Twin Cities MN and/or Mankato MN Pipe shops

[alaskanpiper]

Anyone know of any good ones? Going to be in both places VERY briefly this week. May or may not have time to check one out.....
I will also be in Albert Lea, MN, but I feel like that is a long shot for a good pipe shop, hahaha.

 

[greeneyes]

Hi there. The best pipe shop would be Lewis's Pipe Shop here in downtown Minneapolis. They just changed locations so I'm not sure what their tobacco stocks looks like. Then there's JR Fielding, not too far out, with a good selection of pipes and a decent selection of tobacco. Anthony's Pipe & Cigar Lounge is in a great part of town and there's some McClelland in the jars behind the counter. Most of the other places are really cigar-oriented. Our pipe club meets at a cigar shop that has some limited pipe stuff.
Bear in mind that tobacco taxes are quite high in Minnesota so don't expect your tobacco budget to go very far!

 

[alaskanpiper]

Thanks! Ill do my best to scope them out if time permits. Can’t be much worse than Alaska tobacco tax (120%).

 

[elessar]

Not sure how far you want to go but there is a nice little shop in Forest Lake which is north of twin cities. Big Apple I think is the name. They had a good selection last time I was in. I don't know about Mankato and Albert Lea.

 

[greeneyes]

Stopped in Big Apple on my way down from Chisago this past weekend.

 

[railman]

These are all solid recommendations. I’d second JR Fielding, definitely more of a shop for pipe smokers. I really liked their old location with a bunch of old timers sitting around smoking pipes, the smell was amazing, not sure if they have smoking in their current location but it’s still a good shop.

 

[greeneyes]

No unfortunately Fielding lost the smoking lounge permit. Do I know you guys I wonder? Anyone from the Great Northern Pipe Club??

 

[elessar]

Not me. Not a member of any pipe clubs. I am from southeast MN. I had family living in Forest Lake which is why I used to stop at Big Apple. They always had a good selection and if I asked for something I didn't see on the shelf they would usually have it in back. When I last went in I was just chatting about some different blends with the guy at the counter and didn't notice the other guy had went in back. When he came back he had in his hands every blend we had discussed. Pretty good customer service.

 

[railman]

No I live up in ND so the Twin Cities is the closest place to find anything decent. I spent some weeks in 09 and 12 working down there so I spent some quality time at the old Fieldings, as well as the old Golden Leaf before that moved. I still haven’t made it to the Lewis shop but it’s on my list for the next time I get down there.