Price of Peterson Pipes in Ireland?

[pylorns]

I have a co-worker who is traveling to Ireland for a honeymoon and is going to Dublin and when I suggested she and her husband stop at the peterson pipe store they thought it would be a great idea. So now I'm thinking I'll have them get me a pipe there as I understand its supposed to be considerably cheaper buying one there than it is here. Question is - what are the prices over there? Anyone know?

 

[pylorns]

Thanks, I am really looking for some system pipes - so I've given them a list.

 

[fitzy]

You should consider a spigot. They are really nice pipes.

 

[pylorns]

Good info I'll pass that along!
@fitzy, since I smoke primarily aromatics I'm really looking for my first Peterson pipe to be a system pipe - since I understand it does a great job for the bite.

 

[peckinpahhombre]

I was there last fall and picked up a few pipes. I have no recollection of what they cost, however - I just put down my Amex and never thought about it. You should be able to get the guy to fill out a VAT form and then you drop it in the box at the airport upon departure - they refund the VAT to your credit card (minus an admin fee). I did this for some jewellery for the wife and it worked flawlessly. You can only use this system at participating stores - I don't recall for sure if Petersons was participating in the program or not, but I suspect they were. Personally, I also suspect they weren't much cheaper than over here, if at all, since Ireland is generally expensive. However, I bought all high range pipes and I have never seen a single one of them sold over here in the exact same form, so they did have some unusual stuff.

 

[peckinpahhombre]

And the VAT rate over there is 23%, so it is worth your effort to try and get it back. I recall I got abut $350 back when I left because of the wife's jewellery (the price I pay for leaving the family for a week)

 

[4dotsasieni]

For those of us not fortunate enough to have friends going to Ireland, or not able to get there ourselves, there is an Irish Ebay seller of Petersons whose prices come in at least a bit lower than North American sellers. And shipping is free. The web site is http://stores.ebay.ie/armour-giftsandgadgets/_i.html?_nkw=pipe&submit=Search&_sid=520799716 (this limits the search to items containing the word "pipe").
I've ordered from him before, and he's been very reliable.

 

[mso489]

pylorns, tell us how it all works out. Peterson have gotten pricey even on the more price competitive web

sites. Honeymooners could be distracted shoppers, but your friends seem interested in the pipe project.

 

[pylorns]

I'll let you know. I told them to snap some pictures when they go there as well.

 

[peckinpahhombre]

Yes, and James Fox is located about 300 feet away from the Peterson shop, so easy to hit both. As between the two, the Peterson shop had the bigger selection of pipes (albeit all Petes).

 

[warren]

Pylorns,
The dollar is pretty weak against the Euro so that is a factor when buying in Europe. I figure that after I recovered the VAT at the airport that I was paying a bit more at the Peterson store than at my old local shop in Anchorage which is now defunct. This is not to say that Peterson's prices are out of line with the economy in Ireland. It's just that the Euro is so darned strong.
The Peterson store in Dublin has, as one would expect, almost the entire line on display and in-stock. James Fox is owned by Peterson and is more of a general tobacco store. It still has a nice selection of Petersons. Both stores are located very close to the university, Trinity. And I believe that, as in America, it is almost a rite of passage to at least try pipe smoking during first year.
My advise is the check out the Peterson line and pick a style or two that you like so that your co-worker only has to check the pipe for fit and finish. My son-in-law wanted a pipe from Ireland, he gave me the number of the pipe he wanted. He's a wonderful young man so I up-graded him to sterling fittings. He's now the proud owner of a Silver Spigot XL90 and in the back of his mind, knows he owes me big time. And it is time to split a bunch of firewood. Winter is coming.

 

[badgercat]

I had a friend who was in Dublin recently and said it was almost impossible to find any estate pipes. On the street almost no one smoked a pipe. Day 3 in Dublin he spoted a pipe smoker and went over to talk with him...guy was from North Carolina.

 

[dryseason91]

Hi, I'm a new member of the site and a comparatively new member of the global pipemen's league, having been at it for just under a year now. As a resident of Dublin (and native of Co. Cork; it's beside the point but I need to mention it anyway as a point of pride :P) I can confirm that prices both in Peterson's shop on Nassau St and James Fox's place at the end of Grafton (they're a two minute walk from each other within a little quadrant of pipe-smoking nirvana) seem to be cheaper than anywhere else. I got a straight Peterson Aran in Peterson's last year for about 50 euro/67 dollars. System pipes start at 60 euro for the standard quality - a nice rusticated one is burning a hole through my mental PAD inventory but I'm on a student budget, so it'll take a few weeks of living off baked beans and tap water before I can afford one. (That's not to mention the prohibitive levels of taxation on Toby over here - I can't tell you how jealous I am of anyone who's able to get a 50g tin of Nightcap from pipesandcigars.com for under 9 dollars. I bought one the other day that set me back 22 euro/30 dollars!)
It's true that, for a city with such a strong pipe tradition as Dublin, briar in action is a rare sight at street level, and Peterson's always seems to be empty. Not that I do much to advertise it either: as a 22-year-old student I just don't have the social cojones to present myself around campus with a cob in my gob.
Anyway, that's enough by way of introduction. Sorry to ramble on. Hello again.

 

[james80]

The other thing to note about the Peterson shop is that they have a drawer full of seconds, which have minor flaws. Some unnoticeable. These can be terrific value.

 

[jgriff]

I was curious about those seconds. There used to be a large number of "Irish Seconds" that were widely available and I haven't seen them in years in the U.S. I wondered what happened to them.

 

[judcole]

I've got an old Irish Second - a prince, with a tiny flaw on the bowl. It has no effect on the smoking. Nice pipe.

 

[james80]

I picked up a Sherlock Holmes Hudson very cheaply - the only flaw was the stamp was slightly blurred. Excellent smoker though. They also had a few Petes that had been slightly sun bleached from being in the shop window and a Mark Twain which I couldn't spot the flaw in.

 

[pylorns]

My co-worker should be back this evening from Dublin, I'm awaiting to see what she found out and got.

 

[warren]

James: Sun bleached? I've been to Dublin a couple of times. Those pipes must have been the window 40 years!
pylorns: We are all awaiting the great event. We're all atwitter!
dryseason91: And now thy are trying to do away with Arthur's Day! Smoke the cob and forget about the cojones. Just get an "I don't give a damn" attitude.
I'll be visiting Cork on my next visit. Haven't spent much time in that area and am looking forward to it. Cobh and Béal na Bláth are on my list. Any others I shouldn't miss?

 

[dryseason91]

@warren
Anyone Corkman will tell you that it's the greatest city in the world and I would only disagree in that I think it's actually the greatest city in the universe. The wider county is delightful too. Cobh and Béal na Bláth are both good bets; Kinsale is a picturesque seaside town; and Clonakilty provides a cheery portal to the famed rugged coasts of West Cork. I'll stop now as I'm sounding like the lady from the Discover Ireland ads, but I do wish you a good trip.