Brick & Mortar Philosophy

[Herf N Turf]

Wow! There are some really great, informative responses here and most are on the money.

I only have a couple things to add.

First, you're right about your right to good customer service. Just as long as you bear in mind that if you're in there during everyone's lunch hour, or right after everyone gets off work, it's not reasonable to expect, "excellent customer service", or a two hour indulgence of your fancies. The guy's gotta make a living and as was pointed out, it ain't easy. We're talking about an average ticket item of 8 bucks and you've got to sell a ton of 8 buck items to pay your rent. He's gotta make hay when he can, so if there's a line at the counter, don't try to take him away from it to answer detailed questions. Just common sense, really.

One thing that's not been mentioned, but sort of ties in with display space is the fact that many stores are "sponsored" on some level or another. Cigar distributors give out a lot of promotional items, events, merchandise enticements, etc., with the expectation (whether implicit, or not) of some exclusivity. Many retailers are "in bed" to some extent with certain makers/distributors and while it may be a "deal with the devil" in the long term, it is of great benefit to the retailer. My point is, it may or may not be in his best short term interest to carry a small number of limited releases, newest and coolest, boutique, or otherwise sticks. Not only does it cost him display space, but it might twist up the knickers of his main supplier. In other words, "don't poop where you sleep" lol.

I'm a huge fan and supporter of the B&M. In my opinion, they provide an invaluable and irreplaceable service to our community. They take the risk of stocking perishable items for our enjoyment and indulgence with very little, or no promise they'll sell. It's a little like selling fish, or produce. There's an expiration date, both in terms of durability as well as public interest. With so many "fly by night" cigar operations out there, who might be the hottest thing since running water today, but might be forgotten in a year, a retailer has to be very careful not to get seduced by the wrong product. Even with lots of product knowledge and market experience, everyone gets caught with their pants down from time to time.


B&M's allow me to go in and pick up 5-10 cigars I'm unfamiliar with, or might only want a few of in my collection. I don't have to make a box-style commitment and I also have the luxury of being able to SEE exactly how they're stored. Speaking of which, the B&M also has the luxury of storing their inventory much closer to where I like to smoke my cigars. Online retailers, for the most part, are forced to store stock much higher in RH than I can enjoy. They do so in order to ward off probable ill-effects of shipping and general transport. Cigars dry out pretty fast in the back of a brown van in July, so subjecting them to humidities of upwards of 75% is common place. Ever try to smoke a 75% RH cigar? Not fun.

[Yarddog]

Yes, some great replies, and some outstanding insight! H&T, I agree with your desire to support your local B&M's, and while I do shop on-line specials to keep the price of my bread and butter smokes down, I do use the B&M's for those 'special' ceegars that I might want to try one or two of. And I believe that FireRunner is spot on with his assessment that rent space is the biggest expense for a retailer, especially out here where it seems that property owners and managers would rather see their spaces vacant and earning nothing than get that extra five bux a square foot.

Tell ya what, though, one pays the price for the amenites. I have been interested in a Diamond Crown Julius Caeser since I read a couple of good reviews. Went into the local upscale store...the one where I bought two cigars lately, about $27.00 worth, a grabbed a lighter that goes for $10-15 anywhere else, the total bill was $67.55...hmmm...that Caesar was north of $22.00...went into a cigar store in Santa Barbara in a strip mall, much friendlier and informative owner, same cigar was a little over $18.00...and the MSRP was a few dollars less.

Yeah, paying over MSRP is pretty much the name of the game in SoCal, and I reckon most consumers haven't checked prices on the Interweb, but you do pay a price for that ambience, and that's something I'm not gonna really get any advantage of. Anyway, love the participation, would like to hear from a boutique cigar maker or two with their philosophies on dealing with the end sellers...

[droy1958]

A B&M's philosophy is the same as everyone else's. You try to buy a nickel for 2 cents and sell it for a nickel. If the service is good, go for it....Just sayin' if you're not cool with it, check online....Not trying to sound like an @$$....

[Demuths1770]

A B&M's philosophy is the same as everyone else's. You try to buy a nickel for 2 cents and sell it for a nickel. If the service is good, go for it....Just sayin' if you're not cool with it, check online....Not trying to sound like an @$$....

i know for a fact this is not true with all B&Ms. the local shop i go to has incredible prices to begin with and than you get a 20% discount on top of them. for example a box of ratzillas he sells for 132$ in store with the discount they are around 106$. i really think location, class/age of people coming to the b&m an the owners passion all have a lot to do with the prices as well. find a B&M with a owner that has a passion for cigars that has customers who have a passion for cigar smoking.

[Demuths1770]

don brought up a good point about stores being sponsored. i know my one local B&M is an official Rocky Patel lounge. he has all kinds of Rocky Patel stuff hanging up and is always posting on facebook about what RP is sending to the shop now. Im not a huge RP fan so i dont get to his shop a lot because he has a huge RP inventory lol. plus he also trash talks a lot about the owner of the shop i go to the most which is the farthest from me. his prices, discount, selection, events, lounge and knowledge is the reason i drive close to 40 minutes to go there.

[Yarddog]

I never considered a store being 'sponsored'...that would certainly skew the game...like a Rocky Patel franchise outlet, I reckon...I haven't seen that yet out here in our area...

[Demuths1770]

I never considered a store being 'sponsored'...that would certainly skew the game...like a Rocky Patel franchise outlet, I reckon...I haven't seen that yet out here in our area...

diamond crown is another one that i know dose it. i have another local shop that has two lounges. the first is the public lounge the second is the members only diamond crown lounge

[allusred]

I never considered a store being 'sponsored'...that would certainly skew the game...like a Rocky Patel franchise outlet, I reckon...I haven't seen that yet out here in our area...

Reminds me of the UK pubs tied to a certain brewer, works very well there, but doesn't seem right for B&Ms here.

[Demuths1770]

Reminds me of the UK pubs tied to a certain brewer, works very well there, but doesn't seem right for B&Ms here.

sponsored my be a bad word for it. i know with the Rockey Patel its because the shop sells alot of rp cigars. by being "sponsored" by them he gets the first chance at new releases gets to sell exclusive rp merchandise and so on. it dose not limit his inventory from other brands or other events. it basically makes him an exclusive Rocky dealer.

[Zeede]

I think it's more like being a preferred retailer.