Review of 2 Eastern NC B&Ms

[newlifetaxidermy]

I recently went on a duck hunting trip in Eastern North Carolina. I stopped at 1 B&M on the way down and another on the way home. Here is my experience with each.


Top's Cigars in Havelock, NC
Thurs Jan. 1 ~12pm

I was feeling the urges of nature after 2.5 hr in the car as I was approaching Havelock, NC. So, I whipped out my Treo and Googled for cigars in Havelock. Top's came up as the #1 hit, so I gave them a call to see if they were open and to get directions. A few minutes later, I pulled in the driveway. After a quick run to their restroom, I came back to the counter and asked where the cigars were at as I had not seen a humidor. The owner walked me over to a sliding glass door and he flipped on a light switch. Before he would let me enter his humidor, he walked me through a bunch of rules. Basic stuff...no sniffing, don't open tubes, etc. Then as I was ready to walk in, he informed me that I would have to leave my jacket outside the humidor. I have been in many different B&Ms over the years and never been asked to remove my jacket, but I obliged. Upon entering the humidor, I noticed the great selection of cigars available. Many of those without cello had what appeared to be plume on them as I could easily brush it off. The owner said he had over 1000 open boxes and I believe it. The prices were all what i would consider on the high side, but then again, my shopping is usually done online or at a couple B&Ms back home with very reasonable prices. After browsing for awhile, I picked up a couple sticks to smoke while on my hunting trip with the idea that I would stop back in on my way home after the trip to pick up some more smokes. When I went to the register, the owner made a little small talk and I told him that I had been looking for Anejos and I had missed my local B&Ms shipments. What he said next floored me....He said I have them, but you're gonna have to spend more money than this ($20 on 2 sticks) before I will sell them to you. He told me his were from 05 and that he was saving them so that he could get more money for them. He said if I come in more regular or spend more $$ then he would sell me some. I paid for my 2 sticks and left and I will never return. I like to be well treated whether I am buying hundreds of dollars worth of smokes or just a couple for the road. I will spend my money somewhere else. If he treats everyone the way he treated me, he won't stay in business long. What a jackass.


[B}Churchill's Cigars in Morehead City, NC[/B]
Sat. Jan 3 ~3PM

I have driven by this shop on several occasions and never stopped in for whatever reason. But today, nature was calling again. So, I decided I would stop in there instead of just hitting a gas station or fast food place. Churchill's has 2 walk-ins which is kind of awkward...for me anyway. I like have all my selections in one spot so that I can make my choices easier. Back to the story. Upon exiting the restroom, I was greeted by a beautiful lady who showed me the closest of the 2 humidors. She went in the humidor with me and began making small talk and pointing out some different stuff that they have. After a couple minutes I was really tired of her...not because of any other reason except that it is hard for me to shop and pay attention to a woman chit-chatting. She asked of there was something in particular that I was looking for and I said not really that I was just going to look around and that I didn't need any help. She said that she could not leave anyone alone in the humidor because they had experienced a lot of stuff "walking off" lately. This is very annoying to have a clerk standing over your shoulder while you shop. She kept offering advice and making small talk. She finally said, I can see you're not a man who likes a lot of conversation, so I will just keep quiet. Its not that I don't like talking to pretty women, I just prefer to shop for cigars in silence.

The selection at Churchill's is not as good as what I am accustomed to at other shops, but it was still decent, nonetheless. The prices are also high, in my opinion. I did pick up a 4 pk CAO sampler and hit the road. There is a good possibility that I would have bought more cigars if I had been able to concentrate on my shopping. Again, the clerk was just doing her job and being nice...but please, next time, let me shop in silence.


My last comment is about the cigar thefts. I am not used to being watched while shopping. I am not a thief and I hate being treated like one by being watched or having to leave my jacket outside.

[Puffin Fresh]

It's pretty common for shops to save rarer stuff like Anejos for more regular customers. I don't find it in poor taste for them to do it as it's their regulars that keep them in business. While he may have approached telling you about them the wrong way (the way you described it sounds like his comment about buying more was in poor taste), I always appreciate the honesty when it happens to me. Had a worker tell me the owner was saving them for the regulars while on travel earlier this month. He could have just as easily lied to me and I'd have never known.

On the second shop, I also find it annoying when they follow you in, but it's pretty standard practice in the business unless they know you. Not all shops do it. It used to really bother me, but I guess I've mellowed out as I've grown less young.

[newlifetaxidermy]

Yes, I can understand about keeping rare stuff for regulars. However, if were gonna do it, I certainly wouldn't go about telling people in that manner. All he would have had to say is that he was out. End of story....I'm happy and he hasn't lost a customer. On the flipside, I visited a B&M during a visit to my wife's sister's house on Christmas eve. I have only been in there 1 other time. I told the owner I was looking for some Anejos (he was sold out of 2008s) and he sold me 2 from his private stock of 2007s. I did pay almost double the MSRP, but at least he was gracious enough to sell me some. I will be back every time I visit down there. OTOH, I will never shop at Top's again. It was like my money wasn't good enough for him and he let me know it. My feeling about the rare stuff is to sell it and limit quantities. I went in a B&M here in Raleigh the other day and they had several "rare" cigars for sale with a limit of 2 per customer so that everyone gets the chance to enjoy them.


The owner of Top's also made some comments about how he put his Partagas 160s away and will sell them online when the 170s come out for several thousand $$ a box. He said there isn't enough money around Havelock to buy that kind of stuff. Boy is he mistaken. There are TONS of rich folks between New Bern and Beaufort....any idiot can see that if they drive thru and look at all the yachts around.

I have always had someone check on me in the humidor at new shops, but they usually leave me alone after I tell them I don't need help. If you don't trust your customers, you need to have glass walls or a camera and not make folks feel like they are being treated like thieves.

[mrmoose411]

I have gotten similar vibes here in Ohio; I have shopped at a certain B&M quite often over the years, and ALWAYS felt like I was wasting the guys' time. I never dropped any serious bank, but I always purchase a couple sticks, some cutters/lighters here and there, and humidors around Christmas. I never cracked this guy; always felt like I was 10 years old wandering around in there. I now frequent a much smaller shop closer to my new residence, same city. So much better, guy knows me after two visits, remembers what I like, all that.
So I drive the 20 minutes to watch the game with my dad this weekend, stop in at the old place, and whaddya know, guy still sucks. I ask if he has any El Rey Del Mundo's, as I'd like to try them, and don't see them in the humi. He looks at me like I'm stupid, and says "Should." I then have to say very slowly, "Can you show me where?" He goes in, pulls out an open box w/ 2 left from behind another box of RyJ's on completely the wrong shelf. Looking back, I should've just left and waited to go home, but I was jonesing. On top of that, his prices are a good $3-$4 higher than the new place.

In case anyone from OH reads this thread, crabby owner was Timba, new place I like is Burning Leaf.

[friz]

I live in Massachusetts and while visiting Wilmington, NC went to Brookelynn cigars. The owner was great and so where the people there smoking. They were very welcoming. Check it out if you are in that area