Tobacco Store Etiquette

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by Dgar

Just go in and ask ... my bet is they wont mind.

Zakly. I've been in a couple of the OV shops and the operators couldn't have been nicer.

[DBCcigar]

I've never seen someone get mad over someone firing up a pipe. It's when a cigarette is sparked when people get pissed.

[brianwalden]

Originally Posted by contract

If your looking for a cigar bar in the area, try Alto Plaza in Centreville.

Thanks for the tip, I'll have to give it a shot sometime.

[tshaw]

I also live in Reston, are you going to Old VA in Dulles mall? If so, they are extremely nice and definitely will not mind you smoking there. Proper etiquette is buying something, even a small item from them. If I were you, I would go in and look at the pipes, start asking questions, tell whoever is there that your new, say that you go there to buy everything all the time and you figured it would be a great place to learn. Pull your pipe out and smoke! Also, if you live in Reston, J.B. Haynes is a great place to go and smoke and they also let you try bowls of their tobacco for free while your there! (Buying at least 2 ounces is proper though). I love their tobacco as well, they are located in Fair Oaks mall. Another really nice place that just reopened recently is Cigar Town in Reston Town center, they are helpful, there is also one located in Fairfax Corner.

[brianwalden]

Originally Posted by tshaw

I also live in Reston, are you going to Old VA in Dulles mall? If so, they are extremely nice and definitely will not mind you smoking there. Proper etiquette is buying something, even a small item from them. If I were you, I would go in and look at the pipes, start asking questions, tell whoever is there that your new, say that you go there to buy everything all the time and you figured it would be a great place to learn. Pull your pipe out and smoke! Also, if you live in Reston, J.B. Haynes is a great place to go and smoke and they also let you try bowls of their tobacco for free while your there! (Buying at least 2 ounces is proper though). I love their tobacco as well, they are located in Fair Oaks mall. Another really nice place that just reopened recently is Cigar Town in Reston Town center, they are helpful, there is also one located in Fairfax Corner.

Wow, thanks for all the advice. Yeah I normally go to Old VA at the Dulles Town Center. I'll have to go to J. B. Haynes sometime. I've been to Cigar Town once but got the feeling they were more knowledgable about cigars and just kept a few pipes and tobaccos around for show - but maybe I just happened to walk in there on a bad day.

[brianwalden]

Last night it was raining here so I filled my pipe and went to Old Virginia Tobacco Co. I asked if I could smoke and the owner said that he'd let me this time but because of the upcoming legislation they're changing their policy so you have to buy something in the store. I told him I intended to buy something and he clarified that you have to smoke what you buy - like I'd have to buy a tin and open it up and fill my bowl right there. That doesn't seem right. Not the rule itself - it's his shop he can make whatever rules he wants. But the tobacco ban in VA doesn't start until December and when I was last in the store a month ago I asked one of the guys behind the counter and he said they weren't affected by it because they weren't a bar or restaurant. Now maybe he's under pressure from the mall (the store is inside a mall) or he just saw a young punk who didn't mesh with the usual middle aged people who smoke in his store and didn't want me messing up the atmosphere. Whatever the reasons, it's disappointing.

Anyway, despite the bad start the guys there were amazingly helpful as usual and I enjoyed learning about tobacco from them while smoking. The problem I discovered is they don't carry a lot of pipe stuff. Sure they have a ton of pipes (most of which are way out of my range) and a score of bulk blends. But at this point I can't buy a lot of bulk blends they just won't last long enough for me to smoke them. I was hoping to be able to stop in and buy a tin every week or two and slowly build up a cellar. The only tins they had (besides tins of their own blends) were the Frog Morton series, a bunch from the Peterson line, three Mac Baren blends, and three McClelland's personal reserve blends.*

I asked about big names I've heard on here like Penzance and Squadron Leader and they said they stopped carrying them because they didn't sell. I asked if they sold any of those tobacco humidifier discs and they said they stopped carrying them a few years ago. I asked about corn cobs or the classic drugstore tobaccos - nada. The small things like that are particularly annoying. I like the convenience of being able to get everything in one place. So if they'd carry the little things like the humidifiers, folding pipe stands, softy bits, etc., I'd have another reason to stop in and almost certainly buy a tin of tobacco to go with whatever small thing I needed. I dunno. I can't get over the cognitive dissonance of having a staff who are all incredibly knowledgeable about pipes (and happy to share that knowledge) with a stock that doesn't meet the practical needs of a pipe smoker.

So anyway I ended buying a tin of McClelland's Blackwoods Flake and a tin of Altoids. I didn't know what Blackwoods was until I got home, but I just bought it knowing that McClelland's makes good tobacco. I was pleasantly surpirsed that it's very highly rated on tobaccoreviews.com. The stamp on the bottom says 301105 - does that mean it was tinned on Nov 30, 2005? If so, double score for me.

So, I'm sorry for rambling on for so long. What's a pipe smoker to do? I want to support my local B&M, but they don't get enough pipe business to carry a variety of tobacco. This has got to be a vicious cycle. I'm sure that the less they carry, the less pipe smokers will frequent their store - which means they'll carry even less tobacco and so on.

*I just looked on their website and they have more tobaccos online than they actually had in the store. But man, it's just frustrating. If I'm going to buy online I'm going to buy from one of the big guys who have lower prices (and are out of state so I don't have to pay taxes). The whole point of a B&M is being able to walk in and walk out with a stash of new stuff - I'm willing to pay a little more for that. Sorry, I'll stop my rant now. I'm going to try J. B. Hayes which tshaw recommended tonight.

[dmkerr]

Brian,

You've just hit on why there are so few shops in my area that have much pipe stuff. It just doesn't sell. Pipes sell... and "shop's blends" tobacco sell (because that's what they always push - nice margins on that stuff, plus for less $$ outlay they can have a lot of different types that appeal to more folks) but tinned tobaccos do not. At least not to the masses.

I think it's going to become harder and harder to support the local B&M's. If we had a good one, I'd support them. If they got support, they'd be good. Vicious cycle, indeed! But it's their job to educate us and sell us; it's not our job to buy!

Brother, if I had a tobacco shop, you'd be welcome in anytime, whether you bought anything or not. Your post makes me wish the folks on this site were closer and could get together at regular intervals to smoke and shoot the shinola.

[BrSpiritus]

When I lived in maryland I used to goto the Davidus cigar shop in Ellicott City. There was a guy in there that was all to happy to let me sit and smoke whatever I brought with me... he was bored I guess most of the day so he relished having someone to talk to. The upside was he blended his own pipe tobacco and was only too happy to share a bowl. Some of his blends were absolutely awesome, and besides cigars/pipes he was an extrememly intelligent guy to talk to. I really miss that store, besides the bulk and house blends they had every tin of tobacco known to man. The local shop here in Jax, Fl just doesn't compare and last time I went in the girl behind the counter had a handwritten "No Smoking" sign on the counter because her kid was there. Guess she couldn't find a babysitter.

[SmokinJohnny]

I think half the reason many local B&M's struggle is they expect business to fall in their lap. Putting inexperienced help behind the counter doen't help much either. Especially when you can go on line with experienced help cheaper. I also understand advertising in an anti smoking prone society is no picnic. I think guys like Frenchy have the right idea by putting on smoke in sessions where his pipe buds sample tins that he (Frenchy) is looking to sell.

As far as the social aspect goes, I like the pipe club concept where you pay an annual fee for a social smoking parlor. Just wish we had one around here.

[dmkerr]

Originally Posted by BrSpiritus

When I lived in maryland I used to goto the Davidus cigar shop in Ellicott City. There was a guy in there that was all to happy to let me sit and smoke whatever I brought with me... he was bored I guess most of the day so he relished having someone to talk to. The upside was he blended his own pipe tobacco and was only too happy to share a bowl. Some of his blends were absolutely awesome, and besides cigars/pipes he was an extrememly intelligent guy to talk to. I really miss that store, besides the bulk and house blends they had every tin of tobacco known to man. The local shop here in Jax, Fl just doesn't compare and last time I went in the girl behind the counter had a handwritten "No Smoking" sign on the counter because her kid was there. Guess she couldn't find a babysitter.

There was a guy here in Indy a long time ago that did the same with smokers. Just stop in, sit down and light up - and shoot the bull. Dave Lewton of The Smoke Ring... just in case Dave ever scans these pages... I salute you and wish you were back! Absolutely the best pipe man I ever met.

Anyway, those kinds of shops are few and far between. Again, blame the anti-smoking zealots and their second hand smoke soapbox. Really a shame. At some point, man may not be able to enjoy any of the sublime pleasures he has today for fear of offending someone else.

[BrSpiritus]

Originally Posted by dmkerr

There was a guy here in Indy a long time ago that did the same with smokers. Just stop in, sit down and light up - and shoot the bull. Dave Lewton of The Smoke Ring... just in case Dave ever scans these pages... I salute you and wish you were back! Absolutely the best pipe man I ever met.

Anyway, those kinds of shops are few and far between. Again, blame the anti-smoking zealots and their second hand smoke soapbox. Really a shame. At some point, man may not be able to enjoy any of the sublime pleasures he has today for fear of offending someone else.

This is why I live in the Philippines, largest group of smokers in the world and I don't have to worry about "offending" anyone. Heck they may even like the smell of my tobacco over the cigarettes they sell over there.

BrSpiritus

[Dgar]

Originally Posted by SmokinJohnny

I think half the reason many local B&M's struggle is they expect business to fall in their lap. .

BINGO we have a winner,

I couldnt agree more, althoiugh I'm sure there are exceptions to the rule, the B/M's in my area offer very little other than smiling faces and higher prices.

We have one Tinderbox with an okay smoking area, nothing great.the Last time I went in on a Sunday, dude running the place had an old western on the TV and was smoking a stogie with his feet kicked up, ......... Pleeze its sunday, Guys want to watch sports. I felt like I was interuppting this guys Sunday afternoon.

There are a lot of nice people in the local B/M's, but I have nice people living next door to me, thats not enought to earn my business.

Alot of B/M's will wine about, Online e-tailers, the playing fields not fair..... wine,wine, wine..... give me some cheeze pleeze... and a reason to shop there.

[SmokinJohnny]

BINGO we have a winner,

I couldnt agree more, althoiugh I'm sure there are exceptions to the rule, the B/M's in my area offer very little other than smiling faces and higher prices.

We have one Tinderbox with an okay smoking area, nothing great.the Last time I went in on a Sunday, dude running the place had an old western on the TV and was smoking a stogie with his feet kicked up, ......... Pleeze its sunday, Guys want to watch sports. I felt like I was interuppting this guys Sunday afternoon.

LOL..not sure about winner as a lot of good views posted here. I know what you mean about lack of enthusiasm on the attendants behalf. Sometimes I wonder if cigar/pipe shops see pipe smokers as low profit margin since a $10 tin of tobacco can give as much pleasure as $50 in cigars.

I do miss the Tinder Box as I was introduced to pipe smoking at a Tinder Box in Tacoma WA 27 years ago. They are not all alike but they were a good store. They taught you how to load, pack, and light a pipe. They remembered you and encouraged you to come in and sample blends out of the counter jars and chat pipes. I miss the Tinder Box in that respect.