Visit to local tobacco shop.

I've been in the market to purchase my first pipe setup. I work in a number of cities in my state, traveling between hospitals. When pulling into one of my accounts today, I saw a local tobacco shop. The hand carved wooden sign had the name of the shop and a pipe on it.

Around lunch time I had a few minutes to spare. I decided to take a walk down. I had a vision in my mind of what I was about to experience. I pictured an older gentleman that was about to mentor me on pipes, tobacco and life. I was prepared to purchase a pipe, a pipe tool and at least one pouch of tobacco.

As soon as I opened the door, this vision fell to pieces.

There were two gentlemen working the shop. One of them was screaming into a portable phone in a language that I've never heard before. The other looked me up and down like I was going to rob the place.

I asked the non screaming gentleman about pipes. I told him that I was interested in an entry level pipe. He walked me over to a glass cabinet filled with spiraled glass pipes. We were clearly on two different pages, possibly not even in the same book.

I asked him about "tobacco pipes". He told me that all of their pipes were tobacco pipes and gave me a wink.

When I made it clear that I wanted a traditional tobacco pipe, he went into the back room and came out with a boxed "Peterson" pipe. The pipe was attractive, but was $185.

I thanked the man and left. I will continue to look around for a shop that is more in line with what I'm looking for.

That sucks. We have a couple of really nice shops around here.

This place was in a downtown area of a not so nice city. I guess I should have expected it.

There is a shop closer to my house that I drove past yesterday. I am going to try and check that place out.

Sounds just like all the "Tobacco" shops in my town. Try checking Cigar shops instead, often-times they are more professional.

That sort of tobacco shop keep a small amount of traditional pipes and supplies to comply with some legal restrictions (at least in my state). The generally have no intentions of selling them and price them accordingly.

Cigar shops are the way to go. There's a place down the street from me marketed at "Chicago's Largest Smoke Shop." Bongs, bowls, and incense. That's about it. A few hookahs here and there, and no tobacco to be seen. They had one traditional pipe, a decent Kaywoodie Signet for about $25. The thing was covered in dust, but I snatched it up anyways.

Sad story, try out cigar shops, look up tobacconist in your area... Good Luck!

Hunter said:

Sad story, try out cigar shops, look up tobacconist in your area... Good Luck!

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I found a review for the place closer to my home and it seems like it will be better. I'm going to try and stop in later in the week.

Hopefully it will be a better experience.

They are all for Tobacco *wink* haha

Yeah. Had the same experience. Walk in, ask the lady for a tobacco pipe, and shows me a 12 foot long display full of all sorts of handblown whirleygig not tobacco pipes.....after telling her that this wasn't at all what I was after she got the hint and had a small bucket full of normal wooden pipes without that stupid pointy green leaf painted on the bowls.

These guys did have a small bucket of what looked like "normal" pipes. I asked what brand they were and the guy said "smoking". I picked one up. At the bottom of the bowl was what appeared to be a rusty screw head.

It did not look like something that I would put it my mouth.

The feel you are looking for I myself just experienced in Nat Sherman's in Manhatten (42nd st. and 5th ave.). A really professional shop!
Unfortunatly I think you will get a much better deal on a pipe online. I used (as suggested to me here on B&B) http://Smokingpipes.com You don't have to order oline, you can even call and have a very pleasant conversation. I usually deal with Barry. If you search a pipe online and call about it they will pull the pipe and call you back to discuss the details of the pipe. A very courteous and professional shop as well!

Bk124tt said:

The feel you are looking for I myself just experienced in Nat Sherman's in Manhatten (42nd st. and 5th ave.). A really professional shop!
Unfortunatly I think you will get a much better deal on a pipe online. I used (as suggested to me here on B&B) http://Smokingpipes.com You don't have to order oline, you can even call and have a very pleasant conversation. I usually deal with Barry. If you search a pipe online and call about it they will pull the pipe and call you back to discuss the details of the pipe. A very courteous and professional shop as well!

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Thanks for the suggestion. I've been to Nat Sherman's. (Years ago for cigars.) Definitely a great shop!

I'll check out the website that you recommended.

Sad .

Repeated this exercise today. I was at another one of my accounts in another city and stopped into a shop with a sign that said "Cigars & Tobacco".

This place seemed to split their profits between glass pipes and e-cigarettes.

I still haven't made it to the shop near my house. Hopefully tomorrow. I leave my area of the state before its open and return after its closed. We'll see what happens tomorrow.

Sorry you are having a tough time Liberty. I hope you can find a place that will help you. Might just have to go online.

Maybe you can trade some cheesecake for some samples and a pipe on the B&B.

I understand your pain, Living in a college town. There are probably 4-5 "pipe shops", all of them are simply stocked with nothing but glass pipes. The only tobacco pipe shop here is so ridiculously overprice that I cant see myself every buying anything from him. His average markup is around 100-150% of the normal price. Frog Morton is an astounding $50 a tin there.

Rockminer said:

Sorry you are having a tough time Liberty. I hope you can find a place that will help you. Might just have to go online.

Maybe you can trade some cheesecake for some samples and a pipe on the B&B.

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I think you may be right about going online.

I am really holding out hope for this shop near me. It's a more suburban area.

My hope is to find someplace local where I can get some face time with an old time pipe smoker that can educate me. I'd like to smell and handle some tobaccos as opposed to going solely based on reviews.

That said, if I have to go online I will.

Cheesecake is open to anybody that wants some. (I just might need to educate myself on the best way to freeze & ship frozen!!)

I've got a buddy that is a lifelong cigar smoker. I'm going to reach out to him and see where he frequents.

Sadly there are two types of shops out there; Tobacco Outlets and then you have true Tobacconists. Tobacconists are still around, you just have to search them out, whomever said "look for cigar shops" is right, find a premium cigar shop and normally you also find a good supply of pipes and piping supplies.

My salespeople sell to both of these channels, and the differences in the two types of shop's management styles is dramatic. The thing is, both the tobacco outlet and tobacconist serve a viable market in the US. Many tobacco outlets are moving to more of a head shop feel, which I hate, but there's money in it. These guys are so heavily regulated by the FDA now that they are looking for every angle to make money, so sadly the add **** like water pipes, etc to replace lost revenues in smoking tobacco.

If you can give me an idea of where you are in CT...I can probably recommend a nice shop for you to visit ;-)