My most local shop which also had a lounge granfathered* in closed up a year or two ago.

Don't know the reason but imho if it's not the taxes (moreso in other states) then it's the online competition on overall price that is hurting many of the b&m's. And of course not just in the cigar industry but in many others, too. Hence the ghost town some malls have become.

Which reminds me, the long established "Tinder Box" (a national chain of cigar shops) also closed in the local mall.
So to answer your question, @jhendrick, here in NC anyway, yes, this is a trend.

* btw, by "grandfatheted" I mean the law in NC currently states that all cigar shops, bars, lounges and the like that include smoking on-premise must be free-standing facilities and not part of a series of attached businesses like a strip center or such.

The one I mentioned that closed up was in a strip center, so who knows, aside from the business challenges I mentioned maybe the rent just got too high or the landlord decided not to renew their lease.

Not a big deal to me because like @emperorzurg, i never felt at home there as carrying on a conversation was like pulling teeth (like seemingly everywhere else I go here).
Now, when in NY, I frequent a little shop that has a friendly owner and great folks coming and going and I've always had a very good time. Go figure.

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