Where Is Pouch Pipe Tobacco Central?

[mso489]

Since I've been whining a little lately about this, after receiving a coupon for pouch tobacco that I feel I can't use, I'll just ask the question. In central N.C., or where ever you happen to be, are there shops or chains that carry a reasonable selection of pouch tobaccos? I'd like to find Velvet, for example, but any good selection of pouch tobacco would be of interest. I'm not really on the hunt, having about five years worth of blends on hand, but as a sort of retail scout, I'd still be interested to know.

 

[jaytex1969]

After you posted about that, I went on the STG website and looked around.

Many producers have a place on their site telling where you can find their products for sale, but I did not find such a link.

Maybe email them and ask for a recommendation for a retailer in your area?

(although I did click on a link to see their US offerings and did not see Velvet in that list)

 

[Chasing Embers]

Cigarette stores are where I find tubs and pouches of Captain Black, Prince Albert, Carter Hall, Velvet, Half & Half, and the Middleton blends.

 

[kurtbob]

My local B&M in Brunswick GA mainly caters to the vape/cigar and RYO crowds. Used to have a whole wall dedicated to pipe tobacco, now just a small corner. Most of what he has in stock is a ton of pouch brands including Velvet along with tubs of PA, CH and SWR

 

[acidpox]

My local tobacco shop is mostly cigarettes and ryo, but they do carry Prince Albert, Backwoods, Captin Black some Bokum Riff and SWR. But that's it when it comes to pipe tobacco, wish they carried some tins sometimes.

 

[mso489]

Thanks gents. Those suggestions mirror the situation here until recently when even cigarette shops have thinned out and tend to lean toward head shops and vaping rather than tobacco pipe pouches and tubs. I have to admit, the coupon was a temptation to buy tobacco when I don't need any, so I regret the temptation being thwarted. I'm a little surprised my local indy shop doesn't carry pouches, though I haven't checked lately, but he has a selection of tins and an array of bulk, so I can't complain. Probably a cigarette shop in these parts would have to have a pipe smoking owner to have pouches. This was cigarette territory and estate pipes are rare at antique stores and flea markets. People look bewildered when I ask about them. I just ask for tobacco pipes, since the term estate pipe would mean nothing to most. Perhaps the STG people hope folks like me, when thwarted, will just order one of their brands online without benefit of the coupon. There is no code for online use. This discussion may seem trivial, but I think it does send some signals about availability and distribution.

 

[mso489]

Seems like an array of pouch tobaccos could be a good sideline for cigarette/head/vape shops, not to mention other specialty niche retailers of various kinds. They would have to move briskly or be given up, but in many walk-in businesses, or walk-by kiosks, that could happen. If the number of new Forums members is any measure. A major purveyor of both pipes and pipe tobaccos in big cities used to be newsstands, and not just basket pipes, brand names. I'm talking the 1950's and 60's.

 

[anotherbob]

Seems like an array of pouch tobaccos could be a good sideline for cigarette/head/vape shops, not to mention other specialty niche retailers of various kinds. They would have to move briskly or be given up, but in many walk-in businesses, or walk-by kiosks, that could happen. If the number of new Forums members is any measure. A major purveyor of both pipes and pipe tobaccos in big cities used to be newsstands, and not just basket pipes, brand names. I'm talking the 1950's and 60's.

I think I see the plan. Send coupons out to areas that are don't carry those brands you start calling around to shops about velvet or something and at least a shop or two says holy sheets there is a demand for this product.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Don't they sell St Bruno or any of Amphoras or Sail, /Mc Barens pouch tobaccies in those shops,,?Only domestic product Is available guess.

 

[mso489]

As a marketing ploy, to get recipients to buy without the coupon or to get them to phone around and drum up business, or some other gambit, seems a far reach. It could work to a small degree, but I doubt it would pay for the mailing. I think STG thinks there are still plentiful distribution points, and to some degree they may be right, but not necessary for the coupon recipients. My bet is that this is "old guy" thinking. They need to send out cards with codes that work online that the online retailers will accept. I'm sorry to say it is like newspaper advertising -- you use that for customer bases that are over 65, that read the newspaper, like me. In my town, I do not know any retail shops of any kind that carry even a modest selection of pouch tobacco, and this is the tobacco belt, home of Lucky Strikes, the Dukes, and R.J. Reynolds. You don't have to be Peter Drucker (the business genius author and consultant) to see this one clearly.

 

[didimauw]

I used to buy my Carter Hall at the local pick n save. So some stores may carry different otc blends. Also, there's a place in my town, that based off online pictures is a head shop with glass pipes, incents, cigarette, blunts, and actual pipe tobacco. Otc pouches, tinned blends like Peterson, and even Peter stokkebye bulk in jars on the counter! I have got to go check it out.

Oh and I should add some Walgreens have otc as well.

 

[mso489]

Interesting, didi'. I would think pipe tobacco would make a good specialty addition to any cigarette/head shop/vaping retail shop. At least they could try it and see what happens. Apparently in my neck of the woods, the Walgreens chain has decided to go extremely minimal on pipes and pipe tobacco, as do the Walmarts here. It must be decrees by certain regional managers.

 

[Bowie]

Interesting, didi'. I would think pipe tobacco would make a good specialty addition to any cigarette/head shop/vaping retail shop. At least they could try it and see what happens. Apparently in my neck of the woods, the Walgreens chain has decided to go extremely minimal on pipes and pipe tobacco, as do the Walmarts here. It must be decrees by certain regional managers.

Same here in Minnesota. The local Walgreens only sells Captain Black Original ($18 for a 1.5 oz pouch). Neither of the two Walmarts I've looked at (one in the Twin Cities, one in a more rural area) sell any pipe tobacco. Several local tobacco shops that focus on vaping do sell a few OTC pouches: 3 or 4 Capt. Blacks, Prince Albert, Sir Walter Raleigh (original and aromatic).

 

[judcole]

Interesting, didi'. I would think pipe tobacco would make a good specialty addition to any cigarette/head shop/vaping retail shop. At least they could try it and see what happens. Apparently in my neck of the woods, the Walgreens chain has decided to go extremely minimal on pipes and pipe tobacco, as do the Walmarts here. It must be decrees by certain regional managers.

I dunno about where you are, but here in the Detroit metro area, a lot of those stores are owned by people who are just selling product. They are not pipe or cigar smokers themselves. Every once in while you can find something with more then Captain Black, CH, PA, and Sir Walter, but not often. All that I go in to those stores for is pipe cleaners.

 

[Stickmaker1958]

Where I live there is one shop that carries bulk pipe tobacco. I checked the tobacco and it all seamed to be way to dry and none smelled like what they were named. Cherry smelled like berry in general, vanilla nothing. All of it was just not worth the price of $4.50 per ounce..
They did have a few pouches.