Metro Detroit February road trip

[judcole]

Boy, am I glad we got to Flint when we did!
For February, let's stick closer to home. Let's stop by Hill & Hill 19439 Mack, Grosse Pointe Woods, which has been my B&M for close to 40 years.
Jim's old school. Not lots of tins, but a good collection of bulks that he gets, not relabeled Lane's. He sold a ton of pipes back in the 70s & 80s, and he's got a lot of them back as estates. If you're thinking about getting a pipe there, my suggestion is to give him a price range instead of a brand. There's some good brands out there that were big then, but are pretty much forgotten now.

Sutliff goody bags still available.

Saturday, Feb. 21, 2 PM

 

[rolldog]

I'm in, see you guys there. ::

 

[sparrowhawk]

Me too, weather permitting. Hope more show, this place is close.

 

[tlag77]

I will be there.

 

[judcole]

OK, tlag! I'll have a big Sutliff goody bag for ya.I haven't gotten a box from them yet, this month, but who knows. ::

 

[sparrowhawk]

Now if we can only get a fifth person, we'll really start cooking! Come on, you Detroiters, chime in! Jud, I think it's just early, I'm sure you'll get another box of Sutliff soon. Remember guys, if you don't show, ya can't get none! :evil:

 

[judcole]

And there is lots of stuff to be had! We're talking about bags with 6 to 8 3.5 oz or 100 gram tins. Mostly Sutliff aros, but each bag also has a tin of either Sutliff Balkan Luxury 957 or Blend 5, and a MacBaren's tin - either Dark Twist or Navy Flake. ::

 

[sparrowhawk]

I can't wait! Just a week to go. Jud, I'll need your expertise in deciding which blend to take, since I've never tried either Dark Twist or Navy Flake. Never tried Luxury 957 either. (In csse no one has figured it out yet, Jud is my tobacco expert.)

 

[gambit88]

I might meet you guys out there. Grosse pointe woods is about a half hour or so from me. Im actually going up to flint today. Need some stem blanks and maybe a few straight tobaccos to try blending

 

[sparrowhawk]

Looking forward to meeting you, gambit. I'm sure Jud will have lot of goodies to distribute, and the conversation will be interesting. Until then!

 

[rolldog]

Four, perhaps five of us on Saturday. This is great news indeed. Looking forward to seeing everyone at Hill & Hill.

 

[judcole]

Hope you can make it,Gambit.

Shoot, Sparrow, didn't you take any of that stuff while you were the co-ordinator? You need to start keeping a log, brother! :D

 

[sparrowhawk]

I probably should, Brother Jud, and will endeavor to do so once I build my pipe cabinet.

I take it we're still on for this coming Saturday!

 

[gambit88]

Sadly I wont be able to make it. I will look forward to March though. I did find out about a pupe club out of Ann Arbor though.

 

[judcole]

Still on. Nothing new from Sutliff.

 

[rolldog]

Supposed to snow on Sat 1-3" predicted, but that won't stop me from coming out! See you all there tomorrow. ::

 

[sparrowhawk]

Can't wait to see you guys. I'm interested in trying the custom tobaccos at Hill And Hill, too.

 

[judcole]

Another great event, even if it was just Rolldog and Sparrowhawk and myself. We all made purchases of Jim Simon's house blends, which are unique blends, not relabeled Lane's or Sutliff. I browsed around looking at the pipe racks Jim had in stock; I'm probably going to go back this week and pick one up. I saw one nice solid 14 pipe rack that I think will get the nod. There were a number of fellas sitting around the entire time we were there, smoking, shooting the breeze, and half-watching the college hoops that Jim had on the TV. It was a great, convivial, smoke-shop afternoon, where everyone can chip in on the convo and enjoy it. ::

 

[sparrowhawk]

Jud has summed it up nicely. Rolldog appeared with me, looking more and more like a band member of ZZ Top every time I see him: I'm trying with limited success to grow a full beard. Jim is quite the salesman and will cheerfully sell you a bridge if you let him: however, instead I bought 2 oz. of 4 of his excellent blends, including a French Vanilla and his best seller, Haymarket. Wandered about the shop and shooting the breeze with Jud and Rolldog as well as the other smokers there, looking at the old man wood carvings decorating the place and complaining that there weren't any lady carvings to appreciate. In short, as Jud suggested, a nice time. Hoping for more members to show up when we meet again in the spring.