It turns out I may be making a trip to London next year. Naturally I'll hunt out the pipe shops. Is there any chance Dunhills might be more obtainable (read cheaper) in a British shop?
English Trip
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My memory of the previous posts on the subject says no. But I'll be interested what Londoners and/or Dunhill frequent buyers have to say. I do know from experience that London is a high-end shopping city, not much for flea markets. Antique shops might have some estates.
In comparison to Euro and U.S currencies, English Sterling pound is always pretty tough(pricey) but interestingly based on my observation many pipe brands are cheaper in England,for example I can get many French make pipes cheaper in England than anywhere else in the Eu,yet it seems like the same rule stands for lots of Savinelli models.
Not a chance.
But pipe shops there are worth a trip anyhow. (Fox; Davidoff; Seegar and Snuff)
Edit: Reading the concurrent posts made me realize it wasn't necessarily tobacco you inquired about. So, no on Dunhill tobacco, but quite possibly on pipes, though not new Dunhill pipes. Don't know who handles estate pipes in London.
But pipe shops there are worth a trip anyhow. (Fox; Davidoff; Seegar and Snuff)
Edit: Reading the concurrent posts made me realize it wasn't necessarily tobacco you inquired about. So, no on Dunhill tobacco, but quite possibly on pipes, though not new Dunhill pipes. Don't know who handles estate pipes in London.
London is a large area of course. Much like DC one can go into the areas people by folks making barely a living wage and find great bargains. Or, keep to the expensive areas where bargains can also be found in local markets and such. Further, one can only hang around St. James and such, where everything is "up-scale" in price and quality. But, two blocks away, in a church yard, can't remember the name and too lazy to research it, is a great little market. It was home base for the maker of Milville pipes. He's retired now so that's no longer an option. But, that gives you an idea of what may be just "around the corner" from JJ Fox on St. James, a rather expensive street to shop.
JJ Fox is predominately a cigar store, some Churchill memorabilia on display, pipes and blends available. The staff are fonts of information and it's a great place to get a feel for what is happening in the smoking world of London.
London is what you make it, adventurous or mundane, expensive or not. I like to "base" in the West End (google it) as many great places are within easy walking distance and other places of interest are easy taxi rides.
Hopefully a couple of our London based members will chime in.
Before you leave, research how to recover any and all VAT. It's simple really but, forewarned is forearmed.
JJ Fox is predominately a cigar store, some Churchill memorabilia on display, pipes and blends available. The staff are fonts of information and it's a great place to get a feel for what is happening in the smoking world of London.
London is what you make it, adventurous or mundane, expensive or not. I like to "base" in the West End (google it) as many great places are within easy walking distance and other places of interest are easy taxi rides.
Hopefully a couple of our London based members will chime in.
Before you leave, research how to recover any and all VAT. It's simple really but, forewarned is forearmed.
One more tip: Great hotels have knowledgeable and most helpful concierges. Avail yourself of the service should you be staying in one. As you're paying for the service, I strongly suggest using it.
Another aspect of this to keep in mind is the potential for herky-jerky currency exchange related to Brexit. I don't know what impact it will have, but neither do the Oxford economists nor anyone else. Could drop a money bag in your lap or empty your pockets mid-trip.
The British Pound v. USD is all you need to worry about. The Pound Sterling is the official currency. Put a conversion app on your phone and you are great to go. Today? 1 pound =1.34 USD A booming economy makes the dollar strong.
Don't think my puny Qlink phone will work, put thanks for all the imput. Expensive or not a British pipe store is a must trip!
I’m in Scotland right now and visited the best pipe shop in the country today — The Pipe Shop in Edinburgh. Steven, the son-in-law of the owner, was very friendly and helpful. It was a delight to visit. Their tobacco selection is fantastic and may represent virtually every pipe tobacco available in the UK. I managed to purchase a half dozen or so tobaccos unavailable in the USA, including Germain’s Rich Dark Flake and a few Gallaghers varieties.
Grocery stores and the like no longer display tobacco. The drawers containing cigarettes, cigars, and pipe tobacco are plain gray for the most part. To me, they looked like empty displays until I asked. I have only found Condor and St, Bruno in these kinds of local stores. The price is generally around £7.50 for 25g. At an exchange rate of 1.3 USD to 1.00 GBP, this works out to nearly $20 USD per 50g tin. I got the tiniest of discounts buying 500g of Rich Dark Flake.
You’ll find no bargains in the UK. We Americans live in one of the best places on Earth to buy pipe tobacco.
Grocery stores and the like no longer display tobacco. The drawers containing cigarettes, cigars, and pipe tobacco are plain gray for the most part. To me, they looked like empty displays until I asked. I have only found Condor and St, Bruno in these kinds of local stores. The price is generally around £7.50 for 25g. At an exchange rate of 1.3 USD to 1.00 GBP, this works out to nearly $20 USD per 50g tin. I got the tiniest of discounts buying 500g of Rich Dark Flake.
You’ll find no bargains in the UK. We Americans live in one of the best places on Earth to buy pipe tobacco.
craig', sounds like no bargains but a wonderful experience. My sister travels some on business and sometimes brings back blends unavailable in the U.S. for me. Since you know you won't get to re-order more, it's just a fine way to try something unusual. Austrian and Dutch blends have been particularly pleasant. Though those Scottish blends are about twice the price of a premium blend in the U.S., I think it is worth it for twenty or so bowls of something different.
Well, I’m a Londoner and I agree with a lot of the above. You probably won’t find a bargain unless it’s the same way that you find bargains anywhere - shops that sell pipes here tend to sell them at a higher rate than you’d get online (which is the same anywhere, I guess). As in other countries you might find a bargain in an antique shop or flea market (try Portobello Rd which is worth a visit for a sense of history and culture - Friday and Saturday are your best bet... it gets busy). As mentioned by others a trip to St James’s is well worth it, even if there are no bargains to be had, just for the sense of history and the old-Englishy feel (although not many places are or have been like it, in reality - think Sherlock going to visit his brother at his club and you’ll have the right flavour). I haven’t been yet but I believe the London Pipe Club meets on the second Tuesday of the month at Fox’s in St James’s - you could pop in. I’m sure someone else on here will know more details.
You’ll find baccy is pretty expensive so I wouldn’t bother saving your pennies (cents) to spend over here on that.
I’m biased, I know, but London really is one of the best places in the world (although not without it’s problems). Enjoy yourself! Go exploring... get out of the West End and see some other bits, particularly the City (St Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower of London, Tower Bridge etc.). Give me shout if you’d like to meet up - if I’m around I love meeting folks (no obligation - I know I like to do my own thing when I’m away!).
Psst... I think you’ll do just fine with your USD to GBP. If anything the uncertainty of Brexit will work in your favour.
You’ll find baccy is pretty expensive so I wouldn’t bother saving your pennies (cents) to spend over here on that.
I’m biased, I know, but London really is one of the best places in the world (although not without it’s problems). Enjoy yourself! Go exploring... get out of the West End and see some other bits, particularly the City (St Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower of London, Tower Bridge etc.). Give me shout if you’d like to meet up - if I’m around I love meeting folks (no obligation - I know I like to do my own thing when I’m away!).
Psst... I think you’ll do just fine with your USD to GBP. If anything the uncertainty of Brexit will work in your favour.
I also live in the UK and it's cheaper to get my dunhill from the USA. Prices are a ripoff here.
I'll ask again, as my trip to the UK will be in a month or two: Is there anyone dealing in estate pipes to any extent? (Not keen on rummaging through the Portobello maze.)
I asked the question at The Pipe Shop in Edinburgh and the manager said he didn't sell them and was quite surprised that they're big business in the USA. He questioned whether it could be profitable.
Might take the opportunity to get a Blakemar pipe. Decently priced and good. Not pipe related, but if you are into book collecting, on Charing Cross Road there are fabulous used book stores. Or at least there were the last time I was there some years ago.
@jpmcwjr
I may have misunderstood your question but in Uk I know of only one estate pipe shop and it is in Wales
https://www.estatepipeshop.co.uk/
Although I dont live in the UK now I do look in Charity shops & markets when I am there but there is very little to be seen
I may have misunderstood your question but in Uk I know of only one estate pipe shop and it is in Wales
https://www.estatepipeshop.co.uk/
Although I dont live in the UK now I do look in Charity shops & markets when I am there but there is very little to be seen
JPMCWJr: Just back from Old Blighty and have some thoughts. 1) Only place I've found that does estates pipes is a restorer in Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland. (And is a bit pricey, I thought.) Millville Pipes in the St. James Market is long gone, more than a year now. Blakemar is the place for a deal on a new pipe but would require your hiring a car and getting lost. (Seriously, it's out there.) I've been to The Pipe Shop in Edinburgh and was a bit let down. Nice gents working the desk but tiny and lots of pipes for other purposes. Tobacco: it does not take long (with our friend google) to sort out that tobacco is twice as expensive there than the States.
My suggestion and best experience: head to St. James. As others have pointed out, Jermyn St. is charming and filled with ridiculously overpriced shops (but shops with history and charm. Head into Davidoff and look things. Enjoy the ambiance. Then go down a block into JJ Fox and ask for help with tobacco, let them assist, as you are making your purchase, as to see the Churchill things. They are right in the shop and the gents will love to tell you about them. History! Then ask about a toilet and place to smoke and they will direct you upstairs. Yes, plan on a good half hour there, just soak it up. You'll see.
And then get on the tube to High Holburn and head for the least appreciated tourist site in London: Sir John Soane's House/Museum.
Enjoy!
My suggestion and best experience: head to St. James. As others have pointed out, Jermyn St. is charming and filled with ridiculously overpriced shops (but shops with history and charm. Head into Davidoff and look things. Enjoy the ambiance. Then go down a block into JJ Fox and ask for help with tobacco, let them assist, as you are making your purchase, as to see the Churchill things. They are right in the shop and the gents will love to tell you about them. History! Then ask about a toilet and place to smoke and they will direct you upstairs. Yes, plan on a good half hour there, just soak it up. You'll see.
And then get on the tube to High Holburn and head for the least appreciated tourist site in London: Sir John Soane's House/Museum.
Enjoy!
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