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Welcome to the STL! Have you been to Gran Cru and the Hill Cigar Co yet?
B&M vs. Internet
- Thread starter ElectricMayhem82
- Start date
Haven't been to Gran Cru yet. I went to Hill about five years ago at my bachelor party, but haven't been back. I've been over to Jon's in Clayton, but they close pretty early. I definitely need to trey out a few other places though.
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I've never been to Jon's, I'll have to check that out. Gran Cru focuses mostly on smaller names and new stuff; they're the place to go for Dirty Rats, Tierra Volcans, La Barbas, etc... And their prices aren't really any worse than you'd pay online, maybe a buck or 2, so that's where I go for that kind of stuff. Great for trying new things or harder to find stuff. Other notable places in the area include Alcorn in Crestwood and the Cigar Box in Fenton - the Box has a pretty large lounge and a lot of humi space, but most of it is common stuff that you can find anywhere. John Dengler in St. Charles is a tiny shop with not much selection, but it's a fun trip if you're in the area and have some time to kill. Their house blend Hondurans are pretty good for a change of pace, and are better than a lot of things you can get online for the same $2-3 price. All of these places are friendly and welcoming though; good folks at all of them.
Since we're derailing this thread, I'll add that I'm probably about 5% B&M and 95% online. I like to support B&M's and always buy a stick or 2 when I'm at one, but it's hard to justify paying twice as much as I would online for my everyday smokes. And since I don't actually live near any of these places I mentioned, it's not often that I hang out at B&M's - hence the 95% online estimate.
This right here, perfect mix of trying cigars and still supporting the local guys
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Lately, there have been some B&Ms popping up that have a bar. I would like to go to one with reasonable priced for the cigars and normal bar prices for liquor. It was nice when last week my wife (who doesn't smoke cigars) suggested we go to a cigar bar. I paid $8 for a pretty good stick. Both of our drinks costed more than the cigar. We hung out for an hour. That was fun. I hope we see more of that.
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FOLLOW-UP question:
Since most of us spend most of our $ online, and most of us want to support our local B&Ms... what can a B&M do to get more money out of cheapskate aficionados like us, that isn't going to adversely affect their other core business (the non-aficionado) and isn't going to cost them the arm and a leg that they probably don't have, in additional capital investment?
For me, I would love to see my go-to B&M rotate stock some more, have an area for new product, so I can be surprised once in a while when I go through the walk-in. No B&M can carry everything (except maybe Corona), but man do I get tired of sifting through the walk-in at a store I go to 5 days a week, trying to find something that I actually want to smoke, knowing that I am paying a 50% premium to do so.
Since most of us spend most of our $ online, and most of us want to support our local B&Ms... what can a B&M do to get more money out of cheapskate aficionados like us, that isn't going to adversely affect their other core business (the non-aficionado) and isn't going to cost them the arm and a leg that they probably don't have, in additional capital investment?
For me, I would love to see my go-to B&M rotate stock some more, have an area for new product, so I can be surprised once in a while when I go through the walk-in. No B&M can carry everything (except maybe Corona), but man do I get tired of sifting through the walk-in at a store I go to 5 days a week, trying to find something that I actually want to smoke, knowing that I am paying a 50% premium to do so.
Not in my experience. It would be harder to find one that didn't sell em.
How does that model work? You pay for a locker but 100% of that comes back to you? So really they are just asking you to lock in your cigar expenses for the month, and throwing a locker in for your trouble?
bostoneo
The Chosen One
yup, guaranteed income for them. I actually save money b/c I'd otherwise spend more, or typically do lol. The one place has 60 lockers at min $125 a month to $175... so ya, that's nice number
That's me exactly.
Cigary43
Just Another Ashhole
I typically buy 90% of my cigars online.....because B&M's have to charge more for running their business...I get that. What they don't realize is that most of their revenue stream shouldn't come from cigars...just like most successful business there has to be a diversified way of doing business and building profit. I've been a member of at least 15 B&M's in my lifetime and the successful ones knew how to bring me to their place...and keep me there....butts in the seat concept. Big screen with great cable TV..sports, food, drink, etc. When you are there you tend to smell the coffee, the food, watch others smoking their cigars and talk with them about how they like it. The customers are your best sales people....they talk others into buying this great cigar they are smoking and that's why in the Industry they call it...word of mouth advertising. There was one owner who would get his inventory in and then would walk out on the floor and start giving away cigars to try...but you have to smoke the cigar in the lounge. Free cigars to patrons pretty much gave the owner the reputation of giving back to his consumer base. Everybody knew when he would do this...every Wednesday at 5 o'clock which was typically his slowest sales day...not after this. You could hardly get into the store and if you did....you waited because on that day the owner also gave you a cigar if you bought one as the first box that he gave out was already mostly gone....but he wanted those who weren't as fortunate to at least get that same free cigar if you bought any cigar over $5.
I gave him this idea and he repaid me by giving me a free locker....free membership and free cigars when I walked in because I was his biggest salesman ( even though I didn't work for him ) and I helped generate sales because I was there almost every day...I miss that place which was run by Dan DeCecca in Framingham, MA. in the late 90's and early 2000.
I gave him this idea and he repaid me by giving me a free locker....free membership and free cigars when I walked in because I was his biggest salesman ( even though I didn't work for him ) and I helped generate sales because I was there almost every day...I miss that place which was run by Dan DeCecca in Framingham, MA. in the late 90's and early 2000.
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The main B&M I go to has a retro discount. For every $50 you buy they give you a cut poker chip worth $5. You can collect and use as many as you want.
The downside is that I don't buy in bulk there. I may buy a couple of sticks at a time, but usually that is one to smoke there and one or two to take home to try. Not very often do I spend $50 at a time and it has to be all in one purchase. It's great for the guys buying a couple boxes a month, but for your 3-5 cigars a week guy like me, it's nonsense.
There are very few cigar tastings and herfs at our local stores as well. I've asked three different stores and they might have a distributor twice a year. Personally, I'd advertise a weekly (or more often) cigar meetup. Provide water and soda (adult if legal in your area) and host a discussion. Charge like $10 bucks that comes with your cigar, snacks, and drinks and then maybe 10% off what you buy that night (or more if the distributors kick in and give free stuff as a promotion).
Heck, you could get really into it and do like a mild/medium night and a full body night. That or just announce on Facebook or your website what you will sampling that night. Or hell, do a brand name and offer a pick to the participant so that inexperienced will mingle more with your old chimneys. So like do a CAO night and offer three or four sticks to choose from.
If you wanted to do a premium night, host it once a month or something. Like, "next Friday we're doing Opus X and Johnny Walker Gold for $25." Give the guys (and gals) a heads up.
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I would say about 70% of what I purchase is from online retailers. I also have a couple BM with highly aggressive prices that a lot of times get within 5% of some online prices.
95% online. There's only one B&M cigar bar under an hour away from me. Very nice people & I've enjoyed the times I've gone there, but they have very few sticks that I would want to smoke. Also, their prices are at least double what I pay online. Combine the cost in driving time, gas, and elevated priced beer & sticks - - makes going there a very occasional thing for me.
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The local place I frequent does exactly what electricmayhem said. What he is is an upscale restaurant with a cigar bar in the basement. It's an old converted train station. Once a month he holds a tasting event. Has a factory rep come in with a featured cigar or two or three. Has a liquor guy come with samples, and the local microbrewery with beer samples. Also sets out a small buffet. 10 bucks gets you a cigar, booze samples, and the food. Bar prices are no different than any other area bar. Individual stick prices are in line with other area shops (none of which has a lounge), but he discounts all boxes 25% during these events, so they fall in line with Internet prices. Plus, depending on how much you buy at these events (minimum of three sticks) there's always freebies too.
I would guess I am about 70/30 in favor of the local B&M. The selection isn't great, but when they do get cigars in that I want their prices are good to great. It's the boutique stuff that I buy online when they offer special brand discounts. But I often go months without buying any cigars.
