Thanks for the kind words fellas.
Something occurred to me early this morning, that I failed to address, one aspect of making a tobacco Shoppe profitable, considering the actual miniscule market share the occupy.
I used the term
good-will equity. That is a rather ineffable quality that your really good tobacco retailers cultivate. Using Skip again as the example of the exemplary Shoppe Keeper.
William an I arranged to meet up at The Briary one afternoon... William beat me there, and told John that I was coming... as I walked in John remarked that William had said I'd be along shortly... and I said: "And you left the door, not only open, but unlocked... you'll let anybody in here."
Torpedo Juice
Skip does the little things that make his customers come back time and time again. Everyone knows (it is no secret) that the products he carries (for the most part) can be acquired via the Internet. But, what makes me drive 25 miles to give him my business? There are several that are quite tangible, many I have mentioned over time in other strings. Recently I addressed his manner and method when a potential pipe smoker enters his store.
Last year's US Slow Smoke Champion Raymond (Birmingham0irish) expressed his love of our local in his posting:
Due Diligence
Here is an excerpt:
A trip to the Briary is more like visiting the house of an old uncle or grandfather than a trip to just a tobacco store. In addition to the front room displaying a plethora of pipes, tinned tobaccos, and jars and jars of house blends, there is also the smoking lounge, featuring coffee tables, a tv, a wicker sofa, two overstuffed couches and an overstuffed chair. Behind the smoking room is the Briary’s walk in cigar humidor. A large porch surrounds the house, complete with two wooden rocking chairs and a metal rusted outdoor swinging sofa. A few steps through an open door frame brings you to another room where the shop features a display of Cigar Humidors, and 2 additional cases featuring lighters, pipe pouches and tampers. To the left is a kitchen, which houses a refrigerator filled with soft drinks and a place for the regular customers to store other beverages if they so chose. John, the Briary’s manager since, well, I don’t know how long, is a balding man with a beard, quick with funny stories about his neighborhood or dirty jokes not for the feint of heart. Skip, the store owner, is a red-bearded man with an encyclopedic knowledge of pipes and pipe accessories. Every trip to the Briary while Skip is working is not complete without Skip rushing to your side with a case of pipes saying with a huge smile “You won’t believe what we got in today!”, followed by a discussion about the grain of his new inventory and of course an invitation to purchase. Saturday’ also feature Mark, who serves as the Briary’s weekend salesman and often, the unfortunate straight man to John’s tirade of humourous tales. This is the pipe and cigar smoker’s version of “Cheers”.
Raymond says: "A trip to the Briary is more like visiting the house of an old uncle or grandfather than a trip to just a tobacco store.".. It's true... This is from
this string.
You might say they have been a part of the family for many years. When Skip's father still owned the Tinder Box and had just installed some beautiful Hunter Green Carpet in the store the War Department and I visited to show off our beautiful baby girl, Crystal. (Crystal is expecting in May... Damn I'm getting old.)
So, being Crystal, she did something that is fondly remembered by all at "The Briary" till this day. She threw up on the carpet. And they don't let her forget it. :D
Good-will equity has to be earned, it cannot be given, but Skip does give to his customers... I have never mentioned this before, but he adds value to you patronage. On the counter behind the jars of Aros that line the top of Meerschaum display is a rolodex... In that relic is a record of every tobacco purchase I and every other pipe smoking customer has ever made... When his customer reaches 15 lbs. of tobacco, he gives you a pound of your choice... just to reward customer loyalty... I personally never think about it, but many times over the years Skip or John will say: You've reached 15, whatch'a want?
Skip sells cigars, and some cheap tobaccos to pay the bills... But, at the end of the day.... it's love of pipes and his customers.
Edit: I must also interject this... My perception of The Briary and Skip is colored by my pipe smoking. I do have a couple of favorite cigars that I occasionally treat myself with... Don't get me wrong... Skip's humidor is definitely the best in Birmingham... And, his cigar customers are just as important and are treated just as well as his pipe customers. There are many friendly and familiar faces holding down the counters and puffing on some fine stogies chatting away with pipers, and vice versa.
:
