I stumbled across this place while driving down 2nd Street in Long Beach last week, looking for Big Daddy's Cigar shop as I had heard they were a retailer for Tatuaje and other Pete Johnson cigars. I told my herfing buddy that we needed to check it out sometime, so today while we were down in the area grabbing lunch we decided we would check it out. I was so appalled by what we found I wrote a review on Yelp.com, I figured you guys would be interested so here is the review:
Link to Review
I discovered this place while searching 2nd Street for Big Daddy's Cigar, and made a mental note to check it out later. Today I decided to make good on that intention, and so my cigar smoking buddy and I headed on over to do our investigation. I am glad I did, and not for the reason one would hope.
From the outside, the place exuded a refined, elegant look that was very appealing, and I could tell it was tailored to draw in a true cigar smoker. Once inside, the look was much the same, with a refined decor and nice selection of cigar accessories. The staff was friendly and welcomed us the moment we stepped in, so naturally we had hopes that this place would become a new favorite. On stepping into the walk in humidor though, our hopes were dashed as we were immediately met with an overwhelming smell of one of the enemies of a cigar lover: mold. Right away my friend shot me a look of, "Uh oh..." and I of course reciprocated that very look. I began examining the cigars to find that probably three quarters of the inventory that was out for display were covered in a thick layer of dust, almost on the verge of dirt. Now, normally I would not be overly concerned by this if said cigars were being stored properly and in an ideal environment for aging, as it was obvious they had been there for some time. This was not the case though, as on wiping off the dust I found, you guessed it: mold. Now, I may not be the most knowledgeable person about cigars when compared to some, but I still consider myself fairly well versed in these things. I know the difference between plume and mold; the substance covering the cigars was a white fuzzy thing, not the crystalline material that makes up plume which is the dried oils on the outside of the wrapper, which indicates good aging. Every cigar we picked up had this problem, save for what was obviously new stock.
Needless to say, we exited the premises without purchasing anything. While the prices were actually pretty decent, in fact they were lower than the lounge we frequent several times a week, the fact that the store claims to cater to the true connoisseur is something I find appalling. Any cigar smoker worth his or her salt knows that mold is something you will have to fight to keep away, much like the tobacco beetle. Now, had there only been a couple cigars, or even just one or two boxes that had the mold issue, it would have been forgivable as sometimes it just happens (well, really it shouldn't if you are paying attention...). I find though, that if a cigar lounge owner cannot properly care for his inventory, or ensure that his or her employees are doing so, it is a pretty clear indication of either one of two things: Not caring, or not knowing squat. This is something I expect from a head shop that mainly caters to cigarette smokers, not someplace that is specifically geared towards smoking and enjoying cigars. Had this place had product that was well cared for and in excellent condition, I would have gladly returned many times and purchased there, as they carried a few lines that my favorite place doesn't. Stay away from this place.
Link to Review
I discovered this place while searching 2nd Street for Big Daddy's Cigar, and made a mental note to check it out later. Today I decided to make good on that intention, and so my cigar smoking buddy and I headed on over to do our investigation. I am glad I did, and not for the reason one would hope.
From the outside, the place exuded a refined, elegant look that was very appealing, and I could tell it was tailored to draw in a true cigar smoker. Once inside, the look was much the same, with a refined decor and nice selection of cigar accessories. The staff was friendly and welcomed us the moment we stepped in, so naturally we had hopes that this place would become a new favorite. On stepping into the walk in humidor though, our hopes were dashed as we were immediately met with an overwhelming smell of one of the enemies of a cigar lover: mold. Right away my friend shot me a look of, "Uh oh..." and I of course reciprocated that very look. I began examining the cigars to find that probably three quarters of the inventory that was out for display were covered in a thick layer of dust, almost on the verge of dirt. Now, normally I would not be overly concerned by this if said cigars were being stored properly and in an ideal environment for aging, as it was obvious they had been there for some time. This was not the case though, as on wiping off the dust I found, you guessed it: mold. Now, I may not be the most knowledgeable person about cigars when compared to some, but I still consider myself fairly well versed in these things. I know the difference between plume and mold; the substance covering the cigars was a white fuzzy thing, not the crystalline material that makes up plume which is the dried oils on the outside of the wrapper, which indicates good aging. Every cigar we picked up had this problem, save for what was obviously new stock.
Needless to say, we exited the premises without purchasing anything. While the prices were actually pretty decent, in fact they were lower than the lounge we frequent several times a week, the fact that the store claims to cater to the true connoisseur is something I find appalling. Any cigar smoker worth his or her salt knows that mold is something you will have to fight to keep away, much like the tobacco beetle. Now, had there only been a couple cigars, or even just one or two boxes that had the mold issue, it would have been forgivable as sometimes it just happens (well, really it shouldn't if you are paying attention...). I find though, that if a cigar lounge owner cannot properly care for his inventory, or ensure that his or her employees are doing so, it is a pretty clear indication of either one of two things: Not caring, or not knowing squat. This is something I expect from a head shop that mainly caters to cigarette smokers, not someplace that is specifically geared towards smoking and enjoying cigars. Had this place had product that was well cared for and in excellent condition, I would have gladly returned many times and purchased there, as they carried a few lines that my favorite place doesn't. Stay away from this place.
