Leaf & Ale Knoxville TN
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Hmmm, what is it you didn't like about Gatlinburlier? I've been in there many times, but it has been a few years since I was there. I know the prices for some of their stuff is high, but that just comes from being in a tourist trap area and the high overhead they all have for rent there. i know for a fact that rent is astronomical ther as my dad and I was looking into starting a tobacco shop there over 30 years ago, and it was too expensive to be worth it for us way back then. As far as Gatlinburlier goes, I know the owner, and he's a stand up guy all around.
Well my visit to the Gatlinburlier is like it always is......somebody there always trying to sell me a low grade pipe and braging about it like its the cats meow. Prices being a little high I understand....its the location. But please (pay attention---store owners of any B&M).....don't insult my intelligence and try to sell me a Roma pipe for almost three times list and tell me its 300 year old briar. Then what really sent me over the edge was when I looked at a couple of Charatan straight billiards and pipe cleaners would even go thru all the way because the draft holes were drilled so far off.....and then being told that 80% of pipes are like that.
In the big picture I'm sure 95% of the people that pass thru the store never to return because they are just tourists who's trip to the area may be a one shot deal in their entire life.....so for the stores sake there isn't much to worry about having a ticked off customer returning.
In the big picture I'm sure 95% of the people that pass thru the store never to return because they are just tourists who's trip to the area may be a one shot deal in their entire life.....so for the stores sake there isn't much to worry about having a ticked off customer returning.
Interesting... I quite like TN. Granted it took some time to grow on me. I'd just love to know how all of TN sucks. :roll:
I've not tried to buy pipes from the Gatlinburlier but when in Gatlinburg we make a point to stop by there. I definitely wouldn't make the trip up the mountain just for that though.
So far, only one way to find out about Leaf & Ale - just make sure you report back :
:
Maybe I was harsh, but growing up in Virginia, and constantly traveling to Tennessee for business, I have done a lot of research on the subject. Compared to its neighbors Virginia, and North Carolina, Tennessee is just inferior in all the below categories. I would not even bother with this if I was not constantly harassed by Tennessee residents every time I visit the state, and dare to think that the sun does not revolve around the University of Tennessee. Note all seven Virginia public Universities are in the Top 50 U.S. News and World report rankings, one school in Tennessee achieves this mark. Two private colleges are in the top 50 U.S. News and World report ranking, Tennessee only has one. No schools in the top ten in either poll for the Volunteer state, Virginia has two. It is not fair to compare Virginia's great and many historical triumphs, Presidents, or framers of the Constitution to Tennessee's one President,( I am giving you Andrew Jackson, although he was born in South Carolina) and Davy Crockett. All in all the Smokey Mountain National Park is nice, Nashville is not too bad but the rest of the state leaves a lot to be desired. Not trying to offend just compare Tennessee with Virginia, and to a lesser extent North Carolina the two states that share eastern borders with Tennessee.
Let's start with quality of life;
Elementary Education
http://www.thedailybeast.com/galleries/2011/01/21/america-s-smartest-kids.slide44.html
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2011/01/13/16stateofthestates.h30.html?tkn=OZWFBPfso6GowQRnY7ZhYpGKp6j6W1ufX5AC&cmp=clp-edweek
Economy, business friendly;
http://www.cnbc.com/id/37516043/
Government Quality versus other states;
http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/gpp_report_card.aspx
State Colleges and Universities;
http://www.forbes.com/2009/08/06/best-public-colleges-opinions-colleges-09-top.html
http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/top-public
http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-liberal-arts-colleges/spp+50
Income;
http://www.money-rates.com/research-center/10-best-states-for-making-a-living.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_by_income
Let's start with quality of life;
Elementary Education
http://www.thedailybeast.com/galleries/2011/01/21/america-s-smartest-kids.slide44.html
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2011/01/13/16stateofthestates.h30.html?tkn=OZWFBPfso6GowQRnY7ZhYpGKp6j6W1ufX5AC&cmp=clp-edweek
Economy, business friendly;
http://www.cnbc.com/id/37516043/
Government Quality versus other states;
http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/gpp_report_card.aspx
State Colleges and Universities;
http://www.forbes.com/2009/08/06/best-public-colleges-opinions-colleges-09-top.html
http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/top-public
http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-liberal-arts-colleges/spp+50
Income;
http://www.money-rates.com/research-center/10-best-states-for-making-a-living.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_by_income
Wow this thread has taken on a life of its own. I live in NC and many years ago I lived in OH and once in awhile for the sake of starting a assanine argument I
remind NC residents that while you may be first in flight, the DNA (brains) to pull it off came from OH.
remind NC residents that while you may be first in flight, the DNA (brains) to pull it off came from OH.
Having lived in VA for 11 years before my wife and I packed up and moved to TN, I can say I enjoyed Virginia immensely and hated TN at first, but it grew on me.
Basing 'sucks' on things like 'income' where Northern VA (and the greater metro DC area) is going to inflate the median primarily due to cost of living is an asinine thing to do. As an example of how inflated it is, my 1200 sq ft townhome in Bristow with no land costs the same as my 2600 sq ft single family (built 10 years later) on a 1/2 acre of land here in middle TN. My particular job market is actually greater in Nashville than it is in the people's republic of Fairfax.
It would be much wiser to compare local communities with what your particular needs are (doesn't that determine quality of life?) than to look at state averages and write off an entire state because one is lower than another. State based averages are going to be pretty arbitrary.
Plus, where I live, I've got 2 great B&M's and a smoking lounge all within 30 minutes.
Basing 'sucks' on things like 'income' where Northern VA (and the greater metro DC area) is going to inflate the median primarily due to cost of living is an asinine thing to do. As an example of how inflated it is, my 1200 sq ft townhome in Bristow with no land costs the same as my 2600 sq ft single family (built 10 years later) on a 1/2 acre of land here in middle TN. My particular job market is actually greater in Nashville than it is in the people's republic of Fairfax.
It would be much wiser to compare local communities with what your particular needs are (doesn't that determine quality of life?) than to look at state averages and write off an entire state because one is lower than another. State based averages are going to be pretty arbitrary.
Plus, where I live, I've got 2 great B&M's and a smoking lounge all within 30 minutes.
I hate that you had to cut your trip short for such a sad, sad reason. Best of luck to you and yours.
I haven't been to Leaf and Ale in many years, since I stopped working down west... what with the pipe-smoking kicking up again, I'll scout and report. I have always been treated well at Smoky's in Montvue Center, the few times I have been.
As regards the suckitude of Knoxville and Tennessee: the interstate runs both ways, friend.
I might also note that the wife and I went thru the Old Dominion a few years back, and were stunned by the prominent signage regarding traffic surveillance. Then we were followed for thirty miles by a state policeman, probably because we were in a (rented) Mustang. He even pulled off and waited while I got coffee!
Couple that with the ludicrous 'one-gun-a-month' rule and the proximity of DC and Maryland. Real nice place you got there, friend. If I ever go back to Gettysburg, I'll route thru Kentucky.
I haven't been to Leaf and Ale in many years, since I stopped working down west... what with the pipe-smoking kicking up again, I'll scout and report. I have always been treated well at Smoky's in Montvue Center, the few times I have been.
As regards the suckitude of Knoxville and Tennessee: the interstate runs both ways, friend.
I might also note that the wife and I went thru the Old Dominion a few years back, and were stunned by the prominent signage regarding traffic surveillance. Then we were followed for thirty miles by a state policeman, probably because we were in a (rented) Mustang. He even pulled off and waited while I got coffee!
Couple that with the ludicrous 'one-gun-a-month' rule and the proximity of DC and Maryland. Real nice place you got there, friend. If I ever go back to Gettysburg, I'll route thru Kentucky.
Sorry for your loss! That's horrible.
As for this Tennessee hating crap -- I'm a lifelong resident of TN, and we've certainly got our problems, but it's really not all that bad a place to live. I've traveled enough to know that we're not all THAT bad. East Tennessee is a beautiful place, for one thing, and the Knoxville MSA (where I live) is chock full of highly intelligent, educated people. Bear in mind that a really large chunk of our country's high-tech research takes place here, and I can't think of too many amenities that I've seen in other cities that Knoxville doesn't have.
As for Gatlin-Burlier - I love the store. I've been going there for 20 years now, and I have more house pipes from them than anything else (my collection also includes 50-year-old Dunhills, Savs, Stanwells, Nording, etc.) And I have found most of them to be excellent smokers. Are they overpriced? Maybe -- they are a store that depends on tourism and turning cigarettes smokers on to pipes, but most of Gatlinburg is like that. If you want to see a rip-off, go to the music store downstairs where a basic music CD may cost you $25. Anyway, if it weren't for Gatlin-Burlier, I doubt I would have gotten as involved in this hobby as I have. I smoked their house blends almost exclusively in my first 10 years of smoking, until I discovered the Internet. They ARE somewhat anachronistic -- they operate their store in many ways as if the last decade hadn't happened. They also have one of the nicest collections of high-end pipes I've ever seen, even if it is somewhat small (if I ever win the lottery, I'm buying up their Dunhill Christmas Pipe collection). But I consider most of their house pipes to be every bit as good as anything I've purchased from Stanwell or Savanelli, and they are usually a lot less expensive (I didn't know they were carrying Romas these days at all). And, for the record, in my experience 80 percent or more of briars won't pass a pipe cleaner. Neither of my Stanwells pass that test, for instance, and neither does my Nording freehand or my Boswell (also, the last three GB house pipes I bought DO pass that test).
Leaf & Ale is a fine establishment, although it's got more to offer for cigar smokers than pip esters. They have a very small tinned tobacco collection and several McClelland bulks. Another B&M down the road called Smoky's has a far larger collection of tinned tobaccos (Gawith, Esoterica, Dunill, C&D, GLP, Petersen, etc.) and a larger collection of pipes.
As for this Tennessee hating crap -- I'm a lifelong resident of TN, and we've certainly got our problems, but it's really not all that bad a place to live. I've traveled enough to know that we're not all THAT bad. East Tennessee is a beautiful place, for one thing, and the Knoxville MSA (where I live) is chock full of highly intelligent, educated people. Bear in mind that a really large chunk of our country's high-tech research takes place here, and I can't think of too many amenities that I've seen in other cities that Knoxville doesn't have.
As for Gatlin-Burlier - I love the store. I've been going there for 20 years now, and I have more house pipes from them than anything else (my collection also includes 50-year-old Dunhills, Savs, Stanwells, Nording, etc.) And I have found most of them to be excellent smokers. Are they overpriced? Maybe -- they are a store that depends on tourism and turning cigarettes smokers on to pipes, but most of Gatlinburg is like that. If you want to see a rip-off, go to the music store downstairs where a basic music CD may cost you $25. Anyway, if it weren't for Gatlin-Burlier, I doubt I would have gotten as involved in this hobby as I have. I smoked their house blends almost exclusively in my first 10 years of smoking, until I discovered the Internet. They ARE somewhat anachronistic -- they operate their store in many ways as if the last decade hadn't happened. They also have one of the nicest collections of high-end pipes I've ever seen, even if it is somewhat small (if I ever win the lottery, I'm buying up their Dunhill Christmas Pipe collection). But I consider most of their house pipes to be every bit as good as anything I've purchased from Stanwell or Savanelli, and they are usually a lot less expensive (I didn't know they were carrying Romas these days at all). And, for the record, in my experience 80 percent or more of briars won't pass a pipe cleaner. Neither of my Stanwells pass that test, for instance, and neither does my Nording freehand or my Boswell (also, the last three GB house pipes I bought DO pass that test).
Leaf & Ale is a fine establishment, although it's got more to offer for cigar smokers than pip esters. They have a very small tinned tobacco collection and several McClelland bulks. Another B&M down the road called Smoky's has a far larger collection of tinned tobaccos (Gawith, Esoterica, Dunill, C&D, GLP, Petersen, etc.) and a larger collection of pipes.
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