Don't know what I'm talking about...

[itsme_timd]

~WARNING! LONG POST AHEAD!~

I've heard a few others comment on this lately and think it's kind of interesting. I have some great B&M's near me and the owner's are very knowledgeable on cigars and what is new and exciting. Well, with the exception of one but he's still a very nice guy so it's all good. However, I've heard 3 different stories lately that show B&M's not being totally up on what's going on in the cigar community.

- A friend of mine in Memphis recently got into cigars and asked me for some recommendations. I told him to look for Tatuaje so he asked at his local and was told by the owner he'd never heard of them. My buddy emailed me and told me the story and acted like I'd given him some bad info!

- My neighbor went to Pensacola over Christmas and while in a B&M used the word "herf", the shop owner had never heard it and told my friend "It must be a Georgia thing." When I told my buddy that it wasn't he told me again that they guy had never heard the term, and again... acted like I had the bad info.

- I read on another forum about a BOTL going into a B&M and asking for PG solution, the shop had no idea what he was talking about. Apparently he went to another shop and was told the same thing.

IMO these are some pretty common terms in cigars, herf is used a lot and Tatuaje has been in CA. If you're a B&M owner the least you should do is read CA to stay up on things, right?

What got me was that with the 2 situations with my friends they acted like I was the one who didn't know what I was talking about! I guess they think if these other guys own a shop they must be the experts. LOL...

Anybody else run into similar situations???

 

[ctaylor]

I have had an owner tell me he had an Opus from the 60's to there are no Oliva V maddy's. Most recently they told me that the My Father was blended by Don's father not by Jamie and Don (1922).
I think they only know what the reps tell them in a lot of cases. I just go along with it now, they don't want to hear me correct them any more.

 

[itsme_timd]

I have had an owner tell me he had an Opus from the 60's to there are no Oliva V maddy's. Most recently they told me that the My Father was blended by Don's father not by Jamie and Don (1922).
I think they only know what the reps tell them in a lot of cases. I just go along with it now, they don't want to hear me correct them any more.

At least it's not just me!

I had one of those 60's Opus, great cigar... I think it was an 1864 to be exact. :chat:

 

[jwintosh]

how about an Altidas rep never hearing of Pete Johnson or Tatuaje.

 

[Soundwave13]

How about a store 'associate' telling me they haven't released the Cabaiguan Maduros yet - and Pete was standing right next to him... Pete looked at him & said "You should listen to this guy more.." ~ I'll never forget it...!

 

[hdroadglide]

how about an Altidas rep never hearing of Pete Johnson or Tatuaje.

that's probably on orders from the home office!

 

[rhutch]

i sent a friend to a shop that didn't know either water pillows or humidipaks or any other kind of humidification besides the green foam humidifiers in cheap humidors. i thought that was absurd

 

[BGC]

Definitely not just around you. I've had similar experiences at a few large B&M.

 

[dpricenator]

how about an Altidas rep never hearing of Pete Johnson or Tatuaje.

Hey I know that guy. A fish out of water on Socal Beach....:rolling:

 

[PLUSH]

I think it is like anything else, the Internet is such a hugh mass of information. Unfortunately, most of these shop owners do not frequent the Internet or these type of boards, at least not the older ones. They go by what they have been smoking for the longest time, what their reps tell them and what their clientèle base is buying. I was at one shop I go to and a shipment just came in and in it were 3 boxes of something the owner said, "were hot", I had never heard of them. I took a picture of the box and went on-line and looked them up. Just some average rated smokes, but he told me his "regulars" ate them up. He would hold a box for me, if I wanted.

 

[n.olson]

on leave from iraq i visited my wife in chicago, stopped aqt a local B& M and asked for anything by Don Pepin. blank faced. so i left and told him he might need to look into that.

 

[tom1026]

ive had 2 b&m never heard of tats, i had one guy tell me sharks are only anejo not opus(wasn't going to waste ym breathe because he knew "for sure")also had a shop like another person on this thread, say there is no oliva v maddie. also had a shop that didnt hear of between the lines, but for some shops it's a given theyve never stocked them

 

[itsme_timd]

Great stuff! Plush is right that a lot of these shop owners, especially the FOG's, don't stay as connected to what's happening - the internet is almost a totally different world for cigars.

 

[Danilo]

I was told
"you young guys are all about the hype" "you're too young and looking for the trend"
By the same guy.... I don't go to that B&M

I was also told not to be on my fone "checking prices online" while I was in the same shop looking for the new Opus's

Bullshit... I hate people like that.

 

[BrooksW]

You have to remember that the cigar smokers who are online make up a TINY bit of the total cigar smokers in the world...and the people who actually participate on forums is an even smaller number still...

~brooks

 

[VillageIdiot]

There are only 2 shops within an hour drive. One shop occasionally has Anejo, but that's as big as it gets for him. He had never heard of Tatuaje. When he saw how it was spelled, he recognized it. He just had never heard it pronounced correctly before. He is a real nice guy that knows a lot about Fuente cigars, but not many of the newer brands. The other shop I stopped going to. He does carry Tatuaje, but he told me in November that he isn't getting any Black Tubos. "In fact", he said, "You won't be able to get any. They are already sold out everywhere." This was told to me in late November. That's the second time he's told me BS just so he wouldn't have to try getting a product. Anyway. The next closest shop is over 2 hours away. I just buy online or when I travel now.

 

[hdroadglide]

You have to remember that the cigar smokers who are online make up a TINY bit of the total cigar smokers in the world...and the people who actually participate on forums is an even smaller number still...

~brooks

yeah, but we're so much COOLER!!!!:ccool:

 

[whodeeni]

Tim,

U meant one of those 1862's right? (From CI) *lol* :eyebrow:

At least it's not just me!

I had one of those 60's Opus, great cigar... I think it was an 1864 to be exact. :chat:

 

[Stew]

I Had a similar experience...
Shortly after the NUB released, I asked the owner of my local B&M If they would be getting any in and he gave me a blank stare. They carry a full line of Olivas, I didnt think it was a dumb question. He told me he never heard of them in a condescending manor. 6 months later, he had a full line of NUBs. Being on the young side (22) I am used to getting treatment like that.

-Steven

 

[smokemifugotem]

I run into it all the time. Keep going to shops...you will find one that get's you and your style of smoking. I found 2 about 20 miles from my house. A little drive, but when I go, I talk to the managers for hours about the new stuff. And don't have to hear about the new Gurkha or Patel of the week. Keep your head up!