Comments on: Stogie Commentary: Don’t Forget Your B&M

By: sal cilmi

sal cilmi — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 03:16:44 +0000

this is suppose to be the u s a land of the free more it is a dictatorship when the government tells you how to live your life and what you can and cannot due you pay your taxes you should have the right to do as you damn well please ejoying a cigar is one of them i will continue to enjot mine screw the politicins this one for sure he smokes they dont tell him what he can do why should we have to

By: Stogie Commentary: Cigar Shops Under Attack

Stogie Commentary: Cigar Shops Under Attack — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 13:42:39 +0000

[...] why it’s so critical that we support our local B&Ms and defend them from these [...]

By: Stogie News: 2008 in Review

Stogie News: 2008 in Review — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 14:56:22 +0000

[...] -On July 3 George E implored us not to ”forget our local B&Ms.” [...]

By: Cigar guy

Cigar guy — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 03:54:22 +0000

As more and more states look for ways to boost revenue it is only a matter of time before the states where online buyers live will start sending tax letters to consumers. A handful of states have already started doing so, mostly on cigarettes. The playing field will be level again sooner or later, it is in the mean time that we all must support our locals.

By: oceanelect4

oceanelect4 — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 03:07:50 +0000

thankyou you are right on. altadis is jrs and general is ci. its going to be hard for the little guy to survive.only business where you buy from big guy to stock your store and he has a bigger one. is in direct competion with you.

By: George E.

George E. — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 20:31:56 +0000

It’s great to hear from so many people who enjoy terrific local shops. Let’s all spread the word!

By: Ben

Ben — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 18:33:17 +0000

Great commentary. I love my B&M and I actually don’t buy online that much at all. My store’s definitely had to change its business strategy around lately, though, converting the back room into a lounge to accommodate more people in the store and to provide a respite from these outrageous smoking bans. I hope it works. I can’t imagine life without that shop!

By: John

John — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 16:29:05 +0000

George, as someone about to open his own shop, I appreciate your thoughts in supporting B&Ms. Most small shops, even if they have ecommerce on their Web site, find it very difficult to compete with the large, established Internet retailers. They simply can’t move the volume so they depend on local customers and regulars. As I’ve always said, yes, you can buy cigars cheaper on the Internet. But try smoking one there.

By: Jon N.

Jon N. — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:20:37 +0000

Well said, George. I think I’ll join in with some of the others in discussing how B&Ms can stay competitive in the future. Ultimately, and sadly, it may be a lost cause (look at what happened to local book stores, even the quirky and community-beloved ones, after Barnes & Noble and Amazon came to town). But it’s a fight worth fighting, nonetheless.

What can B&Ms offer that online retailers can’t?

- Guarantee of quality: you can see, feel, smell, and examine the merchandise in person before buying it; no fear of heat degredation or damage in shipping after you buy it

- Friendly atmosphere: you can hang out with the proprietor and/or fellow patrons

- Intangibles: freebies thrown in every now and then, friendship with the owner after repeated patronage, the ability (in most decent B&Ms) to return a defective cigar on the spot or swap it out for a good one at no extra charge, etc.

- Wisdom/mentorship: A good B&M owner, once you get to know him, will be able to figure out your tastes and help guide you to other cigars you might like in a way that the online retailers just can’t (yet, at any rate). Furthermore, they can impart their wisdom and experience on you. Same thing with fellow patrons. Even if it’s something as simple as telling you how to pronounce a brand name, for instance, that’s something you won’t get at online shops.

By: Scott

Scott — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:06:00 +0000

Here in DC, we’re blessed with some very good cigar shops who offer great selection, fair prices, and solid advice. Mail order is good if you’re buying in bulk, but not so good if you want to try something new, meet a rep, or – God forbid – smoke in public with others.

I think the future for the B+M’s is to make the store more of a hang. Find the things that online retailers can’t do and focus on them. Maybe a drink, maybe some free coffee, a few comfy chairs.

Saving a few bucks is important – but I think it’s worth an extra buck or three to support businesses that are fighting for their very existence. They are there for us – we should be there for them.