NE Florida Pipe Club

[willh]

As of late, I've been trying to find people around Jacksonville FL that smoke pipes. It's been hard to do, and a bit frustrating. The one pipe club we had, has been dissolved as far as I can tell. So I'm thinking about starting one up. I have a few ideas as far as letting people know about it, such as fliers at local tobacco shops (Edward's, The Wharf, etc....), but are there any other ideas that others might have? I'm going to call around today and see if there are any locations that would be pipe friendly, maybe one of the local cigar establishments. Any ideas that you guys might have would be GREATLY appreciated. Also, if anyone is in the NE FL area and would like to come, let me know and I'll get a mailing list together. I would like to get the first meeting together in September or maybe October at the latest. I'm also thinking that dues aren't necessary, I don't see any need for them. I just want to get people together to talk pipes, tobacco, and generally have a good time amongst friends.

 

[hobie1dog]

Put in your flyer that it's an opportunity to try out many blends and have each person bring some samplers for others to try out.

 

[surfmac211]

Will I live at the beaches and had a couple buddies talking that this would be an awesome idea. We are in our 20's so if you don't mind some younger faces I think I could get a couple. I got 3 to 4 guys that would more than likely be in for it.

 

[willh]

I'm a few months shy of 28, myself, so no worries about age. Heh. If you'd like, we could just get a few people together in the next week or so and talk things over, see how it all goes. Maybe bounce a few ideas around. I think that Island Girl, over off of Gate Parkway, or even the one on 1st St. (which would be a bit closer to you) would be accommodating to a few pipe smokers. If not, there's a pub right next to The Wharf Tobacco Shop that has outdoor seating.

 

[python]

That sounds like a great idea guys!
We need more pipe clubs around.

 

[docgarr]

I concur with Bob. Anyone who wants information regarding the creation of pipe clubs might want to Steve Fallon's article on the topic at http://www.naspc.org/Archives/pipeclub.html. Also already existing pipe clubs might want to consider join United Pipe Clubs of America here.

 

[willh]

Doc, I actually read over that a couple days ago. Some great suggestions in there. I've already talked to one B&M here, and they said they would be happy to hand out fliers or cards with pipe purchases. I've also nailed down a location that allows indoor smoking, and has a fully stocked bar for those who wish to partake in that side of things. Right now I'm trying to get a small email list going, just to communicate with those that wish to participate. Surf, if you're still interested, PM me your email address and I'll get you on the list.

 

[docgarr]

Sounds like you're really getting it going. Good luck. I'm president of a pipe club in NE Pennsylvania and it's tough going. Almost half of the regular members occasionally, if ever, smoke pipes and would much rather discuss guns and Family Guy than pipes. On the other hand, we are one of the few, if not only, pipe clubs that meet weekly.
Anyway I would be interested in being on the email list. My email is michael.garr@wilkes.edu

 

[hobie1dog]

Once a month is the norm...it's just too hard to expect a good showing with so many different interests/hobbies/schedules with kids, etc. in today's world. Summertime is always low in attendance due to everyones vacation/outdoor activities in full swing.

 

[docgarr]

Once a month is the norm. I think it depends on how badly you want to get away from your wife/girlfriend.
We use to have many more members than we do now. As we've lost members, usually through moving out of the area, we've not picked up new members. I work at a tobacco store and hand out cards to pipe smokers about the club, but I don't think they have brought in a single new member.

 

[willh]

Yeah, I was thinking that once a month was a good start. If members want to meet twice a month, I think that would be ok, but every week may be a bit too much. It sucks you haven't gotten any new members, Doc. If I'm ever up there for any reason, and it's a meeting night, I'll drop by and have a bowl. Heh.

 

[docgarr]

It's a deal, willh. Likewise if I am in Jacksonville. Unfortunately my mother lives in St. Pete.

 

[python]

Thanks for the great link Doc!
I have been thinking about starting a pipe club in my area, but I don't really have the time right now to organize one. I have so many other things that demand my attention right now that it is impossible for me to do.
One bit of advice that I can offer would be; don't affiliate the pipe club with a particular B&M. By affiliating with it, you are kind of held to having the meetings at that one particular place. Keep the club separate from any one particular B&M so that it gives the club the flexibility to have meetings at different shops and places if you so choose to.
That way you can support more than one B&M with the meetings if you choose to and you can get more shops to hand out fliers for the club if they know that you may have some meetings there.
Also make sure to try to get the members to buy some stuff from the shop that you are holding the meeting at. It is good to support them. After all they are supporting the club and letting you have the meeting there. Just check with the shop owner or manager in advance to make sure that it is OK to have the meeting.

 

[docgarr]

I've been inspired by this thread to reorganize my own club. Even though it will mean a decrease in membership, it will remove those with at best marginal interests in pipe smoking. These fellows are the ones that saw the club more as simply a social gathering. Now they won't have to pay dues to sit around, smoke cigars, and bs.
I am also going to the reorganized club meet once a month, at least at the start.
One idea that I had to attract new members is to provide a pipe cleaning service. I have become pretty competent at it and have a crappy buffing wheel that can never get to a high speed. Perfect for pipes.

 

[docgarr]

You can tell Bob is from a city. There are two B&Ms in my town and we are not welcome in the one. So we affiliate with the one that wants us and it has worked out well. I wish, though, I had the flexibility Bob is talking about.

 

[python]

Well there aren't really that many around. In my area, there are 4 of them.
One of them does not allow smoking in the store and has horrible management and customer service. (They will soon be out of business due to the new shop that opened up across the street)
One of them is really good, but they are small and there is no room for more than 4 or 5 people.
One of them is pretty nice and has a smoking lounge, but most of the customers are cigar smokers. (This one just opened up within the last year across the street from the really bad shop)
The last one is mainly a cigar shop. They have a few pipe blends and around 30 or so pipes for sale.
With the last one I listed, they act like they want to get more into pipes and pipe tobacco and ask me for help all the time to do so, but every time that I try to help, they act very disinterested. The owner wanted to start a pipe club and I tried to help get one started, but I was the only one doing any of the work. I don't have the time to work for free and do everything. Now he claims the name of the pipe club as his shops clubs, but there is no club.
That is the reason why I said to try not to be affiliated with a particular B&M. It is because of the bad experience that I had trying to get a club started with that shop. I just figured that if the club was not affiliated with a shop, then if something went wrong with the shop, then the club could still exist.
What I meant by affiliation is; when the club is considered the B&M's pipe club and not a separate entity using the B&M as a main source.
But by all means, if the only way to get a club going is to be affiliated with 1 particular shop, do it. It is better to have some type of club than to not have one.

 

[willh]

The place I have in mind is actually a cigar bar. They have a really nice area with couches and leather seats and whatnot. Usually on Sundays that area is closed off, but I've been talking to them about opening it up for us. That way we don't interfere with the cigar smokers, and we can have our own area to talk and just kind of hang out. We may even be able to get them to carry some pipe stuff eventually, but I seriously doubt it. As far as actually affiliating with them, nah. I wouldn't, just because they're a cigar joint. Even if it were cigars and pipes, I would want the club being run by members and not our venue. Push comes to shove, we could have rotating meetings (i.e. Cigar joint one month, irish pub the next, etc...).

 

[oldjazzlover]

I'm in NW FL. Pensacola area there don't seem as though there are many pipe smokers around here, but I just might have to swing through to visit you fellas one day! Good luck! ::

 

[Dispatch]

So when is the next pipe show in the NE area of Florida? :?:

 

[Dispatch]