What is your B&M to you?

W

webjunkie

ChestBeater
I spend a lot of time looking at cigars on the web, but looking at my bank statements over the past few months I've realized that I actually haven't bought many cigars online.

I've been spending more time in the local B&M since I moved to Longmont in January. Yes, it's a bit more expensive to buy my cigars there, but I've been smoking them there. Now that I'm a regular I feel more comfortable bringing something from my own stash to smoke (I still buy a stick or two to take home, now that I have some boxes... for shipping purposes).

It's just a great place to kick back, shoot the breeze with the owner and the regulars, and of course to smoke (considering there is a state wide ban). I love just sitting there, smoking a cigar and finishing up work on my laptop. In my mind, that place has started to become synonymous with enjoying a cigar.

How do you feel about your local B&M?
 
My B&m is a place to try single sticks of something I have not tried before...and to let the manager know I care about them. Great customers and quirky staff.

If just buying a few singles, the shipping would equal the taxes I would pay from a local store....so why not help out a local business?

Plus the guys are nice to joke around with and a WEALTH of cigar knowledge.
 
My B&M is my place to relax from a work day and a long drive. I try to make it a point to stop there everyday and light one up, be it one of my own sticks or one of theirs.

Its a wonderful place to shoot the sh*t, network, provide advice/support. Just like the Gorillas here, the patrons of my B&M are my surrogate family.

Eventually, I'm going to find a way to business expense my visits to the B&M.

If you ever head over to Bull and Bear in Naperville, IL....just ask anyone in there to contact me...and I'll try to get in there to smoke it up with you. I'm always there after 5PM weekdays.
 
There are two in town, one has a great selection of cigars but the people that work there are very stuck up and I don't really feel "at home" since I'm 20 lol. The other has great friendly staff but not so good cigars. I do most of my smoking at the park or on my back porch.
 
I feel you on that first store. due to strange looks and overpriced cigars, I've decided not to visit there any time unless i'm there for a specific stick.
I mean, the owner is a very nice guy, but every time I walk in theres a bunch of older people just staring at me and not talking to eachother either. It's a very creepy feeling situation.
 
My BM is a place to buy smokes.....
no smoking area, so unless you feel like standing around for two hours, you are better off smoking at home.

They are expensive as hell, though not hugely overpriced considering our massive state and national tobacco taxes, however most of the staff is nice enough (the older bloke is finally starting to come round :tu) and seeing as it is the only 'true' BM i know of here in adelaide i still buy majority of my smokes there as it is always good to support the local BM.

Having said that, if i am gonna buy boxes i will probably do it online, however seeing as how everytime i go there i always spend atleast a hundred (i just cant help myself) trying out new singles i figure they are getting good business outta me anyway.

James
 
Yea same here, although it'd be great to have somewhere to go inside out of the cold windyness to have a good cigar without all of the "I'm better than you" attitude.
 
rolyat150 said:
Yea same here, although it'd be great to have somewhere to go inside out of the cold windyness to have a good cigar without all of the "I'm better than you" attitude.
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Being young aswell, i used to get that from one of the guys there,

however every customer i have talked to in there has been nice, whether he has been a businessman in his 50s or a young bloke working at maccas. however i have been going there some time now, and he is finally starting to not be so standoffish.

I guess after a while he has figured, 'hey, maybe he actually likes smoking cigars and isnt just doing it to be 'cool' so now i am just another customer :D

if i get his wife or his son though its all good :D

James
 
My B&M doesn't have a smoking area, but it's also part of a large liquor store that has most liquors you could want a well stocked wine cellar, and a good beer selection. So even though I don't get to spend time there smoking with other BOTLs, the staff is knowledgable, nice, and definitely not snobs. I feel comfortable going there anytime, and feel great walking into their humidor. Gotta love being surronded by that many cigars. Plus they have all the accessories I could need just in case I'm in a pinch and can't wait to get something mail ordered.

To me it's a great place to pick up a few new sticks and new brews to try out.
 
My B&M isn't bad lately now that I've gone there more often. They invite me to events happening locally and now that I've tried a pipe he asked me to sample 5 different pipe tobaccos to let him know if they were any good. I was shocked by this. I guess in short once he got to know me he opened up a lot. Price wise though I definitely buy anything in numbers online. The most I'll get from him is 5 if it is something I really like & only he stocks. My real purpose for going to the B&M is when I get struck in the mood for something NOT in my humidor and I'm unsure about. I want a single, shipping and handling on something like that is insane. So they fit the bill. There is actually a cigar he has by Camaguey he calls a short story knock off. It is a Nicaraguan Puro. I bought them all up as I cannot find them anywhere else online or otherwise. I suspect he has the name wrong but oh well. I've noticed several sticks he has that I can't find, so he comes in handy for those as well. For me... he fills those few niche things that can't or are not handled efficiently online.
 
A long ways away (an hour), with minimal selection, and those they have are too expensive by far.

Or, the reason for toilet paper! :chk :BS
 
The B&M in town I frequent the most, is home to the GKCPC (Greater Kansas City Pipe Club) and, as such, I'm there at least one night a month for meetings.

They've a great pipe & tobacco selection ... a little lounge area ... the owner & his wife & workers are great people to chat with.

Love the place ...... none-the-less, if I want to save a buck or fifty, I shop online.
 
I love my BM. Actually, I have two. One is Woody's Smokes and Brews and the other is Stogies. Great place to go and have a beer and a smoke. Although I'm on the lower end of the income scale than most of the other patrons everybody is always polite and helpful.
 
It sure is a nice place to go, to tap into the knowledge, meet other smokers, and occasionally, if there's cash around, to make a purchase. It's painful to do because of the tobacco taxes, but I try and purchase every once and a while from two places near where I live, becuase I like to support the local guys.

That and if you're a regular they let you sidestep laws regarding lighting up inside :D
 
It's a plce to snicker and sneer at as I walk by.
An absolte last resort where I could buy a stick or 2 if my house burtn down with my fridges inside.
Thank the Canadian tax system for turning what could be a great customer/B&M relationship into a joke.:mad:
 
I love the local shops. I buy online if it's something I can't find, or an amazing deal. Other than that it's nice to support the locals.
 
Hmmmm Sounds like we live in the same place! :ss

rolyat150 said:
There are two in town, one has a great selection of cigars but the people that work there are very stuck up and I don't really feel "at home" since I'm 20 lol. The other has great friendly staff but not so good cigars. I do most of my smoking at the park or on my back porch.
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