My most recent trip to the B&M

S

Snoman13

ChestBeater
Just thought I'd share a story from my day off today.

Decided to take a trip over to my B&M today, just to look around because the prices up here are insane to buy locally. (44 for a FF OpusX, even more for Habanos)

First of all, to give a frame of reference, the B&M isn't an exclusive cigar shop, its more of a gourmet store with wine accessories, fine kitchenware, etc; aptly named Epicure, and the staff comprises of 3 middle aged men. The store is also located in the wealthiest area 1hr in any direction. So when my 19 year old ass walks in the store, I still have yet to be greeted with a friendly "hello". (I think I was compared to a young Dave Grohl on here once before :r)

I ignore the guy's condescending tone and ask if it'd be alright if I took a look in the humi (walk-in). "Yeah, go ahead he said", following me in. After asking if I needed help with anything and me replying that I was just browsing, followed by an awkward, yet entertaining 5 mins as he stood in the humi with me as I walked around, he finally realized I wasn't going to swipe any Cohibas to use as "wrapping paper" he left to go tend to the customers trying to spend a small country's GDP over their lunch break on cookware.

I continue looking around and lo-and-behold, mold! first hand! I figured I'd bring it to the attention of the guy when I went to check out (at this point, I wasn't leaving there without some cigars :D) I knew it wasn't bloom, but I was also willing to bet dollars-to-Cremosas that he'd try to pass it off as plume.

Well, as I settle on a few sticks (Brazilia, Italia, Fonseca, Aurora 1495) I hear the door open behind me and this girl's voice shout something in leaving to someone outside the humi. Well, of course I'm interested :tu I turn around, praying to the cigar deities that it's not some older woman, and lo-and-behold, she's not! And she's kinda cute.:chk

I realize quickly that she actually works at the shop (he asking me if I needed help with anything clued me in fast enough....although not fast enough to stop me from stuttering some guttural sound, yeah, I'm smooth like that) I told her I was fine, but there was some serious mold on 3 or 4 boxes of ISOMs and she said she'd the the other guy know.

I bring up my sticks to the counter to check out and she's brought the moldy sticks out to the front to show the owner. DING-DING!! I got that one right. First thing out of his mouth:

"No, that's not mold, it's bloom."

Alright, I figured I'd explain a little. "No, it's clearly mold. Bloom, or plume is not fuzzy. And the box code is from aug 07."

"Well, I've never had any complaints so far" was his response.:BS

At this point I could tell he was the kind of guy who wouldn't even consider the fact that some 19 year old kid would know more about his stock that he did so I just ended it with;
"I was just letting you know so you could take care of it if you wanted to. I know how easy it'd be to pass it as bloom, but I just thought I'd let you know if you wanted to protect your stock."

He just sort of muttered something and walked away with the moldy sticks. At this point, I also caught a smirk from the new girl :tu +1 for me.


All in all, an interesting day.
1)Got to see some mold first hand
2)Got to prove to some snobby guy that he might not just be selling to rich businessmen who could care less what they smoke, as long as they have a "Cuban Cigar"
3) Picked up a few sticks for unreasonable prices, although I got a free box to add to the cooler setup

Unfortunately, I think the addition of the new girl working there might see me going back to the shop a little too often for my wallet...:D
 
Good for you pointing it out. As many times as I've heard similar stories, I have a hard time believing that all the B/M's dont know there selling moldy cigars. Sort of Sad, that either A. They dont know and should, or 2. they know but dont care....
 
Sorry to hear about the sterotyping, everyone gets it sooner or later....

Hey a girlfriend who works at a cigar store can't be all bad.... Employee discount?
 
I love these stories. I'm 23 and still stereotyped when I go into any B&M except for the one back home. It won't go away for quiet a few more years, but that gives you all the more opportunity to show off what you know :ss
 
I'm only 20, so I thought the sterotyping would be pretty bad, but turns out most of the people that work at the local shop are in their mid 20's. The owner is an older guy, but he's seen me drop enough cash to know better. Great story:ss.
 
Glad you brought that to thier attention. For that kinda $$ that those sticks go for, I woulda said something too. Glad the cute chick gave ya a smile :D
Scott
 
McCharlie said:
I'm only 20, so I thought the sterotyping would be pretty bad, but turns out most of the people that work at the local shop are in their mid 20's. The owner is an older guy, but he's seen me drop enough cash to know better. Great story:ss.
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i can't be bothered with the whole tell them its mold lol, I was looking around in a walk in humidor I saw the same thing.. the person with me was quick to point out its plume. so i was like well I ain't buying that one in my head and wen't to the otherside and bought something else. and next time you go, lol better get her number along with some sticks.
 
That really sucks when you walk into a humi and you get followed around everywhere like your going to rob the joint blind. Normally if you share a little knowledge you can get the monkeys off your back.... unless they are stubborn old farts.
Keep working your magic and you may have the ol girl before long!!! It would be even better if she was the daughter of the di*ck know it all guy!
 
There's a store owner here in L.A. who treats me like a thief when I go into the humidor, i.e. follows me in, asks what I'm looking for. And I'm 63. It's very annoying,especially after numerous visits.

He only bought the store 2 years ago. The previous owner was a younger guy, very easygoing and friendly. There were always a few guys hanging out there smoking and bs'ing. That's no longer true.

Anyway he has a captive audience because of the name - Grand Havana Cigars. (There's a prestigious cigar club upstairs.)

As for me personally - I'll just order from Holt's when I need something. Or pay the occasional visit to one of the friendlier shops in L.A. Larry.
 
I have been stereotyped one time in a B&M in OKC. I won't mention the name, but it is where i got hosed on my first humi. I think some of you may be familiar with the situation. The first time I went there the service was great, and I spent about 200 on the humidor + about 35 sticks to fill it. Then a couple weeks later I went in there and it was like the end of the world. I found an Oliva Serie V with a mangled up wrapper, and I gave it to the guy who was standing in front of the walk-in door with his arms folded and rolling his eyes the whole time. So instead of spending about 100 I only dropped about 20 on a couple of sticks and haven't been back since. I have found a new place in Tulsa that treat me wonderfully. Sorry if I hijacked the thread, I just wanted to share a related story.
 
When You mention the three middle aged men who run the store...my minds eye see's ... Frasier and Niles Crane , with Gil Chesterton as the third.

Have to stop watching two episodes of "Frasier" the hour before I go to bed each night.

Nice score on the female employee though!!! I suggest You go back frequently to check on the mold problem.

FN in MT
 
If some one can't trust me in there humi to purchase then I don't need to shop there even if the girl is good looking :2
 
i usually ask everyone who walks into the humidor because we get a lot of people who dont know that much about cigar. plus if they say they dont need help i walk out and leave them alone to look arround. if i dont someone will complain the store doesnt give good service.
 
I got the attitude a lot when I was shopping in high-end stores. Sometimes even when I was accompanied by my mother. Once I was 19 to 20 that pretty much stopped.

My experience with snotty cigar vendors is that the more they see that you actually know something about it the better they will treat you. Several years ago I bought four boxes of cubans in a store in Andorra; fantastic store by the way. At the time quality control on Cubans was really bad. So I told him what I wanted and that I wanted to inspect each cigar in each box and that we would simply exchange any cigar that would not pass the touch, look, smell inspection. He was very obliging. Actually I checked them, then my gf and finally he. So we did a triple check. There were some sticks we both let pass but he sorted them out, to show me his control was even tougher than mine. I think that was good. On one box of RJ Churchills we had to exchange 13 out of 25.

As for the concept of your store, I really like it. We have one like that in Austin called Grapewine Market. It has a phantastic selection of wine, beer and spirits plus wonderful cheeses and coldcuts from all over the world, plus an array of other delicacies and sweets and on top of it there is a very well stocked walk-in humidor.

This makes me think I should pay them a visit. It's been a long time since I wasn't there.

You handled the situation extremely well, I think. Next time you want to earn some serious bonus points ask for the owner or manager right away, pull them aside and tell them in private: Look, I wanted to draw your attention to those cigars. There seems to be some mold. Just wanted to make sure you could take care of it before anybody else notices.

That should get you his or her personalized service the next time you come in, especially if you do buy something on your first visit.

Till
 
Harpo said:
:r What an awesome idea for a store.

"Hey, you know what? I'd really like to buy a frying pan and a cigar... at the same time."

:chk
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Actually that would be great for me so long as the prices were OK. Make it an electronics store as well and I'd be in heaven.
 
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