Chicago CPers WTF?

[Peekay]

Got back from Chicago yesterday, and had a great time. Anyways I wanted to ask all Chicago CPers, what is the deal with that shop in the Greek district called Jorgio Cigars?

My fiance (Chicago native) wanted me to check out this place because she said whenever she went by it was always packed with people. So we go in and it does have quite a few people in it, not much smoking going on, but people are talking and drinking coffee.

Immediately a big fat Greek guy stands up and asks "What do you want?" I'm thinking maybe the guy is having a bad day, so I say "Howdy, I'm from out of state and wanted to check out what you had in the humi." The guy gruffly said sure and into the humi we went.

I kid you not, it looked like this humi was robbed and the thieves only left the crap cigars. There were empty boxes upon empty boxes. I ask him what happened and he said that this what we have. Then he said something that really pissed me off, "I have some great Cohibas for a deal!" I knew he was talking about the DR yellow bands, and sure enough he was selling DR yellow bands for $8-$11 a piece. I tell him these sticks are lousy and I leave.

My fiance insists that it is a front for the Greek Mafia, I tell her the best fronts are the ones where you never know it's a front. Anyways this was an example of what not to do to customers.

 

[BkCloud114]

Absolutely sounds like a type of "Social Club"

 

[ggiese]

Mistake #1 - not telling us you were in town... BIG mistake...

Mistake #2 - walking into a cigar store BLIND - as Tommy pointed out, it appears you walked into a "social club". They're generally not very "social" when you're not part of the "club"...

On the tollway system in the Chicago area of Illinois, there are "Oasis'" built to allow motorists to stop and get gas and a bite to eat. They just redid all of the Oasis' to be something of a mini-mall. Kinda cool looking, actually.

I stopped at one the other day to get myself and the wife a cup of Starbuck's coffee, and I find a cigar store. I decided to take a look around. The store actually had a fairly significant, nice looking selection - mind you, no Opus' or Anejo's, but just about everything else. I picked up a CAO 65th anny, some Torano Exodus 1959 Silver labels and two LGC Serie R Limitada (what a NICE smoke - huge, but nice). The guy who helped me was great - turns out he's the owner of all of them - cuts me a sweet deal on the smokes I bought - and gives me his cell number and tells me to call if I stop at any of the store so he can authorize the clerk to give me another sweet deal...

That's what you'll USUALLY find at the cigar stores around Chicago (for the most part). There are only two or three in Chicago proper that I'd go to - I wouldn't even want to take a chance on the others (I've had similar situations as you describe).

Let us know the next time you come in town so we can make some suggestions for you, or meet you for a herf!!! We're always looking for an excuse to smoke cigars!

 

[Peekay]

Yeah I guess you're right about it being a social club. But I kid you not this guy had nothing on the shelf in a huge humidor. He could kept his entire stock in a mini-fridge. The place was close to UIC and Satarini Seafood.

As far as #1 I was tied up the entire weekend with my fiance's family.
I met so many people in her family in just a 48 hour period. Flew in on Saturday afternoon, left Monday afternoon and slept maybe 5 hours each night. They just wore me out, I almost wanted to take today off from work.

I will be back in the Chi sometime soon, probably this winter so we will herf it up then. My fiance has a house in Logan's Square, close to that cigar thief on here, I forgot his name.

 

[Matty_Vegas]

I will be in chicago in october!!!

 

[ggiese]

I will be in chicago in october!!!

[snapback]198579[/snapback]​

Oh, boy!!!! We'll just have to see about that!!! Do Alex and Steve know this???

 

[alexgtp]

yes we do..

all depends on him and his woman making time for some downtown herfing action..some steaks ..cigars and some jazz..

 

[Lumberg]

I'll be in the far southern suburbs from July 27th-31st.

If everything goes as planned I will be celebrating getting a marriage license, and successfully amending my fiance's divorce decree to allow her to bring her son with her to MD.

 

[alexgtp]

HOw far southwest?

Will you be in the same area as last time?

Was it you who was close to tinley park/orland park area!!

Nice place called buds to HERF.. Let us know!!

 

[Lumberg]

HOw far southwest?

Will you be in the same area as last time?

Was it you who was close to tinley park/orland park area!!

Nice place called buds to HERF.. Let us know!!

[snapback]198793[/snapback]​

Yep, that was me. This time I am giving advance notice as requested

I'm thinking Friday the 29th will be the best day for me cos my beau will be at work, but so will you guys probably.

Maybe Saturday night, she also works then starting at 4 pm. We could even have the herf at the sports bar/restaurant where she works. I usually stage a one-man herf there on her nights when I am there anyway....you should hear some of the stories. :sign: It's called the Tender Trap in Chicago Heights.

 

[rknicker]

Where's the local shop in Logan Square? I'm moving into my new apt there on Friday.

 

[Peekay]

Hey rknicker that is where my fiance has her house. She is in Texas right now though, she said the closest one she knew of was that crappy one I went to in Greek Town by UIC.

 

[alexgtp]

NOthing in the Logan Park area.

ON belmot avenue there are a cple decent stores.
also one over on north avenue
La casa del tobacco
1937 w north avenue
Mohammed is a great guy

If you have a car. I would venture out to CIgar King in Skokie.
CIGAR KING
8016 N. Lincoln Ave
Skokie, IL 60077

 

[rknicker]

Cool, thanks... to get back on topic, there was a 'copy shop' across the street from where I worked. For 5 years I never saw them get paper delivered even once. And I never saw anyone carry out anything larger than a briefcase. We always just assumed that it was a front for one bunch or another.

 

[alexgtp]

Gotta luv those "SOCIAL CLUBS"

 

[rknicker]

Ok, so I work a couple blocks from greektown now. I went into the shop he's talking about. He's right, the 'selection' there is awful, and though they weren't outright rude, it wasn't a friendly place to be sure.

 

[MrJerry]

Chicago has a few good cigars stores:
Iwan Ries
Up Down Tobacco Shop
and one in the Board of Trade building...can't remember it's name cause I don't go downtoen very often.

The prices are going to be high as our city and state elected officals think it's a good idea to "stuff it up our asses" when it comes to taxes...almost 30%.

There are NO cigar stores worth a damn south of the loop!

Hey Geoege, what's this "I stopped at one the other day to get myself and the wife a cup of Starbuck's coffee"...Killer Beans not good enough for you anymore buddy!?!? Remind me to kick you in the butt when you get down to Springfield for the LOLH!

 

[tdog]

Yeah I guess you're right about it being a social club. But I kid you not this guy had nothing on the shelf in a huge humidor. He could kept his entire stock in a mini-fridge. The place was close to UIC and Satarini Seafood.

As far as #1 I was tied up the entire weekend with my fiance's family.
I met so many people in her family in just a 48 hour period. Flew in on Saturday afternoon, left Monday afternoon and slept maybe 5 hours each night. They just wore me out, I almost wanted to take today off from work.

I will be back in the Chi sometime soon, probably this winter so we will herf it up then. My fiance has a house in Logan's Square, close to that cigar thief on here, I forgot his name.

[snapback]198513[/snapback]​

Wasn't able to catch a Bears game. That's a crying shame.
All hail the cathedral of football--SOLDIER FIELD.

 

[ggiese]

Hey Geoege, what's this "I stopped at one the other day to get myself and the wife a cup of Starbuck's coffee"...Killer Beans not good enough for you anymore buddy!?!? Remind me to kick you in the butt when you get down to Springfield for the LOLH!

[snapback]229771[/snapback]​

I'm sorry, bro... Please forgive me...

Until Killer Beans has White Mocha Latte's, it's StarbBucks for us when momma wants a "special" coffee drink...

Our USUAL special coffee drink is Brazilian Bombshell, big guy... Killer beans IS our coffee of choice, it's just not the ONLY coffee drink we enjoy... :whistling: :sign:

 

[MrJerry]

Hey Geoege, what's this "I stopped at one the other day to get myself and the wife a cup of Starbuck's coffee"...Killer Beans not good enough for you anymore buddy!?!?  Remind me to kick you in the butt when you get down to Springfield for the LOLH!

[snapback]229771[/snapback]​

I'm sorry, bro... Please forgive me...

Until Killer Beans has White Mocha Latte's, it's StarbBucks for us when momma wants a "special" coffee drink...

Our USUAL special coffee drink is Brazilian Bombshell, big guy... Killer beans IS our coffee of choice, it's just not the ONLY coffee drink we enjoy... :whistling: :sign:

[snapback]229829[/snapback]​

You bastige! Ya, like I'm going to do a "White Shark Killer Mocha Latte"...that'll be the day!! :laugh: