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Do you patronize your host?

NullSmurf

NullSmurf

Das Bruce
Joined
Jan 18, 2006
Messages
7,851
It's not a new question, but there are plenty of newbs to enter into the discussion.

When you visit a B&M or a cigar bar to smoke, do you think it's good form to buy something?

For me, the question is absolutely yes. There are several B&M in Denver metro. I think I've been to most and without question, if I stay for a smoke, I always buy a few sticks to "pay" for the priveledge. It's the right thing to do. What if their prices are high? The moment I spot a $20 Anejo, I'm done, so that's an easy one. Conversely, the B&M closest to me has a lounge, but it's membership only. However, since I'm a regular, the owner frequently invites me to stay for a smoke.

For the cigar bars, the sticks are frequently hideously expensive. I don't think I've ever actually purchased one. I do order drinks, and occasionally bar munchies. I don't feel the need to buy a cigar, but I do kind of feel bad about that. In Colorado, the cigar bar license is based on a percentage of revenue coming from tobacco. I honestly don't know how they get away with that selling cigars at 2x, 3x, or more over retail, but they do. Given that creative math, I'm content to let them do whatever they do without my help.
 
I'll go into my local and buy 4 or 5 sticks, and smoke one.

Then maybe the next day, I'll just smoke one of the other sticks I bought there without buying anything that time.

Sometimes I'll bring my own, but I always buy more than I smoke there so I do feel like I pay for the privilege of the place.
 
My B&M is 100% free to smoke at, so I do feel the need to buy from them about every other time. Its also convienent for me since I don't have a travel humidor, to just buy a couple sticks when I get there. She works pretty darn hard to keep that place running and who am I to come in and use up their A/C and water without purchasing anything?
 
My local B&M is the only place in the area with a lounge in the back. And his prices are high. Usually about 50% or so higher than I can find in the area. So, if I'm going to smoke there, I bring what I'm going to smoke, and pick up one or two less expensive sticks.

Occasionally, he'll have a rep come in from a cigar company, offering buy 2, get 1 free. So I'll go then, because it almost comes out to regular price for 3 smokes.

But lately, the people who have been hanging out there are jackasses, so my trips there have been less and less frequent. Guess that isn't a bad thing, since it's the summer, and I can smoke outside with no worries.
 
I dont realy smoke many NCs.

I do patronize my local guy though. I just mostly buy a few cigars to gift out or bomb someone with.

Its always good to have a good relationship with them.
 
What's a B&M? :sign:

We don't have one here...at least not one I would patronize in any way. :(

When I take a trip somewhere I always try to stop at a local place if time allows for it. I always try to buy SOMETHING, even if it's just a Punch Rothschild or something like that. I would never sit down in any shop to smoke without buying anything unless I had a good relationship with the owner/manager and there was an understanding in place. Or a sign that said fire at will. :)

I've never been to a cigar bar. I don't think I'll likely ever get to one.
 
Not as much as I should. But when I do it is enough to get me thru a month without having to buy anything...LOL!
Plus I am there at least 4 times a week.
I also have a yearly locker fee.
And I do share lots of cigars with the 2 managers I am good friends with.
 
I patronize my online retailers primarily. :D

Unfortunately, there's really only one cigar shop in my area that I care to smoke in, and with the high cigar tax we have in California, I rarely go there. If they charged something like $10 to allow you to smoke your own cigar, I'd go all the time. Or, if they had a bar I'd go buy drinks and smoke my own cigars. I have a very hard time paying $15 for a cigar when I can get it for $6.
 
Rod said:
If they charged something like $10 to allow you to smoke your own cigar, I'd go all the time.

[And]

I have a very hard time paying $15 for a cigar when I can get it for $6.
Click to expand...

Aren't these basically the same thing?

Edit: forgot to state my response to the original question. I buy cigars from my B&M regularly, at least a couple times a week. There's a bar connected to it that I could smoke in if I wanted to, but I generally don't because I always stop in after work and I need to get home so I can get to the gym before it closes, and eat dinner, and so on.
 
B&M with a lounge... buy at least one and smoke there.

Cigar Bar gouger... don't buy anything but alcohol and smoke my own.
 
i have trouble just visiting the b/m and not buying anything... never mind smoking there...
 
My locale place is real nice. A little over MSRP on most things and a few are allot over. He just redid the place and spent a lot of money doing it. He now has a monthly event and has better stock on hand. When ever I go I do tend to bring one of my own cigars. I tend to have a cigar in mind most times when I'm looking for a smoke. If I stay for a smoke I always buy something while my big purchases are from the net.

DG
 
Patronize the internet and smoke with whomever is on. B&M wanted to charge me for a box of sticks at per stick price, as Bruce Willis said so elequently ' ADIOS m.f. ers" :laugh:
 
Rod summed it up pretty well for me too, being a victim of the same situation. There is a B&M I go to occasionally to smoke with a friend and I do end up buying something when I can swing it. It is just really hard to convince myself to spend $10 on a short story or $35 for a PAM diplomatico. What is interesting is the tats are right around msrp and occasionally they have rare sticks for under msrp for no apparent reason
 
Always buy a smoke or two at any shop I'm going to smoke in.

If it's a cigar bar, and I'm buying beverages, then I'm not as inclined to buy cigars.
 
My b&m is my thursday night hang out..been going there for 3yrs now...I am friendly with the employees and owner, so I do buy sticks from them weekly, and hang in the lounge as well.
 
At my B&M, i sometimes bring my own and dont feel bad about it. I have a great relationship with the owner, but I also buy from him frequently anyways.

As for a cigar bar, I'll usually buy a cigar 'for the cause' but will smoke several of my own.
 
I don't get down to the B&M's very often but when I do, I always make time to have one in their nice lounges. And, that means buying at least 4 or 5 in the store. Seems the proper thing to do..... :cool:
 
rbbrock said:
Rod said:
If they charged something like $10 to allow you to smoke your own cigar, I'd go all the time.

[And]

I have a very hard time paying $15 for a cigar when I can get it for $6.
Click to expand...

Aren't these basically the same thing?

Edit: forgot to state my response to the original question. I buy cigars from my B&M regularly, at least a couple times a week. There's a bar connected to it that I could smoke in if I wanted to, but I generally don't because I always stop in after work and I need to get home so I can get to the gym before it closes, and eat dinner, and so on.
Click to expand...

Not at all the same thing. I said why pay $15 for a cigar when it's true cost is $6. Paying $10 for me to light up would allow me to smoke any cigars I choose from my own stash which the retailer most likely won't have. That could include an Opus, ESG, Anejo, etc... Paying $15 for a $6 average cigar I find hard to swallow. Paying $10 to smoke any cigar of my choice I find reasonable.
 
I seldom smoke anything as "wet" as I find in most B&Ms. If I'm going to a place with the intention of sitting down for a smoke, I'll usually bring the otterbox with what I think I might want to smoke, and generally leave with more cigars than I arrived with.
 
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