+1 for Burlington on Whyte in Edmonton. Very nice shop and friendly helpful staff. I don't think there are any real shops east of Quebec, any in Halifax?
The Fate of the Local Pipe Shop
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I bought a pipe at Burlington on Whyte once, they charged $6.95 for the dozen pipecleaners I bought with it. (just verbally asking them to add it to the order)
Not too many years ago, Cornwall had a nice chain (I forget the name) shop, and Ottawa had a terrific shop in the Byward Market. This was mid to late 90's, and while the tobacco prices were a bit steep (my native New York had not yet gone on the taxation rampage), the pipe prices were very good.
The Briary here only charges about 25% more than online vendors. While I still stock my cellar with online orders, my rotation is almost all bought there. I figure it to be my pipe tax for having a place to hang out and smoke. Also, all of my pipes, except custom orders, come from there. His pipe prices are very close to online prices, and the selection is excellent, with many, many high end pipes on display. Its more like a pipe gallery, with most being artisan made. I know that I cannot single-handedly keep them in business, most of his customers travel to visit, or are locals picking up their specialty mixed tobaccos.
Also, I've noticed that our cigar shops are moving slowly into more pipe selections. It may have something to do with a few years of rising popularity in pipes in the area. I do see more and more men smoking pipes out and about lately. I hope the rise continues, for the sake of the B&M's. Alabama seems to be well represented here on the forum, with even more pipe men choosing to just just smoke their pipes without the extra nerdiness of participating online. Yeh, I'm a pipe nerd. I know. :
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Also, I've noticed that our cigar shops are moving slowly into more pipe selections. It may have something to do with a few years of rising popularity in pipes in the area. I do see more and more men smoking pipes out and about lately. I hope the rise continues, for the sake of the B&M's. Alabama seems to be well represented here on the forum, with even more pipe men choosing to just just smoke their pipes without the extra nerdiness of participating online. Yeh, I'm a pipe nerd. I know. :
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[/quote]The Briary here only charges about 25% more than online vendors. While I still stock my cellar with online orders, my rotation is almost all bought there. I figure it to be my pipe tax for having a place to hang out and smoke.
I'll remember that when I pay about one sixth of the local cost for tobacco. $30 for a pouch of OTC blends.
My closest B&M has been really pushing pipes and tobacco recently. They've expanded their baccy selection and began offering some high end pipes, as well as carrying more mid-range stock.
I'm very curious to see how it goes. I have never seen a customer from the pipe smoking demographic inside, but they must be doing okay to be expanding.
I'm very curious to see how it goes. I have never seen a customer from the pipe smoking demographic inside, but they must be doing okay to be expanding.
I'm fortunate to have three good B&Ms in the Windsor area that although mostly sell cigars they still have a decent selection of pipes and pipe tobacco. La Casa Del Habanos on Ouellette is my favourite local B&M. The guys there are very friendly and helpful and one of them is a pipe smoker and he's very knowledgeable when it comes to leaf and briar. This shop is starting to expand there already good selection of pipes and tins and also plans to start fixing and restoring pipes. The owner feels the local cigar market is saturated and that he will benefit from providing more product and services to the local pipers. I spend a good amount of money here regularly on pipes, lighters and accessories but only buy tobacco here once in awhile. It's hard to spend $48 for a 50 gram tin when I can get it online for under $10 USD. I truly do feel guilty not buying my tobacco locally but it just doesn't make any sense to do that. It's a real struggle for these shops due to smaller client base and ridiculously restrictive government regulations. Hopefully they will be able to hang in there and survive if not thrive. ::
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It seems like Americans and Canadians are speaking at cross-purposes in this thread.
If the B&M "tax" is $40+ rather than $2.50... Well, it's taps for the B&M model. Don't blame the folks. Blame what is still euphemistically referred to as "government".
If the B&M "tax" is $40+ rather than $2.50... Well, it's taps for the B&M model. Don't blame the folks. Blame what is still euphemistically referred to as "government".
+1 brass
Kudos to those like Cosmic that shop at the local b&m. Of course, if you don't get a good experience from your local shop, no need to pay extra to support them. if you go the The Briary, you're going to get a great experience.
Kudos to those like Cosmic that shop at the local b&m. Of course, if you don't get a good experience from your local shop, no need to pay extra to support them. if you go the The Briary, you're going to get a great experience.
I do frequent one in Maine, not an old style shop, mostly cigarettes and cigars, (no Cubans though) but not to buy tobacco, wouldn't dream of bringing some back across....
Only cigars I have bought in Canada were in that store when I lived in Amherstburg. I actually pitied the owner when stupid frickin' nanny state tobacco rules were enforced. Buddy who owns the shop, private property basically, a shop where 100% of his sales are tobacco or tobacco related, can't smoke. IN HIS OWN BUILDING!!! This is one of the things that pi$$es me off about the whole tobacco thing. In a public restaurant, where kids are, yeah, no problem. But in a smoke shop!!!!!
Anyway, if anyone is in Montreal, downtown, there's a great shop (used to be great, haven't been there for years) Blatter & Blatter. Some of their own blends, some OTCs and plenty of premiums, plus pipes of their own make from basket to top shelf. But again, cost of baccy is an issue.
Here in Newfoundland, the closest we come to a tobacco shop in a kiosk (more like a porch) smoke shop attached to some grocery stores. Mainly ciggys and Bic lighters but every so often you'll see something good like a Xikar cutter or lighter, or maybe (if you're lucky) a Brigham pipe. Only baccy I've ever seen when I ask is OTC stuff, and not much of that. I asked for tins once and was told "tobacco doesn't come in tins".
So I swear if I ever win big on the lottery I'm going to open the best & biggest tobacco shop in Canada right here in Newfoundland, sit in it and smoke as a hobby and thumb my nose at "da man".
Newfoundland is one of the most wonderful, beautiful places on earth, to bad this nanny state BS has taken hold there. If there was one place on earth that wouldn't go that way I would have bet it was Newfoundland.
Note also, that Briary prices look to be MSRP.
A good tobacconist can help you save money in the long run by helping you choose what to avoid, not just what to buy. When you go into a shop and there is 400 different tobaccos in stock, the tobacconist should be able to ask a few simple questions about your smoking preferences and eliminate about 80% of the stock from consideration. Once you zero in on that, you're more likely to find something you really like. Rather than blindly sampling for all across the choice spectrum.
carytobacco, are you sure that you're not Skipp, ha ha. JK.
Yeh, Skip has said that even being the largest selection of tobaccos and pipes under one roof in our area, and Alabama having the largest numbers of pipe smokers, it is still cigars that keep the lights on and the doors open.
But, yeh, Skip has been a blessing at helping me pick out new blends. With just a few questions he guided me to the Virginias early on in my smoking, and I took to them like a fish to water.
Yeh, Skip has said that even being the largest selection of tobaccos and pipes under one roof in our area, and Alabama having the largest numbers of pipe smokers, it is still cigars that keep the lights on and the doors open.
But, yeh, Skip has been a blessing at helping me pick out new blends. With just a few questions he guided me to the Virginias early on in my smoking, and I took to them like a fish to water.
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