's much easier to rip the end off of a cigar and light it as opposed to the time consuming art form of packing a pipe bowl and keeping it lit, the constant presence of pipe cleaners and the post pipe smoke cleaning. Not at all a fast way to get a tasty smoker nic hit. And don't forget that cigars and cigarettes are available almost everywhere in B&M stores while I for one have to order everything online as there's no pipes or high end tobacco available anywhere near my town. Maybe if I want to drive 100 miles I might find something but I won't do that. Even though online is always cheaper I'd gladly buy from a local store.

 

[derekflint]

I went into an upscale cigar shop ( on Long Island, NY ) and asked the guy if he sold pipe lighters...he looked at me like I had two heads !!

 

[mso489]

Cigars are the revenue stream. They are more expensive than pipes and tobacco, so cigar bars don't want to impede their cash flow by filling the place with pipe puffers. An up-market cigar can cost plenty, just check the online listings. I like a good cigar, but I enjoy pipes more, and cigar bar owners don't want me hanging around with my briar. That's why cigar shop owners don't devote a little space to pipes and pipe tobacco. Tinderbox sells both, but you can see from the space allotted that cigars are their life line. If it's your income, you do what the market says.