Good pipe/tobacco stores in the Boston MA area

[titanicexplorer]

I live in Boston, and here are some of my favorite local pipe/tobacco places- If Im not allowed to mention or link to these places, let me know and Ill change this post- Im just writing this as a pipe smoker.
One of the most famous tobacco places in Boston is L.J Peretti Co . They have an amazing pipe selection, nice tobacco blends, and are located on a corner of the Boston common
http://www.ljperetti.com/index.html
It's a bit out of my way, but I picked up a pipe there last month.
Accross the Charles River is Cambridge, where you'll find Harvard University- accross the street from Harvard Univ is Leavitt & Pierce Tobacco. They have many Harvard students and grads as regulars. JFK was a regular in his college days.
http://www.leavitt-peirce.com/
I'm a grad student up in Salem MA, at Salem State Univ, working on my MEd. The Red Lion Smoke shop is my personal favorite spot- Loads of magazines, comic books, and a nice pipe/cigar section- Great custom blends of pipe tobacco.
http://www.redlionsmoke.com/

 

[reichenbach]

This thread was opened a year ago and I apologize for the resurrection but I'm going up to Boston this weekend and wanted some input. I'm already going to Peretti's for sure but I wanted to check out a few other spots. Besides Harvard students, what is Leavitt-Peirce like? I couldn't get the website to work. Also, any thoughts on Paul Erlich's (I probably didn't spell it right)? I read on Yelp that one can have a drink and a smoke there, is this true? Any other gems? Thank you in advance.

-Joe

 

[ravkesef]

Peretti's is listed as one of the world's top ten pipe shops--definitely worth a visit. their tobaccos are excellent, an they make their own pipes in addition to selling lots of other pipes, accessories, etc. The shop is a cluttered, smoke-filled mess, but truly a classic. And they really know their stuff.

Leavitt and Pierce still has the same footprint it did in years gone by, (and still right next door to the Harvard Book Store,) but the store is a pale shadow of what it once was. Yes, they still have pipes, but not nearly as many nor the variety that they had in the old days,and they still sell some decent tobaccos, including DPE (which they say is 90% the same of what it was in the 60's when I first started smoking it,) Cake Box, and a truly wonderful aromatic: Judges Mixture--a must try. The staff are generally lacking in knowledge about pipes, tobaccos, smoking in general--a far cry from the old days when they were all experts. You'll have to go in there with your own knowledge, poke around, ask a few questions, but good luck in finding someone with real in-depth knowledge. Still, it's worth the trip. While you're there, mosey down a few feet and have a burger at Bartley's Burger Shack--a noisy, crowded hamburger emporium, where you can get some of the world's best burgers, in 30 or something different varieties. If you can finish a hamburger, fries and a frappe (their version of a shake,) you're something else. The staff is brusque, you will be seated with people you don't know, and the place is a classic. Definitely worth the trip for hamburger heaven. Cash only. (note: the staff will likely pour molasses on your head, beat you up and molest you sexually if you don't tip appropriately. And that's for the rude service! You'll love it.)

Back to pipes. You mentioned Ehrlich's. they were a class, and used to be on Tremont street, but no more. Now it occupies a corner of a bar across the street from Quincy Market, and sells a few tobaccos and that's about the size of it. None of the staff have any idea about pipes, tobaccos, etc. Leavitt and Peirce sells the Ehrlich line of tobaccos (the two shops were linked once upon a time,) and the current incarnation of Ehrlich's isn't worth the time.

But--as long as you're going to be at Quincy Market, you must eat at Durgin Park. Again, you will be seated with people you don't know, the place is noisy, the waitstaff brusque, and the food superb!!!! Try the prime rib. It comes in two sizes--regular and Yankee cut, the latter takes two men and a boy to haul in, and if you can finish it, you're pretty good.

If you're into seafood, there's nothing like Legals. Also try the Union Oyster House.

For the best Italian food, go to the North End. Try Giacomo's. You'll wait in line forever, the place is noisy, crowded, and agin, you'll sit where they tell you and with whom they tell you, but the food is great. Cash only. The North End abounds with superb Italian eateries, each one better than the next.

Try Mike's Pastry--and order a lobster tail--it's a massive cream filled pastry to die for.

If you need more info on Boston and environs, PM me.

 

[mrdoody]

FYI/FWIW, I believe Leavitt & Pierce and David P. Ehrlich are owned by the same folks these days.
i have an estate Ehrlich pipe i picked up a while back and it's one of my fave small pipes.
LJ Peretti is the shiznit. hang. smoke. yak with the guys. they live for this stuff.
if you're going to be out near the Framingham area, Watch City Cigar is absolutely worth visiting. the proprietor Ernie Q. is a character, has a great selection of tins and shop-blended baccys, and knows his shit. he can't pay the bills just selling pipe stuff - but he's a piper himself so he puts the effort/money into it. great B&M.
doody.

 

[reichenbach]

I went into Peretti's once a few years ago when I was much less initiated into pipe smoking. I was 19 at the time and I surprised the hell out of my parents when I said I wanted to pick up some pipe tobacco. It was the Ramsay MacDonald blend, D-7485, and I remmeber being quite taken with it. So much so that I saved the last bowl in the bag until I could get back (found that bag in my desk this spring and reluctantly threw out the crispy remains). I'm more of a VaPer guy so any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
We're staying at the Kendall Hotel which is why I asked about Leavitt-Pierce and I'll check it with low expectations. I'll also have to take my girlfriend to Fanueil Hall so I thought Erlich might be a good bet especially if I can get a drink with my pipe. I think I saw that on Yelp, any ideas about that? Obviously LJ Pertti's is the main show.
We've already booked our reservation at Legal so Bartley's might be our lunch option. That sounds great.
What is general feeling about walking and piping in Boston? My dad never seemed to have a problem but things change fast. I live in upstate New York so I would have to imagine it's similar.
Anyway, thank you ravkesef, rothnh, and doody for your input. I hope I hear from you guys again.
-Joe