I'm blessed to have a b&m a block from my house. It was instrumental in my early explorations of pipes and tobacco. I guess I'm feeling a touch of guilt when I say I doubt I'll be doing much shopping there in the future.
I value supporting local business but between the taxes in Canada, the stores mark up, and the very small number of pipe smokers compared to cigars it just isn't logical.
Today I wandered over there and, behold, they had new tobacco from McB on the shelf. Now, before I discovered online tobacco retailers, I would go to this b&m every payday weekend and pick up 2 or 3 tins at $40-45 each. Over time I bought all the London Mixture, EMP, Old Dublin and Artisans blend. I repeatedly asked them if they would order some more (esp Old Dublin.) It still hasn't materialized after months. As a matter of fact, nothing new in the tobacco dept has materialized at all.
Furthermore, none of the staff know a thing about pipe tobacco and couldn't tell the difference between Captain Black and Irish Flake. Cigar smokers are what they cater too, and what can I expect a 20 year old employee to know about tobacco anyway?
Back to today, I noticed they had a few blends from McB, along with neat little jars full for sampling the tin note. Oh wow, I thought, maybe I'll give these guys another chance. I spied some Capstan Blue Flake, dated from 2013. They had never carried it before. I was about to pull the trigger when I asked how much. $52 came the reply. Now, I'm used to paying 40-45 here for a tin, but $52/tin is too much to swallow. Thanks government.
I can order from the U.S., pay shipping and duty, and deal with the exchange rate and still save money.
My last 3 purchases were from an online retailer in the U.S. and I hate to say it but it's going to stay that way. Super fast shipping, huge selection and great prices are things that I can't afford to pass up, as I try to build a cellar while not going totally belly up.(TAD is getting stronger.)
The b&m will hopefully survive and maybe entice the next Newby to dive in head first but, personally I can't justify spending much money there anymore.
Who kmows what I'll miss? A tobacconist recommending something because he knows my tastes so well; meeting an elderly fellow who once owned and cared for 600 pipes?
It's a blessing too then, to have an online community that scratches that itch for knowledge and comraderie.
The times they are a changing. In some ways it's tough on both the customers and physical retailers. But change is constant and should be accepted, and maybe even embraced; who knows what new opportunities may arise?
I value supporting local business but between the taxes in Canada, the stores mark up, and the very small number of pipe smokers compared to cigars it just isn't logical.
Today I wandered over there and, behold, they had new tobacco from McB on the shelf. Now, before I discovered online tobacco retailers, I would go to this b&m every payday weekend and pick up 2 or 3 tins at $40-45 each. Over time I bought all the London Mixture, EMP, Old Dublin and Artisans blend. I repeatedly asked them if they would order some more (esp Old Dublin.) It still hasn't materialized after months. As a matter of fact, nothing new in the tobacco dept has materialized at all.
Furthermore, none of the staff know a thing about pipe tobacco and couldn't tell the difference between Captain Black and Irish Flake. Cigar smokers are what they cater too, and what can I expect a 20 year old employee to know about tobacco anyway?
Back to today, I noticed they had a few blends from McB, along with neat little jars full for sampling the tin note. Oh wow, I thought, maybe I'll give these guys another chance. I spied some Capstan Blue Flake, dated from 2013. They had never carried it before. I was about to pull the trigger when I asked how much. $52 came the reply. Now, I'm used to paying 40-45 here for a tin, but $52/tin is too much to swallow. Thanks government.
I can order from the U.S., pay shipping and duty, and deal with the exchange rate and still save money.
My last 3 purchases were from an online retailer in the U.S. and I hate to say it but it's going to stay that way. Super fast shipping, huge selection and great prices are things that I can't afford to pass up, as I try to build a cellar while not going totally belly up.(TAD is getting stronger.)
The b&m will hopefully survive and maybe entice the next Newby to dive in head first but, personally I can't justify spending much money there anymore.
Who kmows what I'll miss? A tobacconist recommending something because he knows my tastes so well; meeting an elderly fellow who once owned and cared for 600 pipes?
It's a blessing too then, to have an online community that scratches that itch for knowledge and comraderie.
The times they are a changing. In some ways it's tough on both the customers and physical retailers. But change is constant and should be accepted, and maybe even embraced; who knows what new opportunities may arise?