My hometown hates good cheap cigars...maybe?

[Rocket Scientologist]

I think that's the norm for most B&M. They carry cigars that sell, and also appeal to any Joe that walks in off the street. That's why most B&M carry big name cigars - Macanudo, Montecristo, Arturo Fuente, etc. And the cheap sticks are low quality. If they sell a sub $5 cigar that's good, then some people wouldn't spend $10 for something else, IMHO.

That's also why finding a B&M that carries boutique brands or small batch or hard to find cigars is a real luxury. Those B&M are catering to the experienced smoker.

[Upstatemax]

I think that's the norm for most B&M. They carry cigars that sell, and also appeal to any Joe that walks in off the street. That's why most B&M carry big name cigars - Macanudo, Montecristo, Arturo Fuente, etc. And the cheap sticks are low quality. If they sell a sub $5 cigar that's good, then some people wouldn't spend $10 for something else, IMHO.

That's also why finding a B&M that carries boutique brands or small batch or hard to find cigars is a real luxury. Those B&M are catering to the experienced smoker.

Agree.

However, sometimes shop owners simply cater to their own taste...

My local shop falls right into this category. Brands and lines rarely change, and the owner likes big ring gauge sticks. So 90% of his stuff is big gauge stuff that I'm not interested in. Most of the lines he carries that I wanted to try, I did.

It's a sad day when I walk into a cigar shop with a sizable walk in humidor and struggle to find something I want to buy...

However, in downtown Saratoga Springs there is a pretty good shop that brings in new stuff pretty often. They carry some boutique brands as well as the big names and the owner brings in what CUSTOMERS want...

I'll happily drive the extra 20 minutes to go to the Saratoga shop.