Smart %&#! B&M

Cigar Jack said:
So you must be up in Kenwood or Tri-County area?

If you are in Kenwood I'd just head north up to Bell's House of Tobacco. The guy there is really cool.

If near Tri-County head up to Jungle Jim's.

Granted carding could still be an issue.
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Hah, I (schweiger_schmoke's roommate) am between the two, maybe closer to Bell's. In terms strictly of buying cigars, I am in LOVE with Jungle Jim's. But if I'm just looking for a single or two, perhaps looking at some nice humidors, or if I simply want a relaxing experience, Bell's is a great place.
 
khubli said:
I'm surprised a Tinderbox Store was not up and up on the Opus. Oh well. I wasn't there so I couldn't see the manner in which that lady spoke to you, but just from reading here, it looks like she was trying to give you a helpful bit of advice. You can't assume that every person understands your cigar knowledge, just as you sometimes assume that people should know the same things you do.

Sucks about the ID. I'm 36 and still get carded for cigarettes on a regular basis.
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I was with him when this happened, so I'll try to give another perspective on it (including some things I'd mentioned to him about my beliefs after the fact).

First off, she is just a rude person. I've encountered her about as many times as I have fingers, and none have been pleasurable. The manner in which she made the comment about eating sure seemed like it was just as much as about showing us up on cigar knowledge than just being "helpful".

As I have discussed with Kyle, I do prefer to assume that people have a "limitless" cigar knowledge, if you will. I find people insulting my intelligence (in regards to knowledge of a subject matter) to be extremely infuriating to me. That said, when I am in these positions, I assume the person I am assisting knows just as much about cigars as myself. I will wait for him to ask questions, or just ask questions about his preferences.

Instead of just being a bitch and coming out and starkly saying "You better eat some serious food before you smoke that one, it'll do you over!" I would ask the customer if he's had it before, and if not, then warn him of its strength.

I'd be willing to bet that if we looked 30-40, instead of 16, that fellow would not have so brashly told us of the Padrons.

Plus I can understand cigarette carding, from standpoint that more "kids" try and buy cigarettes and rebel and be cool than do premium $7-$12 cigars. Not to mention the fact that Kyle purchased Madeline's crystals and a bottle of butane. Now, if he was not 18 and unable to buy cigars, why would he beed such these things?
 
I have no problem with the carding. Bottom line, carding is the law. If you look under 27, then the cashier is required by law to card you. While going to HS and college I worked at two places that sold cigarettes and I always carded even though I knew they were mid 20's... I just couldn't afford to lose my job because it was paying for school.

Funny story regarding carding. I was with my wife and kids about 2 years ago (so I was 25) at a Meijer in Michigan (think super target) and we were picking up some groceries. The cashier asks to see my ID and as I reach for my wallet I'm thinking that I'm not buying any alcohol or tobacco. So I ask her, "What am I buying that requires ID?" and she holds up a CD with a parental advisory sticker on it. I chuckled and said "how old do you have to be, 16?", she snapped back "17!"... I just laughed and gave her my ID.
 
kdhoffma said:
I have no problem with the carding. Bottom line, carding is the law. If you look under 27, then the cashier is required by law to card you. While going to HS and college I worked at two places that sold cigarettes and I always carded even though I knew they were mid 20's... I just couldn't afford to lose my job because it was paying for school.

Funny story regarding carding. I was with my wife and kids about 2 years ago (so I was 25) at a Meijer in Michigan (think super target) and we were picking up some groceries. The cashier asks to see my ID and as I reach for my wallet I'm thinking that I'm not buying any alcohol or tobacco. So I ask her, "What am I buying that requires ID?" and she holds up a CD with a parental advisory sticker on it. I chuckled and said "how old do you have to be, 16?", she snapped back "17!"... I just laughed and gave her my ID.
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Okay, the carding part was the lesser of the evils. I can understand that serious consequences may follow unless carding is practiced. For the sake of argument, when she carded me for the La Flor, I shamefully informed her I had surrendered my ID to a Police Officer for an offense just days earlier.

With a sick pleasure about her, she started shaking her head.

I retaliated with a shooting range liability waver card (what person under 18 can sign a liability waver?).

Again, the head shakes.

I proceed to show her three different credit cards, all with my name signed on the back. At this point, I think she was just trying to be difficult. This was not hard to see that I just wanted to purchase a nice cigar along with my butane and crystals, and certainly of age to do so.


Kyle
 
I just went into my favorite local B&M, (Habanos in Slidell) to pick up a few sticks on my gotta try list. The owner's wife, who runs the place and is probably the real owner since the also sell wine, high end liquor and have a small deli, came into the humidor after she saw me wandering around in there.

She asked if she could help me find what I was looking for and was very helpful in locating one of the ones on my list I couldn't find. Unfortunately, they didn't have everything in the size/shape I wanted (Sancho Panza Extra Fuerte Madrid, Punch Pita & Onyx Reserve Tora) but she did know where the box of El Rey del Mundo Robusto Larga was hidden. So I still left there with that, a Macnudo Hyde Park, Onyx Reserve Bellicosa and a Punch Santa Rita. She also gave me an "invitation" to a Scotch Tasting & Seminar ($20 per person) that includes a premium cigar.

Now, that's a good B&M!
 
schweiger_schmoke said:
Even though I appreciate drawfour looking the matter up and filling us in... I can't see that the law wouldn't be more in depth than that. There has to be other conditions, mandatory sentencing, etc. Drawfour, are you sure you didn't just look up the fines?
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I looked at the link and I saw the exact same thing he posted.
Some South Carolinians have been getting royally screwed.
I will be informing everyone I know about this though.

Thanks Drawfour.:tu
 
schweiger_schmoke said:
Okay, the carding part was the lesser of the evils. I can understand that serious consequences may follow unless carding is practiced. For the sake of argument, when she carded me for the La Flor, I shamefully informed her I had surrendered my ID to a Police Officer for an offense just days earlier.

With a sick pleasure about her, she started shaking her head.

I retaliated with a shooting range liability waver card (what person under 18 can sign a liability waver?).

Again, the head shakes.

I proceed to show her three different credit cards, all with my name signed on the back. At this point, I think she was just trying to be difficult. This was not hard to see that I just wanted to purchase a nice cigar along with my butane and crystals, and certainly of age to do so.


Kyle
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Whenever I carded someone I always was nice about it. If they didn't have their ID, I always tried to be polite even if they were pissed at me. I'd say "I'm really sorry, but I'm required by law to check ID". There's a big difference between being nice about it (and trying to retain the customer) and being a complete d*ck about it. The way she handled it was definitely wrong and I would also be pissed.
 
The one thing that really made me irate when I was photo lab supervisor in a CVS was groups of underage kids trying to buy alcohol. I would also help out the cashiers whenever possible. Working around my school schedule, I pulled a lot of evening shifts. I would constantly have kids come in with an older sibling or upper classman and attempt to buy alcohol. I was told by my manager (never checked whether or not it is true) that it is state law in Michigan that if a group of people were buying alcohol, you are required to check everyones ID. Without fail these kids would carry the alcohol up to the counter, I'd ask for ID, and only one person would hand me some while the others pulled out money to give to the one with the ID. I'd say "I need to see all of your ID's", and I'd get the funniest responses like, "I'm not with him" just after handing him money, or "But I'm not 21". Shit, when I was 18-20 I was smart enough to wait outside in the car while someone went in to buy. I must say though, it was always an entertaining part of the job.
 
kdhoffma said:
The one thing that really made me irate when I was photo lab supervisor in a CVS was groups of underage kids trying to buy alcohol. I would also help out the cashiers whenever possible. Working around my school schedule, I pulled a lot of evening shifts. I would constantly have kids come in with an older sibling or upper classman and attempt to buy alcohol. I was told by my manager (never checked whether or not it is true) that it is state law in Michigan that if a group of people were buying alcohol, you are required to check everyones ID. Without fail these kids would carry the alcohol up to the counter, I'd ask for ID, and only one person would hand me some while the others pulled out money to give to the one with the ID. I'd say "I need to see all of your ID's", and I'd get the funniest responses like, "I'm not with him" just after handing him money, or "But I'm not 21". Shit, when I was 18-20 I was smart enough to wait outside in the car while someone went in to buy. I must say though, it was always an entertaining part of the job.
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hell, i even made sure not to park in front of the store where they could see you throw a window getting out of the car!
 
madurolover said:
I looked at the link and I saw the exact same thing he posted.
Some South Carolinians have been getting royally screwed.
I will be informing everyone I know about this though.

Thanks Drawfour.:tu
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Yeah, that's the bill that was signed into law last year. It clearly states that it is a misdemeanor for a person to sell to someone under age, and what the fines are, and also gives the judge a way to not do the fines (community service, etc...). It does not prescribe losing one's license as a remedy, therefore any judge who does it is overstepping his bounds.

It does state that the minor can have his driving priviledges restricted, or if the minor doesn't yet have a license, it can set back the amount of time before he can get a license. But that minor is not guilty of anything criminal (misdemeanor or otherwise).

I'm sure there are other fines levied against a business who sells to a minor, and therefore it's a logical conclusion that the business in question will fire the employee immediately, but there is nothing in the law that states the person who sells to a minor must lose his job.

Either way, as always, contact an attorney. This is just my fairly quick reading of the law, and in no way encompasses all such laws that may have been passed. However, it appears on the surface that anyone who lost their license for selling to a minor had that license revoked illegally.
 
Drew said:
I don't see why you got so defensive in the first place, but whatever.
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:hn. Have you never ever had a bad B&M experience?


I suppose it's just one of those things. When you have a hobby that you love so much and the little things that can ruin the experience, they're worth discussing. Plus, being as young as I am, I always think to myself that I could run a better joint in customer service and such.
 
schweiger_schmoke said:
:hn. Have you never ever had a bad B&M experience?


I suppose it's just one of those things. When you have a hobby that you love so much and the little things that can ruin the experience, they're worth discussing. Plus, being as young as I am, I always think to myself that I could run a better joint in customer service and such.
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...and such? Honestly? Crickle, crackle, jingle, jangle!
 
schweiger_schmoke said:
:hn. Have you never ever had a bad B&M experience?


I suppose it's just one of those things. When you have a hobby that you love so much and the little things that can ruin the experience, they're worth discussing. Plus, being as young as I am, I always think to myself that I could run a better joint in customer service and such.
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Keep that word little in mind. Little things should be no more than a minor annoyance. Not ruin the experience as you say. As you get older, hopefully the little things in life will bother you less.

Don't sweat the small stuff. Life is too short.
:2
 
schweiger_schmoke said:
I proceed to show her three different credit cards, all with my name signed on the back. At this point, I think she was just trying to be difficult. This was not hard to see that I just wanted to purchase a nice cigar along with my butane and crystals, and certainly of age to do so.
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Maybe your state has different laws, in MN it's a drivers license (state ID), passport or military photo ID are the only valid forms of ID for liquor and tobacco
 
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