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End of an Era...Our local B&M closes

R

rebeljohn

New Member
Joined
Jul 27, 2006
Messages
127
Location
North Carolina, CSA
After 15 years, Saturday was the last day that our local tobacco store, Tobacconists of Raleigh, NC ,was open. The store had not been profitable for the last two years. Our local newspaper called it, the 'Cheers of Tobacco Stores'. Everybody knew everybody. It was the most diverse social group that I have ever been a part of. We had all social classes, from the poor to the elite rich. We had every race, every religion, and every type of sexual orientation. Our common thread, was the love of the leaf. It was a sad time for many of the old timers, as they considered the store their second home. The chairs were always full, no matter what time of day you visited. We had a HUGE party, that lasted from 9am until 3 am. We consumed a lot of alcohol, smoked a lot of cigars, and retold stories from 15 years of memories. At the end of the night, patrons were able to buy the chairs, end tables, ash trays, etc., that had become a part of their life.

RIP Tobacconists of Raleigh
 
Sorry to hear about your shop, Rebel John. :( I have gotten to know the guys at my local shop a bit in the last year and couldn't imagine 15 years of memories. Hopefully y'all will find another shop somewhere. Or better yet, maybe y'all can have a "travellin' herf", where ya meet at eachothers houses when the weather breaks. :thumbs: Now that would be cool.

Good luck and keep lookin'!

Floyd T.
 
That sucks. I'm just now starting to get to the point of knowing almost all the regulars at my B&M. I would hate for the one here to close. Hopefully you find a new one that everyone starts to hang out again.
 
That is sad.

No place like that here. If there were I'm sure the local smoke nazis would have their own party to celebrate its closing.

I envy the people that have a nice place to go relax and have a smoke...

:(
 
Sad news....sorry to hear.

I'm convinced that the stupid smoking bans will hurt many B&M's if not kill them outright. Here in the People's Republic of Washington, for example, you can no longer smoke in a cigar store (how stupid is that) nor smoke within 25' of the front door or any air intakes...!! The social aspect of the store, hanging out, finding about new products, sharing a smoke, a laugh, and some conversation is just not there anymore. It really sucks..... :angry:

Seek the "old crew" out and have a herf now and then - it'd be a good time.

Regards - B.B.S.
 
Very sad to hear that brother. That is always a very tough thing to lose. Once had an Irish pub that I would go to for years and years. Same type of place for me as the B&M you describe. The owner and his wife ran the place basically forever. He dies and the wife (elderly herself) can't go it alone, and can hardly take the emotions the place held for her. So, she shut it down. That final night in there...brother, it was tough. Not a dry eye in the place, but great live Irish music, great food, plenty of spirits flowing, smokes going (back when smoking in establishments was not a crime). At the end of the night, patrons got to take momentos from the place as keepsakes. Still have the Guinness and Harp taps and truly cherish them.

Again, sorry for your loss.
 
That's really too bad.

But I have the same question that other people have mentioned: If there were so many regulars that hung out in the lounge, why didn't they make an effort to buy more from the B&M and keep it afloat?
 
Tapewormboy said:
That's really too bad.

But I have the same question that other people have mentioned: If there were so many regulars that hung out in the lounge, why didn't they make an effort to buy more from the B&M and keep it afloat?
Click to expand...

We had a lot of regulars that spent their money in the shop. But I believe, as do the owners, that the current climate concerning smoking had a lot to do with the decline in business. New smokers were not coming in at the rate that they did a few years ago. Some of the older guys had quit smoking, or were cutting back. In the end, though, the bottom line is what counts. Revenue was not keeping up the rising costs.

THERE IS SOME GOOD NEWS, HOWEVER..........The Tobacco Musuem, located in Durham, NC, has asked them for some of the memorabilia from the store to display in the musem. At least some parts of the store, Tobacconists of Raleigh..........will live on for others to enjoy.................

As for finding a new place to hang, we have a couple of other options, and we will have reunions several times during the year.
I did purchase the leather chair that I normally sat in, so I do have a piece of the place to call my own..........
 
Man, I can totally relate! I first started smoking cigars in a small store where all the regulars got together and knew each other. When it went under it was a sad day, indeed. Sometimes having it change ownership can also have a negative effect.

Oh well. Life goes on and we find new places and people to herf at and with. :thumbs:
 
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