Is there anyone on the forum that is a member of TAPS? The club has not met since the start of Covid and I noticed the website and FB page are off line. Just wondering if the club has been disbanded. Any info would be appreciated.
TAPS Raleigh
- Thread starter FurCoat
- Start date
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I was never a member, but TAPS gave a great pipe show, and I attended several times. Once I received a grade A Missouri Meerschaum cap that I still enjoy. Once I went later in the day, and on my second pass around the tables, the late Bob Hayes sold me a beautiful bamboo shank pipe for about a third what he'd been asking. Other than the State Fair, this was the only place Jerry Perry sold his pipes in briar, mountain laurel, maple and, at least once, a cocobolo pocket pipe I bought. I never won a pipe in their drawing, but they had some beautiful artisan pipes available. SP brought a great Luciano billiard to the show so I didn't have to pay shipping. It was just a fine overall show, usually held in April. Maybe it will reemerge. They moved from a small venue to a larger one, but it was always a good scale, for people who wanted to make a weekend of it, or for one visit of several hours. They sent out notices on the shows.
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It would be a shame not to have a pipe show in Raleigh. Here's hoping that next year will see the return of TAPS and the pipe show.
I've been to one and ment to go to Richmond this year but we had reservations at the beach.
I hope it's not gone forever. I'm going to ask George at Pipes by George if he has any insight
Also looking for a local club in Durham NC. I check the TAPS website occasionally and it is a shame nothing seems updated
I thought they were gonna get going again. They shut down for the pandemic. If people are in such a hurry to get together, you guys can meet together. Just need a meeting place with outdoor place to smoke like Starbucks. Personally, I prefer to smoke pipe alone.
I do have a fixed bike club. Durham & Districts. We can meet if everyone promise not to talk to me. Not replacing the TAPS. Just until they are back to operation. If we have at least 5 people showing up, we can meet at 55/54 Starbucks. They have a huge patio.
It would be nice to find an indoor space due to the season though we are having a warm spell. Is it just me or do others not really like Starbucks as a hangout or place to drink coffee? I’m a bit of a coffee snob 
if Starbucks is the consensus I’ll try to be there regardless
Cheers,
Ben
if Starbucks is the consensus I’ll try to be there regardlessCheers,
Ben
I wouldn’t mind meeting up - also don’t wanna undermine TAPS but at the same time it would be nice to find a community every once in awhile until they start back up. Also not a huge fan of Starbucks but don’t know about the protocol for smoking in public. Would they even allow a group of people to smoke on their patio? Never done it outside of my front porch around here.
A couple of guys at my work, a lawyer friend and myself meet up after work on occasion at Havana Deluxe in downtown Raleigh to smoke our pipes. Nothing formal and it's convenient for us since we all work in downtown Raleigh. HD is gracious enough to have us so we buy drinks and those who partake in cigars will grab a cigar or two. So my point is, a meet up would be great and cigar lounges are a good option.
Thanks for the heads-up, esp. with Havana Deluxe. I am a bit shy about just walking into a cigar lounge and lighting up my pipe without knowing if they’re cool with it. I’m very interested in a meet up in the near future
We called ahead of time to make sure they were cool with it. I'll tall to Bob this week and see when we might meet up again. It nothing formal, just a few guys smoking pipes amd shootin the shit.
Wanted to give you an update. We are planning to have one of our informal meetings sometime this month at Havana Deluxe. If you're still interested we'd love to have you. I'll keep you posted.
Hey, that would be great! If I’m free when you do it, I’ll be there.