I discovered a smoke shop with possibiities

[Benzadmiral]

While running errands this morning, I realized I was almost out of the good pipe cleaners -- the "fuzzy sticks" from Walmart will do in a pinch, but they are awfully soft. Getting to the tobacconist I know was out of the question. Ever notice that a particular breed of shop may be everywhere when you're NOT looking for it, but is darned hard to find when you actually want to buy something there?

Eventually I found a "Cigarette Outlet" in a strip shopping center a block from the library in the suburbs here. It turned out that they not only carry bristle-type pipe cleaners, but have 3 varieties of Captain Black in the pouch ($10.99 each!), big bags of the blending tobacco such as Pipes & Cigars offers, and a jarred burley/Cavendish mix of their own for $4 an ounce. There are pipes, but they looked like the type you'd buy on Amazon as starter kits, i.e., made in China. Still it was encouraging to see.

I asked about Sir Walter, Carter Hall, Prince Albert, and Granger, and no luck. But the owner said she would check their suppliers' catalogs and see what they might have. "If you advertise the stuff," I said, "put an ad out on the counter and let people sniff the actual leaf, I'll bet it'll be a good seller. There's a reason those brands have been around a long time."

Nice to find a place with basic supplies, at least.

 

[luvmysuper]

While running errands this morning, I realized I was almost out of the good pipe cleaners -- the "fuzzy sticks" from Walmart will do in a pinch, but they are awfully soft. Getting to the tobacconist I know was out of the question. Ever notice that a particular breed of shop may be everywhere when you're NOT looking for it, but is darned hard to find when you actually want to buy something there?

Eventually I found a "Cigarette Outlet" in a strip shopping center a block from the library in the suburbs here. It turned out that they not only carry bristle-type pipe cleaners, but have 3 varieties of Captain Black in the pouch ($10.99 each!), big bags of the blending tobacco such as Pipes & Cigars offers, and a jarred burley/Cavendish mix of their own for $4 an ounce. There are pipes, but they looked like the type you'd buy on Amazon as starter kits, i.e., made in China. Still it was encouraging to see.

I asked about Sir Walter, Carter Hall, Prince Albert, and Granger, and no luck. But the owner said she would check their suppliers' catalogs and see what they might have. "If you advertise the stuff," I said, "put an ad out on the counter and let people sniff the actual leaf, I'll bet it'll be a good seller. There's a reason those brands have been around a long time."

Nice to find a place with basic supplies, at least.

Glad to hear you found a nearby respite. I know stuff is available online, and usually cheaper - but there's just something about going into a shop and browsing.
Those days are getting nearer and nearer to being over.

 

[Columbo]

Local neighborhood full-line tobbaconists are becoming like hen's teeth, at least around here. Some are still around, that peddle mainly cigars for the young guys, but few will carry more than that, some popular brand cigarettes, and maybe some crazy vapes. If you get really lucky, they might have an old dried out decanter of bulk 1-Q somewhere in the corner as the designated 'house pipe tobacco', and some dusty pipe cleaners at the register.

Asking for a pouch of SWR or H&H from them is like asking for a tub of Dills. They need to consult their wholesaler catalog and will get back to you. And they usually never do ... because selling five pouches or tubs a year doesn't justify the buying of a carton or case of the stuff. If I never come back, they are potentially stuck with a couple hundred dollars of the stuff ... until the next old codger wanders in. These little local cigar shops generally don't do much Internet sales, so they cater to the local traffic and no more.

I don't even mention something like SG or even MB. They would think I was talking gibberish.

The experience of walking into a full-line tobacco-news stand shop is something I greatly miss. At least I still remember the smell of those places.

I'm too old now to do this. But asking these little shops to set up and host smokers' circle events is a good way to build up their business, and their confidence in expanding their line cards to include more choices. Provided you bring the people. We used to do that a few years back, and it worked for a while.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Local neighborhood full-line tobbaconists are becoming like hen's teeth, at least around here. Some are still around, that peddle mainly cigars for the young guys, but few will carry more than that, some popular brand cigarettes, and maybe some crazy vapes. If you get really lucky, they might have an old dried out decanter of bulk 1-Q somewhere in the corner as the designated 'house pipe tobacco', and some dusty pipe cleaners at the register.

Asking for a pouch of SWR or H&H from them is like asking for a tub of Dills. They need to consult their wholesaler catalog and will get back to you. And they usually never do ... because selling five pouches or tubs a year doesn't justify the buying of a carton or case of the stuff. If I never come back, they are potentially stuck with a couple hundred dollars of the stuff ... until the next old codger wanders in. These little local cigar shops generally don't do much Internet sales, so they cater to the local traffic and no more.

I don't even mention something like SG or even MB. They would think I was talking gibberish.

The experience of walking into a full-line tobacco-news stand shop is something I greatly miss. At least I still remember the smell of those places.

I'm too old now to do this. But asking these little shops to set up and host smokers' circle events is a good way to build up their business, and their confidence in expanding their line cards to include more choices. Provided you bring the people. We used to do that a few years back, and it worked for a while.

Yes, I don't expect them to start stocking SWR or H & H. I was just surprised, like Dr. Johnson said about a woman preaching, to see it done at all.