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Its reasons like this I support local B&M's...

2K views 37 replies 26 participants last post by  szyzk 
#1 ·
So I go to a smoke shop yesterday with my uncle and cousin. Its the one I go to mostly... They ask him for a recommendation, he gave them a few, they got some HP Upmans, I got two Padrons and I got my Dad and Brother a Ti-amo... He says "Stalking up huh?" "I say, "yeah, my sisters weddings tomorrow", and bla bla bla and then right before I leave he says, "take this, you'll enjoy it". It a Cuban Aliados.

Its a $7 cigar. I thought it was really nice, that he gave it to me. I don't want to name the place, because then I feel like i'm advertising for them but if anyone is in the Boston area, I'll PM you the name. You can't get customer service like that at Walmart or if you buy online.
 
#2 ·
No you can't get service like that i agree. But your not paying $7.00 for a $3.00 cigar either. The courtesy you were shown was already factored into the selling price of the cigar. "No free lunch" I believe is the proper terminology! It was nice that you were treated as a customer should. And in the end that's what matters!
 
#3 ·
Cuba Aliados...a Reyes family blend. They are good cigars, but as Tony said...MUCH cheaper online (brobable $1.5-$2.00 a stick) but never-the-less...you are 100% correct, you generally do NOT get things like that from eTailers.

My own personal experience with Reyes has been nothing short of amazing...Frankie (the lead sales guy) send me 200 cigars for the brew fest that I am director of to GIVE AWAY to attendees! 100 Cuba Aliados and 100 Puros Indios...super nice guy that works for a company that "gets it". Enjoy the smoke bro!
 
#4 ·
While it was certainly a nice gesture, some of us simply CAN'T support our local B&Ms exclusively. I'd love to, but in California our tobacco taxes are absurd. So a "$7 smoke" is literally something like a Nick's Stick. Fuente Short Stories go for $11.95. It's like this with everything. It's not all the shop's fault, but it's way too expensive to make a habit out of.

And while I can't get ultra rare or hard to find cigars online at the mega retailers, I'd imagine that an Opus X at my local shop would go for well over $50. No thanks.
 
#5 ·
Being in Canada, we are hit hard with tobacco taxes, and then sales taxes, so even the prices that Joe speaks of are, to me, bargains.

I too support B&M's, but only a limited basis. Typically, I buy singles from B&M's so that I can try something new. By doing so on a semi-regular basis I'm building relationships that lead me to new discoveries and keep me informed of local cigar related events. Moreover, it helps me to decide what to stock up on when I see it in the BST or when I am travelling out of country.
 
#6 ·
The price all depends on which Cuba Aliados he gave you. The Miami and the Limitado lines are considerably more than the regular Cuba Aliados. But regardless of the amount, you're absolutely correct in your assessment of the shop owner. A classy guy who values his customers and deserves their loyalty. Besides, I've yet to find an online shop where I can smoke!
 
#9 ·
You can tell us which B&M it was. Its not going to look like advertising at this point. Glad you had a great experience though, many B&M's go the extra mile that a lot of internet retailers simply wont.
 
#13 ·
I also like to support my local B&M but here in California, the taxes are a killer. When I was on the road and had a chance to stop at B&M's across the country, I was shocked at how much cheaper it was than here. I still make my weekly pilgrimage and pick up a couple of new sticks or a few old favorites.
 
#15 ·
I wish I had money to burn and support local b&m's. I feel that some take advantage by inflating their prices, example 3.00 online cigar and they sell it for 7.00 excluding taxes around these parts. I don't smoke a whole lot but at 3 sticks a week I would be spending about 60% more than what I do by going the online route and would end up smoking the crappy selection that most guys carry around here. I support online companies that sell at a fair price and carry what I actually want. State taxes are also absurd. Maybe to someone who doesn't smoke more than 3 sticks a month it wouldn't matter.
 
#16 ·
Actually you can get service like that online. I have a vendor that regularly drops prices, supply's oldest boxes without asking & gifts out cool lighters around this time of year. If you build a relationship with most companies they will go the extra mile to keep you as a customer (Not the big corporates though).

Nice hand out though & if the pricing is reasonable considering their overheads I agree they should be supported.
 
#17 ·
I would give anything for a local B&M. The only tabacaria on this island is a glorified news stand that sells the locally made crappy short filler cigars :-o
Yeah, I think all of us fortunate to have a B&M within reasonable driving distance should be grateful. It's a big country and not all smokers have the good fortune to live close enough to a a real tobacconist.

Sure, you can get almost anything in the mail, but nothing can replace walking into a shop, absorbing the ambiance, and interacting with other smokers and the guys that work there that can guide you in a good direction.
 
#18 ·
Yeah, I think all of us fortunate to have a B&M within reasonable driving distance should be grateful. It's a big country and not all smokers have the good fortune to live close enough to a a real tobacconist.

Sure, you can get almost anything in the mail, but nothing can replace walking into a shop, absorbing the ambiance, and interacting with other smokers and the guys that work there that can guide you in a good direction.
For as expensive as they are where I am, nothing beats the smell of a walk-in humidor.
 
#20 ·
The prices of my b/m aren't too bad because they mostly sell cigarettes, etc. They have One walk in humi about 3 feet by 10 feet for cigars. I love them for keeping the humi room correctly humidified and at the right temp, and they give away cigar magazine and cigar aficionado magazine for free (free is the only amount I'll pay for C.A. magazine) and I think that's very cool. I bought 10 bucks worth of cigars, paid about 13.50 and got 17 dollars worth of free magazines. Pick up the new months every time I go in :)
 
#21 ·
The average cigar shop management, in general, is very friendly. My closest cigar shop, if I ever have a wrapper problem, or a cigar has too tight a draw - and if they hear me mention it - they offer me a free replacement cigar no questions asked. If they get a new box in and I want to buy a cigar before they have entered the cigar in the computer system, the manager always sells to me at a very low price. They have free coffee and a nice smoking area. The employees all are friendly and helpful, and will generally strike up a conversation whenever they have free time (while I am sitting there smoking).
It's such a great experience, I have to buy some cigars from the B&M every week.
 
#23 ·
I wish I had a local cigar retailer to spoil me.

Living in a small twon aprox. 5,000 when school is in session, shopping local is a big deal.
Most people I know here shop locaL first. Sometimes you just can not justify there pricing.
And like with cigars or pipe tabaco not much choice.
:amen:
 
#25 ·
I wish I had a local cigar retailer to spoil me.

Living in a small twon aprox. 5,000 when school is in session, shopping local is a big deal.
Most people I know here shop locaL first. Sometimes you just can not justify there pricing.
And like with cigars or pipe tabaco not much choice.
:amen:
I lived in Colorado for a short while and there's no doubt about it, you're w-a-y out there. My guess is you'd have to drive to Aspen to find a large shop, and I would also guess that Aspen prices are not too friendly. It's folks like you for whom the Internet is a godsend.
 
#26 ·
I was hanging out at my favorite B&M and one of the tobacconists told me I should check out the Partagas Black Label Maximos in the humidor. I opened one of the tubos and sure enough the stick was pluming beautifully. I bought one and it was a great smoke. They allowed me to open another box and sure enough it was starting to plume too. I bought the box.

I have bought a lot of boxes online but you will not get that customer service except on the local level and at least try to establish a relationship with the store.

B&M price. 136.00
Online price 102.95 + shipping

I think that is a fair price for pluming cigars, continued good relations and a nudge, nudge, wink, wink from the tobacconist.
 
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