[God]

I try to support local business whenever possible however it appears that even my local B&M has gone the way of Walmart. This is not a small B&M... they are a large shop with an extensive selection.

I had my wife stop to pick me a few sticks for the weekend on some cigars I am out at home. The resulting experience makes me think that they have gone to staffing with the same help you find at a convenience store.

She had a written list of specifically what I wanted. The "clerk" at the shop seemed unsure of where or if they stocked the following items. What he sold my wife was close, but pardon the pun, no cigar.

Here is the list:
Acid Roam
Partagas Black Maximo Tubo
CAO Brazilia Impanema or Lambada

Here is what I got:
Acid Roam - Conveniently packed in the same bag with the other cigars :frown:
Partagas Black Chrystal Tube - From my experience, while I love all the PB cigars, only the Maximo Tubo is the only cigar in the line with consistent quality and no burning issues. I guess he thought that anything in a tube was fine.
CAO Samba - He had problems even finding this cigar in the shop. I have no problems with this cigar except that he specifically told my wife it was the Lambada... clearly not knowing what he is selling.

Okay... I'm done with my rant. And I'm sure I will still by some cigars from time to time at the B&M, but only when I can do it myself. Their "help" is evidently there to simply collect the money.

 

[jessejava187]

Im sorry, Im so glad the BandMs in seattle are great, I hate to buy on the net, so I geuss im the not like you at all

 

[jessejava187]

BTW, welcome back

 

[SMOKE20]

sorry to here you had a bad experience

 

[CraigJS]

Perhaps a talk with the owner would help? If they don't have a list of the sticks that they normally carry, perhaps they should. If they don't have the sticks you request, they should know that you don't want something else.. Perhaps their meat and potatoes (buyers), wouldn't know sh** from a good grade of clay. Perhaps they just don't care?

 

[whodeeni]

About 6 months ago, I said the same thing too! I'm never buying
from a b&m again because they cost too damn much. Then I
started looking for HTF's and started realizing some of the treasures
just sitting on the shelf, and I kinda had an attitude "readjustment"
of sorts!

 

[God]

Perhaps a talk with the owner would help? If they don't have a list of the sticks that they normally carry, perhaps they should. If they don't have the sticks you request, they should know that you don't want something else.. Perhaps their meat and potatoes (buyers), wouldn't know sh** from a good grade of clay. Perhaps they just don't care?

I am certainly going to have a talk with the owner the next time I visit the shop. I don't mind if they are out of what I want... it just irritated me that the clerk tried to pass off different cigars claiming to be something different. Kind of like my wife going to have her car fixed and the mechanic running a line of bs assuming that she doesn't know.

Then again... you may be correct with the "they just don't care" comment.

 

[ckay]

I buy a lot online. Only time I buy at a B&M is when I am looking for an Opus. My local B&M doesn't have a lot of the smokes I enjoy. Lastly, NYS tobacco tax jacks the prices of smokes 100%.

 

[jeepthing]

I like buying from my local B&M, very nice people to deal with. Run sales often and have a decent collection of cigars

 

[brennivin]

I've had mixed experiences.

One shop is great on customer service, and has some nice stuff, very well maintained, but their selection often seems limited. There's always something I'm looking for that I can't find.

One shop has decent service, the stock is well kept, but the selection varies wildly. Sometimes it's bountiful and lovely, other times the humi's half empty.

There was one I really liked, decent selection, well kept humi, and the people were nice. But last time I went in, I'd say the customer service ranked a solid 0/10 ... because there was none ... we were ignored entirely. On our way out, they jumped all over themselves to help an apparent regular.

Because of that ... I do often buy online. I always get what I want, and the one or two places I go have always done me right on price, handling, and shipping.

Jessejava ... I'd love a PM about the Seattle shops you frequent.

 

[Cigary]

I was going to read the post but when read the ID I kinda froze up because I was trying to understand out of all the choices one can make for an online ID that one was chosen? There are some that are funny and some that make you think....this just makes me shake my head because of the lack of respect.

 

[orca99usa]

Some B&Ms, especially the "volume" ones, seem to lack the personal touch. For instance, there is one in my area run by an Indian tribe. You are lucky if they know what they have, let alone make a suggestion for anything. One employee told an obvious cigar novice who was looking for cigars for a bachelor party, "They're all good. It's just a matter of what you want to spend" (I helped the guy out after the employee left).

 

[jessejava187]

I was going to read the post but when read the ID I kinda froze up because I was trying to understand out of all the choices one can make for an online ID that one was chosen? There are some that are funny and some that make you think....this just makes me shake my head because of the lack of respect.

Huh, yeah i was thinking the same thing gary, but guess i didnt have the nuts to say it lol
I dont like it either

 

[justme]

I have a local one that I think makes the prices up as he goes. Nothing is marked. I picked up a box about 6 months ago that I thought was over priced but he inisted I was wrong. I got home and found out he was wrong, went back and brought it to his attention. He finally decided to call his supplier and found out he was wrong. Still wouldn't give any money back but store credit. Picked up some other singles and 5 packs with the credit. Haven't been back and probably wont:ask:

 

[aroma]

I was going to read the post but when read the ID I kinda froze up because I was trying to understand out of all the choices one can make for an online ID that one was chosen? There are some that are funny and some that make you think....this just makes me shake my head because of the lack of respect.

Agree 110%

 

[FN in MT]

Lucky Bastards! I don't have a decent B&M within a hundred miles. Prices are ridiculous, basically 2X internet prices. NONE will allow you to light up INSIDE either!

When I visit my Family in NJ the local B&M in Barnegat is one of the high points of the trip. Friendly, great prices and a nice crowd of guys to sit down, BS and enjoy a nice stick.

Same for my couple of trips each year to Reno...Fumare is a slice of HEAVEN.

FN in MT

 

[zitro_joe]

Maybe he was new...It looks like he tried. I don't know. It is a inconvenience, but I don't think it is a reason to write-off a place.

 

[ama]

I don't like the prices at my B&M, but no one does. Not even the owners. It is in my best interest to keep it in business though because it is a great place to go to relax and smoke some cigars.

 

[Zarathustra19]

Deciding you don't like a B&M from one experience is like deciding you hate a cigar after one smoke. Could be a new guy, a temp, a relative to fill in, etc. If you have more than one bad experience, then its time to start thinking where else to go.

I avoid the internet as much as possible for cigar purchases. Huge warehouses usually equal bad conditions for cigar storage.

 

[thebayratt]

I was going to read the post but when read the ID I kinda froze up because I was trying to understand out of all the choices one can make for an online ID that one was chosen? There are some that are funny and some that make you think....this just makes me shake my head because of the lack of respect.

Yup.....

But "God" maybe next time, I'd get my own cigars and this won't happen. If your wife is like mine, she don't know a CAO from a LFD... Thats why I would never send her to get my smokes..........