Need Local Retailer

[Ironworker]

I live in Northern Californian (Bay Area) and I am un happy with the service I get from my local retailer.
For instance: On almost every weekend I go to see my local guy his doors are always about 15-30 minutes late being opened.
Just last week I popped in and asked where the Cohiba cigars were kept and the guy exclaimed "Cuba".

Now while I have only been smoking cigars for about a year I know that these are not the typical ways of a cigar shop.

Can anyone point me towards a good cigar dealer in the Bay Area?

Thanks - Richard

 

[benjiev]

Richard,
Haven't lived in the bay area for years but I remember a shop in Dublin that was pretty cool, it had an outdoor patio for smoking and a good selection of smokes.

The rest of the shops are in the city.

 

[BkCloud114]

Dude that sucks..... that guy sounds like a dick..... wish I could help ya out, let me know if ya ever get to NYC and I got alot of good tobacco guys....

You should first find out if he is the owner.... if he is not, I would definitely let the owner know what is going on with one of his employees. If he is the owner, I would probably ask him.... "why are you acting like a dick?"

 

[MauiJim]

Try this link. Good luck
http://www.cigarlife.com/ca/stores.htm

 

[KayakinBoy]

don't know if there are any close, but I always give good service @

www.tinderbox.com

 

[Ironworker]

Richard,
Haven't lived in the bay area for years but I remember a shop in Dublin that was pretty cool, it had an outdoor patio for smoking and a good selection of smokes.

The rest of the shops are in the city.

[snapback]190038[/snapback]​

I believe the one your refering to is the Tabacco Loft???

Anyway, thanks everyone for the suggestions, I found a couple stores I never knew exsisted from the link mauijim gave me

It's this type of thing that gets my wheels spinning and I start thinking about building a better mouse trap.
Unfortunatley I know nothing about the cigar business but sometimes it only takes passion for what you do.

I know there are a few of you in here who either run or own tabacco stores and I can't imagine how hard it must be to compete with internet sales.

Thanks again.

Richard

 

[inflatus]

I live in Northern Californian (Bay Area) and I am un happy with the service I get from my local retailer.
For instance: On almost every weekend I go to see my local guy his doors are always about 15-30 minutes late being opened.
Just last week I popped in and asked where the Cohiba cigars were kept and the guy exclaimed "Cuba".

Now while I have only been smoking cigars for about a year I know that these are not the typical ways of a cigar shop.

Can anyone point me towards a good cigar dealer in the Bay Area?

Thanks - Richard

[snapback]190033[/snapback]​

Richard;

I feel you man! I lived in Davis and Sacramento for about 5 years. I not from CA originally. I have found that your customer service story happens in the Bay Area even at the furniture store. I usually go back to a place a couple of times asking the same exact question. Typically the responses are different.

I used to shop and still do by mail at Casillas Cigars in Sacramento. Very nice family. They do not however have a typical selection. There are no Cohibas, but the sticks are great.

Good luck man!

 

[LGHT]

I have stopped purchasing from local vendors all together since the tax for california is 46%. I good smoke in cali runs for about $8-12 a stick and that same smoke online is about half the price and a lot less on cbid. I would honestly suggestion purchasing online and just give up on the B&M all together.

 

[Lumberg]

Dude that sucks..... that guy sounds like a dick..... wish I could help ya out, let me know if ya ever get to NYC and I got alot of good tobacco guys....

You should first find out if he is the owner.... if he is not, I would definitely let the owner know what is going on with one of his employees. If he is the owner, I would probably ask him.... "why are you acting like a dick?"

[snapback]190039[/snapback]​

I second both this and LGHT's post.

 

[okunen]

Yeah the tobacco taxes in Cali and Washington State have created a pretty interesting black market moving in and out of Oregon. Got to love how local politicans are driving revenue OUT of their state by including Cigars and Pipe Tobacco in the general anti-tobacco legislation.

It looks like more states are starting to realize they should exclude cigars from the tax. Time will tell in California if they will actually alter the law.

So barring finding any Cigar runners moving across the Oregon border from your area, I say go internet.

 

[puffnstuff]

Just last week I popped in and asked where the Cohiba cigars were kept and the guy exclaimed "Cuba".

despite his rudeness about it, I'd have to agree with him, indirectly.

not that one can't purchase authentic Cuban Cohibas in countries other than Cuba, but if it's a Cohiba that you're after, I'm not sure I'd bother with anything other than the ones from their native land.

of course, since Cuban cigars are illegal here in the states, all this is merely hypothetical, anyway.

 

[Lumberg]

Just last week I popped in and asked where the Cohiba cigars were kept and the guy exclaimed "Cuba".

despite his rudeness about it, I'd have to agree with him, indirectly.

not that one can't purchase authentic Cuban Cohibas in countries other than Cuba, but if it's a Cohiba that you're after, I'm not sure I'd bother with anything other than the ones from their native land.

of course, since Cuban cigars are illegal here in the states, all this is merely hypothetical, anyway.

[snapback]190432[/snapback]​

I think it's fairly obvious he was talking about the Dominican Cohibas and a far more appropriate answer would have been a) we don't sell those or b) over there (points).

 

[puffnstuff]

Just last week I popped in and asked where the Cohiba cigars were kept and the guy exclaimed "Cuba".

despite his rudeness about it, I'd have to agree with him, indirectly.

not that one can't purchase authentic Cuban Cohibas in countries other than Cuba, but if it's a Cohiba that you're after, I'm not sure I'd bother with anything other than the ones from their native land.

of course, since Cuban cigars are illegal here in the states, all this is merely hypothetical, anyway.

[snapback]190432[/snapback]​

I think it's fairly obvious he was talking about the Dominican Cohibas and a far more appropriate answer would have been a) we don't sell those or b) over there (points).

[snapback]190435[/snapback]​

it was "fairly obvious", hence my stating- "despite his rudeness about it, I'd have to agree with him, indirectly."

...which is my OPINION, of course.

 

[Ironworker]

Just last week I popped in and asked where the Cohiba cigars were kept and the guy exclaimed "Cuba".

despite his rudeness about it, I'd have to agree with him, indirectly.

not that one can't purchase authentic Cuban Cohibas in countries other than Cuba, but if it's a Cohiba that you're after, I'm not sure I'd bother with anything other than the ones from their native land.

of course, since Cuban cigars are illegal here in the states, all this is merely hypothetical, anyway.

[snapback]190432[/snapback]​

Puff, I was merely looking to try a DM Cohiba not a Cuban. Why I am certain there is an occasional goofball who walks into a local smoke shop and asked for authentic Cubans I am not that person.

I am a returning customer. I have done business there for almost a year now and didn’t deserve that type of response.

I just wanted to try one and now that I have I am so disappointed it’s pathetic.

The next Cohiba I try will be authentic that I promise.

 

[puffnstuff]

Puff, I was merely looking to try a DM Cohiba not a Cuban. Why I am certain there is an occasional goofball who walks into a local smoke shop and asked for authentic Cubans I am not that person.

I am a returning customer. I have done business there for almost a year now and didn’t deserve that type of response.

I just wanted to try one and now that I have I am so disappointed it’s pathetic.

The next Cohiba I try will be authentic that I promise.

[snapback]190440[/snapback]​

I hear ya, loud and clear, Ironworker.

please, don't confuse my agreeing with that I assume was the shop-owner's general "thesis" behind the rude comment he made as being the same as me condoning that sort of customer service.

whether the owner was "right" or "wrong" in his opinion of ISOM vs. non-ISOM Cohibas, he obviously could've/should've fielded your question differently.

incidentally, what your experience with the non-ISOM Cohibas ended up being is probably exactly what fuels his distaste for the non-ISOM Cohibas, and thus his response to your question. (which, again, is in no way an attempt to excuse his rude treatment toward you).

by the way, it was in a shop in San Francisco (don't know the name, and can't remember the exact location, except that it was a couple blocks from Union Square) that I had my only experience with a shop owner actually offering (without me asking for, of course) "Cuban" cigars.
he opened a back door in his walk-in humidor, and pulled out a few boxes.
...I left without buying anything at all, and wouldn't go back.

 

[Ironworker]

Puff, thats a crazy story. Thanks for the clarification.

Rich

 

[Lumberg]

puffnstuff, understood.

Rule of thumb:

Never BUY Cuban cigars that someone, unsolicited, offers to sell you.

Fakes outnumber reals by 900%, blah blah blah

 

[puffnstuff]

puffnstuff, understood.

Rule of thumb:

Never BUY Cuban cigars that someone, unsolicited, offers to sell you.

Fakes outnumber reals by 900%, blah blah blah

[snapback]190445[/snapback]​

amen to that, Lumberg.

Ironworker, since you're in the Bay area, I'll try to figure out the location of that shop tonight (so you'll know to avoid it). it was just around the corner from the hotel we stayed in, so I'll ask my wife tonight what the heck the hotel was called, which street it was on, and I'll figure it out from there.

(eesh! did I just make clear that I'm hopeless without my wife?! :0)

 

[tone-ny]

Never mind, I read it in your other post in the cigar discussion forum.

 

[Ironworker]

I went to the "Hot Rod" of cigar stores in Oakland; it was a decent 30 minute drive each way but what the heck.

I actually went there to buy a couple quick boxes of gars for a client of mine but the prices were unbelievable.

I had to laugh at the prices. Seriously, the lady asked "what’s so funny"? I told her that same box of cigars you’re selling for $272.50 I just bought on the web for $104.00 two nights ago.

Because I didn't want the trip be a complete loss, I bought 5 Opus X cigars for a little under a $100 bucks :0 .

I told the sales person that I came to the store with the intent of buying a couple boxes of premium cigars but the prices were so high that I couldn't justify buying them there.
Immediately I was informed that the store "Piedmont Tobacconist" was helping by supporting legislation to put an end to buying cigars on the web without paying local sales and state tax.

Next to NY I think California has one of the highest tax rates .47 cents.

So I set out to find a better cigar store for quick local stuff and succeeded but I would never buy anything more than a couple sticks at a time.

All in all I got way better service and they had a better selection of smokes.

Richard