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Thompsons Retail Store Worth A Visit?

M

MJL

New Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2005
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69
I am headed up to Central Florida to visit kin for Passover. I am going to hang out to take in the big Lakeland Rifle & Pistol Club gun show that weekend. That means I will have a few days to roam around between Passover and the show starting. I am thinking about heading over to Tampa to check out Thompson's Retail Outlet. Is this worth the trip or is there nothing there that I will not be able to pick up in a visit to one of a dozen cigar places in Miami, where I live?
 
Real cigar smokers don't patronize Thompson's!

If you are in Tampa go see South Tampa Cigars (Joe Lackey) @ 1716 So. Dale Mabry Hwy. Try some Coppolas if he has em in stock.
 
I'm sure you can find much better places to visit than Thompson's. If I was going to make a trip to Florida, I wouldn't waste my time there.

My 2¢
 
MJL said:
I am headed up to Central Florida to visit kin for Passover. I am going to hang out to take in the big Lakeland Rifle & Pistol Club gun show that weekend. That means I will have a few days to roam around between Passover and the show starting. I am thinking about heading over to Tampa to check out Thompson's Retail Outlet. Is this worth the trip or is there nothing there that I will not be able to pick up in a visit to one of a dozen cigar places in Miami, where I live?
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If you have ever compared prices from Thompsons vs. any other retailer whether online or in a shop, Thompsons prices of the well-known brands will always be MSRP if not higher. They are not even close to being competitively priced when compared to the several other alternatives to buying cigar.

They do not discount their prices at all. Thompsons has several of their own boutique brands which for the most part, people believe to be junk. However, some of their brands have been found acceptable by some smokers.

That being said, Thompsons is not the place to buy your cigars unless you want try some of their brands which when compared to the well know brands are considerably cheaper, but not something that is considered a real alternative to cigars. That is not to say that they don't produce anything good, it's just that most feel why waste money going through their boutique brands when you can buy known brands from other retailers, cheaper.

Thompsons would be a great place to visit and oogle the various brands that they sell. But if you want to actually buy reasonably priced, good cigars, there are other proven avenues to take. And if you wish to take one of those other acceptable avenues, members of this and other cigar bulletin boards can help you.
 
The best cigar store to visit in Tampa is Tampa Sweethearts. Itis owned by Arturo Funete, brother to Carlos Fuente Senior. They always have a great supply of Fuente products. Here is their web site. http://www.tampasweetheart.com/

Another good store in Ybor City is Metropolitan cigars, they have an excellent inventory of most brands.
 
Ther are plenty of places to go in Tampa.

I suggest a morning of walking around Ybor City and lunch at the Columbia.

Here is a link for you

http://www.ybor.org/default.asp

One note about Tampa Sweethearts, while the Fuente deals abound, this is not a true tobacco shop like the Metropolitan that Master suggested (which is worth a visit). Tampa Sweetherarts is basically an office/warehouse where they let you purchase smokes. You literally purchase them through a window in the lobby. They are extermely nice and will galdly talk with you, but just dont expect a typical cigar store.

Enjoy your trip there. Lots of history and gret smoke shops.
 
Corona Cigar Company is in central Florida and have a nice place to sit and have a smoke. And they have events from time to time.

http://www.coronacigar.com/events/index.asp

If you're by Disney World they have a Sosa Cigar outlet in Downtown Disney, but they have the usual tourist type pricing, but you will find some highend type smokes. I understand there is also a cigar place in the Citywalk marketplace at Universal Orlando, although I have never been there.

Mike
 
I went to Thompson's a couple years back. It was an interesting visit. Not a typical smoke shop. No way at that time to purchase singles. We just walked through what appeared to remind me of the inside of a mall. Not a store in the mall but the mall itself. It was like they rolled everything into the center of a mall. I did purchase a box of La Aroma de Cubas and the nice gentleman gave me some more of them in a different vitola for free as I checked out. He also gave me some flavored ones for my wife, who was with me at the time. I will probably not go back when I am in the area this summer but I am glad I made the trip that one time.

YMMV

Only thing I ever bought from them...and the only thing I ever will.

So I'm just wondering out of the people who responded so far has anyone actually gone there?
 
Is Metropolitain Cigars still around in Ybor City?
I went there about 5 years ago, nice shop, dont know about the prices however.
 
I stopped in two years ago before knowing any better.

I did get a sampler pack that had some good sticks in it. The price seamed fair.

Im thinking the only real reason to stop in there may be to get in on their Xicar cutter deal if they still have it. I also have a cheapo Nibo torch lighter from there that has held up fine.

Im sure the other places that people have posted about would be time better spent.

Russell
 
I recently moved from Tampa. Don't waste your time going to Thompsons; it blows on ice. Metropolitan Cigars is still there (or was 6 months ago anyway) and I also thought it was a cool store (not sure about prices either). Just go to Ybor City and you can visit several cigar stores as well as Tampa Sweethearts, which by the way looks like a crackhouse. You can at least pick up some FLor de Ybor bundles or samplers there. Also, there is a cigar bar in St. Pete that is pretty cool, but I forgot their name (in downtown though so it is not difficult to find on foot if you park anywhere near USF or peir). They have a great houseblend with a band that has something like a compass and "St. Petersberg" written on it.

Also, Thompsons only sells bundles and boxes if I remeber correctly, and they are not cheap. They also have some humidors that were also very pricey.
 
I second the Master. I was searching for a place to buy my first 5ers, and Tampa Sweethearts had some good reviews. I believe they are actually rolling there also. This is where they get thier stripes to move up to the Fuente brand. Probably much more interesting than Thompson's in my opinion.

Jason

The Master said:
The best cigar store to visit in Tampa is Tampa Sweethearts. Itis owned by Arturo Funete, brother to Carlos Fuente Senior. They always have a great supply of Fuente products. Here is their web site. http://www.tampasweetheart.com/

Another good store in Ybor City is Metropolitan cigars, they have an excellent inventory of most brands.
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Well, thanks for the responses. I am not sure how to respond to those who counseled me not to visit Thompson's but who have never visited it themselves. I know ALL about Thompson's and I also know that what goes on at the store fronts of many businesses and their presence on line in catalogs, etc can differ. As it turns out I grew up and live in Cigar central USA; Miami. I can go drive down to Little Havana and visit a half dozen great Tobacco companies within mile drive of each other. Heck, I am pretty much a regular at Padron's and El Credito. I was just curious if there are any deals, specials, etc available at the Thompson's Retail Outlet that would make it worth my time to drop in while I am going to be in the area anyway later this week. Some places, like Mike's, for example, have in store specials. That is what I am asking about. Cheap deals on cutters, lighters, close out cigars, etc. I am headed out to pick up Cigars in Little Havana this Monday and will likely stop in at Padron's and El Credito as usual. I have to stock up for the impending hurricane season in a few months! Thanks to all who responded and especially to those who have actually visited Thompson's.
 
MJL said:
I know ALL about Thompson's


If you "know all about Thompson's" why did you ask the question? I don't believe you will find any experienced cigar smoker who would patronize Thompson's.

As far as "deals"...great deals are available at many fine and reputable dealers...one of which Thompson's is not!
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mingkou said:
Also, Thompsons only sells bundles and boxes if I remeber correctly, and they are not cheap. They also have some humidors that were also very pricey.
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This was true when I visited. No singles or fiver's of any kind that I can remember. If you have the experience with the other stores you mentioned I don't think Thompson's will offer you much. The humidors were expensive but were very nice looking except for the Thompson's metal plate on the front of them!

Good luck!
 
Pegleg said:
... I don't believe you will find any experienced cigar smoker who would patronize Thompson's.

As far as "deals"...great deals are available at many fine and reputable dealers...one of which Thompson's is not!
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If a smoker were to visit Thompsons and find something that he/she enjoyed and at what they considered a reasonable price, then that would qualify as a deal in his or her eyes.

A true cigar lover that enjoys a cigar for the pleasures that it can bring, and NOT for the prestige that some believe that smoking an over-priced premium will bring them, will find their deal in many places. And if that were not true, Thompsons would have ceased to exist a long time ago.

Somebody...MANY somebodies must be finding SOMETHING that they like at Thompsons because it seems to be doing just fine as an mail order and internet tobacconist. And they have a reputation of being very generous when it comes to supporting the fight against those who would deny us the pleasures of a good cigar, where ever that cigar may come from, and for that I have to give them credit. We're all in this together. :)

However, I've often wondered if they would be so generous to the cause if their prices were more competitive and they were not over-charging like they usually do.
 
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