Supporting Local Shops

[fireground_piper]

Everyone wants to shop local or “made in the USA” (for us folks) until they have to break out their wallet.

That’s why Walmart succeeded and mom/pop shops closed down along with tools being made oversees.

It’s a great thing to say but the real statement is more “I’d love to shop local at foreign pricing”.

 

[AreBee]

And on cue. Today I stopped at vape/tobacconist shop next to my liquor store to pick up a couple Hemingways for my nephew’s visit and he had four or five Mac Baren 100g tins for $48-$50 each!

 

[burleybreath]

B&Ms are cool until you step inside one and realize that you have more inventory in your closet than they have in their entire store. I got very little from visiting them in the waning years of their ascendancy. Comfortable hangout for local townies, I suppose.

 

[WhiteCrown]

Everyone wants to shop local or “made in the USA” (for us folks) until they have to break out their wallet.

That’s why Walmart succeeded and mom/pop shops closed down along with tools being made oversees.

It’s a great thing to say but the real statement is more “I’d love to shop local at foreign pricing”.

I hear you, and to some extent quite agree. This is a little different though, its often times the same tin of of something like GLP domestically produced from a domestic company online, versus paying 3x that price for "taxes" at a local shop. Last time I ordered from P&C they charged me the "same" state taxes and it was way less that all the local shops in that same state. P&C, SP, 4noggins etc. probably cover the extra overhead with volume perhaps, and it works.

Like others have said though, its their buisiness and they can charge whatever they want to. Ill just keep primarily buying pseudo-local in the good ole USA via my computer I guess.

Maybe after these pipe shops eventually fail, the market will open up enough to support nationwide chain of Pipe-Marts. I want to be a greeter, imagine sitting in a chair smoking a pipe all day and getting paid to do it! "Hello, welcome to Pipe-Mart" puff puff

 

[jaytex1969]

Maybe after these pipe shops eventually fail, the market will open up enough to support nationwide chain of Pipe-Marts. I want to be a greeter, imagine sitting in a chair smoking a pipe all day and getting paid to do it! "Hello, welcome to Pipe-Mart" puff puff

I built my cellar from online sales with timed discounts and free shipping. My pipe and tin selection at home dwarfs the local B&M's offerings.

That said, I still force myself to buy SOMETHING with each visit to the B&M because I want them to continue existing. I almost always find a hidden gem.

We all want boutique goods and services at Mall-Wart prices, but the math does not work like that.

Do what you must to survive, but also do what you can when you can! Replace one $20 meal per month with ramen and buy a tin locally on occasion.

I met a friend at the B&M last week. We bought an overpriced 6-pack to share and felt good doing it, helping them to stay in business.