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The local guy

J

Jay

Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2001
Messages
20
In a few weeks (hopefully) I will be moving into my new house. About 3-4 minutes from it is my "1st choice" local tobacco shop. I will have to drive by it twice a day. I used to buy singles from them before I quit smoking cigars a couple of years ago but since starting up again, I've only been in once. Too many on-line shops now selling singles. Anyway, I remember them giving oh maybe 10% off for box purchases but never did come close to the deals found on the net. Anyone had any luck negotiating prices with their local guys, if you even shop there at all? Only reason I can figure to buy know is they are close so I won't go out of my way and maybe if I get a relationship started I may get in on some of the hard to get stuff first or better deals or something. Just wondering.Jay
 
I never really buy cigars at my local shop unless I need the cigars ASAP. For example, I'm on the way to a party and I don't want to deplete my stash in the humi...then I go to the local shop. As far negociations, good luck my friend.
 
I guess I'm just old-fashioned. I still believe that if you find a local tobacconist that knows their product, goes out of their way to give good customer service and maintains a good humidor, that you should support them.Now I'll be the first one to blast those shops that tries to rape the consumer. And I also buy a LOT of my cigars over the internet. But I started smoking before the internet was around and the only place available was the local shop.I'm fortunate to have a shop in my town that has been in business since the early 80's, before the boom. The owner knows cigars and pipes but is always asking for input and recommendations from his customers. Rarely does a week goes by that he is not handing me and the other regulars a sample of a cigar that a rep has dropped off and asking for opinions. He sponsors cigar dinners/cigar tastings and pries(sp) boxes of cigars from reps to supply these. And yes, I do buy singles and boxes from his shop. I know I could save a couple of bucks if I buy over the internet, but there is something about being able to walk into a shop and pick out singles and boxes of cigars and actualy see them before buying them that I enjoy.Again, I may be from the old school, but when you find a tobacconist that provides service like this shop does you support it.
 
Well said Shadow, Good form! :)
I myself am a firm believer in my local smoke shop. It has allowed me to have a very good relationship with the owner (who by the way now is one of my neighbors) and who is one of the most interesting men I have ever met. Not to mention that if your a stranger or freind he will always treat you fairly. No he can't always compete with the on-line smoke venders but I always have a seat at his coffee counter, a full cup and good conversation looking through a glass wall at his huge selection in the humidor, that I am welcome to walk in anytime I want and touch, sniff, roll and stair as much as I want!!!:shocked::cool: For me here in Ohio JR's, Phatash and all the others just can't compete with that and its well worth the 10&#36 extra a box here and there.
Thanks for letting me ramble. :biggrin:(Edited by DarrenR at 6:50 am on Aug. 9, 2001)
 
If you have a local shop that respects you as a customer and who has employess that actually know something about cigars then support the #### outta them. If you have a local shop that is respectful of you as a customer but has un-cigar- educated employees and they are willing to learn, help 'em out. If you have a local shop that thinks you are nothing but another dollar bill walking into the store, forget about 'em! :)
 
My biggest and best stocked local shop is a gouger catering to the lawyer crowd that doesn't know any better. The best shop has cigars as a side, but is mostly discount cigarettes. I support the latter and occasionally go in the former to see what they have. I never buy boxes but will occasionally pick up a few singles at both. BUT if I had a shop like Shadows local shop, btw it is one of my must stop shops when I'm in his town, 5 hrs away, I would shop there like he does. The shop is what a tobaconist is supposed to be like. My wife knows where to find me and Bill when I'm in town. lol
 
i'd support the locals if they were reasonable, but none of them are. individual sticks usually go for a couple dollars over msrp around here. i saw an ad for a box of la aurora belis going for &#3646/box and then saw the same cigar at a local shop going for &#369 each. just as an example. one of the local shops here recently closed after being there a good 20 years or so.
 
My local shop has been around forever. It's an old style smoke shop/pool hall. They take care of me pretty well when I ask for something. They're checking out getting some LaLunas for me at RTDA, they throw in extra sticks once in a while, etc. They do some things I don't care for like selling Opus only in sampler packs. I buy online my basic stock, do passes and trade for good stuff I want to try and use them for the after work, stop in the bar, have a smoke thing.
 
I think if you have a great local shop, support them, which is what everyone seems to say here. That's not a problem. It is easy to support a local place when they treat you well and you can have a nice cup of coffee will a smoke. But I live in the 3rd largest city in the country and that service is just hard to come by here. Their are two main shops that I go to here. One is a bar and cigar lounge. The place is NICE. I mean leather furniture throughout the place. The humidor is beautiful also. The problem is they charge prices like &#3624 for Hemingway Classics and Padron Anni's for &#3645 A PIECE!!!!! Is that high, or am I high?!? The service there is very average too. I go there just to relax with a few friends, and I ALWAYS bring my own stogie now. The other palce I go to is smaller and has better prices by a few bucks. The only problem is the guy that works there says when you walk in the door," Hi. Here is a pen. Write down the serial number of the cigar you want to buy on this paper. Bring it to me when you are done and I'll ring you up." Is that service? I don't think so. He should at least let me know of any special cigars he just got in or let me know that if I had any questions I could ask him; instead, he left the humi to watch ESPN. I didn't mean to get on a rant here, but that is why I buy online.
 
I believe in supporting local business as much as possible. In fact all of us Oregonian's owe Jan at Cascade Cigars a big THANKS! She has finally worked a bill through congress that will lower our cigar tax next year. I do purchase online when I find a smoking deal, but all of my singles are purchased locally and when I can't find a great deal on a box that I want I would rather support other Oregonians.
 
I also believe in supporting my local cigar shops, as they have all treated me very well over the years. But, it is very easy for me, as my favorite shop is Holt's. Great prices, and excellent service.
 
well beign stuck in calif my local cigars are much more expensive than any I can mail order from out side and away from sales and the "meathead " tax how ever on the plus as I am new to smokeing cigars so hanging out at he local is a good sorce of info
the store is in a high dollar rent area outer ring of a huge mega mall so rents must as outrageious as the california taxes how every they have a couple nice big easy chairs and is very close to my main working area
so it has become my "break " area where i can get out of My van and relaxe and I can get a good sandwitch
or mexican food a couple doors ether way I have attended a couple events there where a marketing rep has stoped by theses are all things that I can't do with a online store
I still order soem boxes through the online guys and from my local store
I have been going there and buying for a while so I get to buy singles at the box price saves me like &#360.75 to &#362.00 on each stick so I would have to say that I surport my local store with about 50% of my cigar buying dollars
 
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