So I made my monthly voyage to the show me state to buy the wife her cigarettes. Was happy to see a small section of pipe tobacco not much but the had most of the OTC's picked up a tub of PA and a MM Legend
Dirt Cheap
- Thread starter Old School 3319
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I have long connections with the "Show Me" state. I transferred there after sophomore year in college, did a newspaper internship there in the Ozarks, and after being a widower, married a woman from the old days at school many years later. I'm glad to hear they stock some pipe tobacco along with the cigarettes. It's only fitting, since Mo. is the home place of Missouri Meerschaum, in Washington, Mo., in close proximity to St. Louis. A college buddy who grew up in Missouri near St. Louis just moved back there from Lexington, Ky. I think MM is almost certainly the largest maker of tobacco pipes in the U.S. in terms of volume. I'd guess Dr. Grabow in N.C. is the largest U.S. maker of briar pipes these days.
Most of the pipes I have are MM, and while I get they're not the more sought after briar-types, I do enjoy a good smoke out of them, they're affordable, work hard, and i like that they're made in America.
Maybe a quarter of my pipes are MM. Some of my favourites are the ones I purchased with the acrylic stems or the 150 Anniversary pipe I bought but I would agree they are all very good smokers and I enjoy them all. It is nice that you can get a variety of shapes.
I have enjoyed their Great Dane tobacco and am looking forward to trying the tin of Independence Day I have.
Old School, just for fun, what were some of the pipe tobacco prices? It's always fun to compare.
I picked up a tub of PA for $32, My wife smokes marlboro and they were $55 a carton
I drive the 80 miles because cigarettes are twice the price here a carton is about $115 to $125
My nearby cigarette store closed about two years ago. They had tub tobacco but not much selection, just CH, PA, and H&H. I'll have to look a little further out when things open up. I don't think I've ever seen Velvet. $29 is excellent. In this old tobacco belt state (N.C.) you'd think the selection and prices would be pretty good.
I weigh going to the J&R cigar outlet off I-95, this particular one near Smithfield, N.C. It's been years since I've taken the time, maybe 80 miles round trip, because most of what I want is online, or at my local B&M. I understand their format and inventory has changed, but I don't know exactly how. A while back they had a good selection of tubs and tins of pipe tobacco. But it is gas, and time, and not a known quantity. When last I went, it was a whole discount mall around the cigar humidor, which was itself the size of a large shop. The aura of the place -- it was like going to a market in Mexico. They had security checks as you left.
Several years ago most major drug store chains stopped selling tobacco products. I was in a Walgreens one day and noticed a clearance sign on some OTC tubs,since I was smoking PA,I noticed about 5 or 6 tubs on display. When I asked how much the guy said $1.50! I bought all 6 of them,thought I was set for a while,but you know how that goes,but still best deal ever,
Back when I lived in Ohio, I walked into the Briar Patch, a fantastic B&M in Canton, and saw a pile of Rattray 100gr tins - Accountants, RR, Jocks, Highland Targe etc. for $4.95 tin. The distributor, J.B. Russell had just gone out of business. I bought the lot! This was probably around 2001? I’m still smoking through these, but down to just a few tins.
Darn, no such spots I know of on the Central Coast.
But the song "Dirty Deeds, Done Dirt Cheap" is now stuck in my head.
But the song "Dirty Deeds, Done Dirt Cheap" is now stuck in my head.
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