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Buying cigars...

Sweetleaf69Sweetleaf69 Posts: 43 ✭
in General Discussion
I live in a pretty rural area and access to a good cigar place is just not in the cards for me. However, I do see that lots of folks here seem pretty active with their local places. You call them B&M? (although I have no idea what that means.. Buying and merchandising maybe?) My question is is it worth it to seek one out in another town? Are they that competitive with online pricing? Thanks in advance, and sorry for the lame noob questions...

Comments

  • bigharpoonbigharpoon Posts: 2,963 ✭✭✭
    B&M stands for Brick and Mortar, a reference to a physical building. B&M's definitely have value and we do what we can to support them but competitive pricing is definitely not one of their attributes. On most brands you will never see prices that come close to competing with online prices. Other brands, Fuente for example, are price protected and the online/B&M prices are very similar.

    B&M's are a gathering place for aficionados to gather and share a cigar. The camaraderie and the ability to smoke indoors are worth the extra price as well as having access to some cigars which may not be easily available online, not to mention supporting a community which is struggling to maintain a human facade and not be entirely online.
  • Gray4linesGray4lines Posts: 4,691 ✭✭✭✭✭
    First, B&M stands for "brick and mortar" and is just a term for a real, physical shop you can walk into.

    I think that many are in the same boat as you when it comes to not having a good shop around! Would I travel around to find one, just to support? Probably not, but next time you are drivig, maybe try and find a place or two. If they are reasonably close, why not visit maybe once every month or 2?? That is, if it is a nice, enjoyable shop!

    Price really depends on state and taxes, for starters. Also, you may be able to join a club or get a "member discount." B&M, though, will typically be a little pricier than online. You pay for the experience. BUT, in my experience if you are just grabbing a few, the difference is negligible, and you may find boutique sticks that are hard to find online. (I have even seen hard to find sticks at a B&M that beat online price).

    Price and quality of the experience will vary by store, but if youve never been to a nice tobacco shop, Id highly recommend finding one, just to experience. Bring a friend!
    LLA - Lancero Lovers of America
  • twistedstemtwistedstem Posts: 3,912 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Sweetleaf69:
    I live in a pretty rural area and access to a good cigar place is just not in the cards for me. However, I do see that lots of folks here seem pretty active with their local places. You call them B&M? (although I have no idea what that means.. Buying and merchandising maybe?) My question is is it worth it to seek one out in another town? Are they that competitive with online pricing? Thanks in advance, and sorry for the lame noob questions...
    its good to have one you are familiar with.places occasionaly have "tastings" a rep will come out throw out some freebies and discounts etc..so i would try to find one.
    no matter where you go, there you are.

  • Lee.mcglynnLee.mcglynn Posts: 5,960 ✭✭✭✭
    It depends on the person...me I like going to some in my area and see what's new. Sometimes I feel it's nicer to walk in grab what you want and sit down with other cigar lovers. Most of my friends don't smoke cigars so it's easier to connect with a botl and shoot too *** while not having to rush. But some prices are better then online for a very limited amount of stuff as where most I the time online is much better pricing. I stop in the one b&m at least 4 times a week to shoot the breeze relax and unwind after work. So for me it's well worth it.
    Money can't buy taste
  • RhamlinRhamlin Posts: 9,031 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Also there are lots of cigars made that are strictly for B&M sales. That's one of the great things about a B&M. I always look for something I can't get online or are hard to get online.
  • Jasonc1982Jasonc1982 Posts: 278
    Sure you can buy most cigars online. But there's nothing like walking into a B&M and seeing the cigars for yourself. If you're anything like me I inspect any cigar I buy...which is why I prefer the freedom of handling cigars unlike some places.
  • perkinkeperkinke Posts: 1,572 ✭✭✭
    I enjoy talking to people who love what they do and that's always better, to me anyway, in person. the ccom folks are amazing, but I hate talking on the phone and email is a little impersonal, so I love going into the two B&M's I have found that are sort of nearby and talk to the staff about what's new, unique to their shop, what they're smoking, and let them show me around their humidor. Getting to talk to the other customers is a bonus too. I've been really lucky and haven't run into any seriously pretentious asshats yet.
  • Gray4linesGray4lines Posts: 4,691 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Talking to other people in the shop is my favorite part! I have yet to meet someone who is not just a really nice person. Everyone I have met has been extremely friendly, and fun to talk with.

    You never know who youll meet too. I spoke briefly with a guy, black leather jacket, sunglasses. He left and the owner said, "He's a great guy, you know he's a judge?" Lol!
    LLA - Lancero Lovers of America
  • webmostwebmost Posts: 7,713 ✭✭✭✭✭
    You know there really is no contest here, don't you? Until they invent the smell-o-phone, you just can't beat the brick and mortar store. No, not even with a glossy mail-out twenty page cigar.com catalog full of close up pictures. You want to know if you'll like it? Pick it up and smell the foot.

    Nope. No contest.

    “It has been a source of great pain to me to have met with so many among [my] opponents who had not the liberality to distinguish between political and social opposition; who transferred at once to the person, the hatred they bore to his political opinions.” —Thomas Jefferson (1808)
  • Gray4linesGray4lines Posts: 4,691 ✭✭✭✭✭
    webmost:
    You want to know if you'll like it? Pick it up and smell the foot.

    I eskimo-kiss every cigar I pick out.


    not really, but Web is right.
    LLA - Lancero Lovers of America
  • Mean Bro GreeneMean Bro Greene Posts: 9
    The only problem (if you can really call it that) I have with my favorite local B&M is that I can literally spend about an hour just wandering around the humidor, just basking in the glory. This gets on my fiance's nerves pretty bad lol. She doesn't understand why I can't just pick the ones I know I want and go. I've been late for a few dinners due to a "quick" stop off at the shop. I love ordering online because the prices usually can't be beat, but nothing is better than holding a cigar in your hand and savoring its aroma. On a couple occasions, I've gotten cigars from online orders that were bone dry as well. It's the nature of the beast I suppose.
  • ug danug dan Posts: 375 ✭
    My closest actual B&M is in Reno 280 miles away. Always stop in and spend way too much money! Internet convenience is great, but theres something to be said for actually being able to walk around the humidor!
  • brianetz1brianetz1 Posts: 4,134 ✭✭✭
    Mean Bro Greene:
    The only problem (if you can really call it that) I have with my favorite local B&M is that I can literally spend about an hour just wandering around the humidor, just basking in the glory. This gets on my fiance's nerves pretty bad lol. She doesn't understand why I can't just pick the ones I know I want and go. I've been late for a few dinners due to a "quick" stop off at the shop. I love ordering online because the prices usually can't be beat, but nothing is better than holding a cigar in your hand and savoring its aroma. On a couple occasions, I've gotten cigars from online orders that were bone dry as well. It's the nature of the beast I suppose.
    ask her why she can't just go out and pick the jeans that she likes or the black dress that she likes.

    she'll get it then.......well either that or you'll get it.
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