Support Your Local B&M! Please

[mthanded]

My local B&M is almost 2 hours away but we get to "town" about every two weeks. They don't have a huge selection but they do carry most of the Peterson's, Escudo and the like so I purchase something whenever I'm in there. They tend to have an OK selection of pipes but Cigars are there bread and butter. They also host Superbowl parties and any sporting event with their 3 big screens and have an awesome vent system. They don't sell alcohol but you can bring your own without any problem and it's encouraged. I don't buy all my pipe stuff there but I do try and support them whenever we are in town. I'd hate to see them go just like I'd hate to see Smokingpipes go so you gotta support em and let them know you appreciated their business.

 

[allan]

Rothnh
I certainly remember the late '60 and very early 70's protests. Vietnam, school admin allowing ROTC on the school property; all of those things which I so believed in I laugh at now...
It's amazing how naive I was. Luckily I didn't do anything radical like join the SDS or other radical group
Back to the point, as a retailer (as I posted several times before) the local B&M tobacconist is in a lose lose proposition, at least in NY and Florida, just to name two states. Everyone can buy tobacco through the internet and escape the punitive taxes of which the local merchant cannot do.
I certainly wish there was a way to level the playing field, but in levelling it, the only way it will come out is that we will all be paying mucho dinero for what is deemed 'the devil weed'.
How can we stand up to these politicians? It is a tital wave of anti smoking fanatics. Our NYC mayor was hinting about a restriction for residents in mutiple family dwellings against smoking inside your own home!
Not sure what to do other than to start storing up tobacco, as soon as I know absolutely what I love.
Allan

 

[Perique]

Yadan, I can't even walk to my barn in 2 minutes...lol.

 

[zonomo]

It's just tough to spend $25 plus 13% tax on a pouch of CBR when I can get the same thing online for $5.

I hear you. That is the tough one. The tobacco tin that i paid $16.95 in online for about $7 or 8. I used to own a Kickboxing studio and my I sold my gloves for $45 but a person could buy them OL for about 29 + shipping. Most people dont understand that carrying inventory costs the owner lots of money in many ways. So I charged $45 but didnt make much on them. It was more a convenience for my members.

I have tried to support my local B&M, but the guy is rude and obnoxious

This one isnt so tough for me. I wouldn't reward anyone who is rude to me with my hard earned dollar. Nobody.

 

[lordnoble]

I would pay double for a tin of something I want at my local B&M, but they don't stock the stuff I want nor do they have any inclination to do so. Online shops get most of my business as a result.
-Jason

 

[Perique]

Roth is right. Stock up, my fellow smokers. Don't say you weren't warned.
I do hold out hope, however, that the great American black market tradition will hold fast, and that we'll see increased tobacco smuggling and even more homegrown 'house blends' in direct proportion the the amount of tribute demanded by the federal state. It worked for our great grandfathers. But maybe that's the Southern in me talking (and wishful thinking).

 

[joshwolftree]

I go to three different B&M's and always purchase at least something from them, I spend more on baccy online simply because the only B&M I go to that carries a large selection of tobaccos that interest me is Boswell's and that's about an hour-hour and a half drive that eats up gas in my big ole V8 The other two are closer and each has a shop blend or two that I get from them regularly. And other than E-bay estates, and CVS doc grabows, All my new briar pipes are from B&M's just because I like seeing my pipe before I buy it. Besides I can get some decent basket pipes if I check them out. Now that is going to be broken for one pipe in April (P&C's buy a Pete get 20 tins deal)

 

[captainsousie]

I always buy something when I go to a B&M but the nearest one is 3+ hours away.

 

[hawk60ce]

Im glad I saw this thread. I havent been around much lately and haven't been able to smoke due to the awful weather but this reminded me to swing into the local shop and just say hi and grab some pipe cleaners and fuel.

 

[joshwolftree]

ah yes dunhill...sorry My calendar is at home and I just gave away the third one they've sent me.

 

[simnettpratt]

I'd love to support my B&M, he's a great guy and very knowledgeable; the problem is his tobacco costs exactly twice what I can get from smokingpipes. He doesn't sell tins, but has maybe forty different blends he whipped up. Four ounces costs $20 including tax, and I can get eight ounces of 1-Q or RLP-6 from smokingpipes for $20.13 shipped. I feel bad for the guy; I just can't afford to pay double.

 

[joshwolftree]

and the B&M is always great for those "oh hell I forgot to grab (a pipe/pipe cleaners/my tobacco roll) and if I run home I'll be late for work so I'll just stop in here and grab what I need real quick." moments I have the memory of an epileptic squirrel on espresso, and an astonishing collection of pipe cleaners and corn cobs(plus quite a few ziplock baggies pitched) from these days. Of course it's something like three bucks an ounce for bulks from my closest B&M's, so it's not that bad compared to some of the online places.(West Virginia isn't to god awfull bad on sin taxes) And since I only like a few tins I can stock up on those online.

 

[sherlock]

I try to support both as much as I can, because both are important. An internet shop is someones local B&M. I am lucky that I have 3 shops within a 20 minute drive and another about an hour away and I try to support all of them.

 

[zonomo]

As someone said, when I visit the B&M on biz trips, i try to support them as much as I can.

 

[yaboofive]

When I was looking for a new house I picked this one because its 10 minutes away from Edwards in Denver. I may not get to go there as much as I would want but if I need tobacco or pipes they are my first stop. Come to think of it I don't think Ive made an order online since Ive moved.

 

[JimInks]

My local B&M guy changes his prices according to what he thinks the buyer will pay. I once overheard someone who worked for him say - in a stage whisper, "Different prices for different customers." I knew he was giving me a warning without acting like he was. The owner will cut a price on one thing for somebody so they think they're getting a bargain, and when he gets the chance, he overcharges on something else to get that money back. Unless, you're a friend of his. There's a lot more I could say, but I think that's enough. I don't give him my business.

 

[zonomo]

When I was looking for a new house I picked this one because its 10 minutes away from Edwards in Denver.

This is a perfect example. To me, Edwards is Mecca. Old Tom spend a long time with me showing me the ropes and talking all things pipes, it was such a delightful experience for me. I could say that it sealed it for me. What would we do without such places?