Here at StogieGuys.com we’re staunch supporters of local cigar shops. It’s through local tobacconists that most cigar smokers take the first step into the “Brotherhood of the Leaf.” Brick and mortar cigar shops (B&Ms)Â are the lifeblood of the cigar industry.
The good ones have their own personalities and a wonderful group of friendly regulars. But not every shop is great, and most have room to improve.
I’ve walked into enough cigar shops over the years to know that certain things frustrate me enough that they make me want to take my business elsewhere, sometimes never to return. If you’re lucky, here are five things you’ll never experience at your local shop (and if these sound far too familiar to you, it may be time to find a new place to buy your cigars):
Up Sell, Up Sell, Up Sell. I realize tobacconists exist to make money, but automatically steering every customer who comes off the street towards that $18 Davidoff or $30 Opus X isn’t just obnoxious, it’s short-sited. Occasionally, people really are looking for that once-in-a-decade, money-is-no-object smoke, but more likely they already have a price in mind, so why not just them what they want to spend and then start from there? If I say I’m looking to spend $5 and you give me a few suggestions including one that costs $7, that’s fine, understandable, and probably even helpful. But if you’re pushing $15-20 smokes and I feel embarrassed for only wanting to spend $3-4 on a cigar, then I won’t be back.
Stop BS’ing Me. Following cigars as closely as I do, I’ve developed a keen ear for cigar BS. Despite what you tell me, that house blend cigar you’re hawking certainly doesn’t taste just like a Cuban Cohiba, and just because it’s box-pressed and maduro doesn’t make it a dead-ringer for a Padrón Family Reserve 45. Further, just because you don’t carry a certain cigar doesn’t mean it isn’t made or has been discontinued. Maybe most people don’t catch on immediately to the fact that you’re full of it, but later on in the day when they google that cigar you told them isn’t made, they’ll realize you were fibbing just to make a sale. So here’s a simple rule: Know what you know, and admit if you’re not certain about something. Ultimately, that’s far better than a customer finding out later that he has been lied into spending his hard-earned dollars.
Keep it Clean. Dirty hygrometers, lots of cracked wrappers in the humidor, full ashtrays, overflowing garbage cans, and dusty cigar boxes are far too common in some shops. A messy B&M makes me think the employees don’t care about their shop or their product, which makes me wonder if I should either. As a cigar consumer, I’m investing, in part, in the fact that you’ve cared properly for the cigars I’m buying, so make sure it’s clear you value your merchandise. And while you’re sprucing up the place, is it too much to ask for wooden matches (as opposed to paper ones doused in lighter fluid) when I just dropped a 20-spot on three cigars?
Lazy or Hostile Service. While regular visitors to a cigar shop almost always get a warm welcome and full service, a better test of a good cigar shop is how its employees treat the new customer who walks in for the first time. Are strangers welcomed and offered assistance, or do they just get a quick “hey” before being ignored so the shop employee can go back to talking with the regulars? On the other side of the coin, there’s nothing worse than overbearing shop workers who treat you like a criminal. (I realize theft is a concern in many shops, but there are ways to deal with this that don’t involve shadowing a customer’s every move after they’ve just told you they’re just browsing.) You never know who might be your next regular customer, so treat every customer like they’re likely to return a few times every week.
Badmouthing Cigars. People have strong feelings about cigars. Despite this, why do some cigar shopkeepers feel the need to badmouth products they don’t carry? I don’t need you to tell me that “brand A” is overrated or “brand B” is overpriced. If I asked about a cigar it’s probably because I like it or heard good things. Bluntly telling me I’m wrong is insulting. Suggestions for alternatives are welcome, but talking down a cigar you don’t carry is unnecessary and rude.
While supporting good local cigar shops, particularly those who support our rights as cigar smokers, is the duty of cigar enthusiasts, we have no obligation to support shops with poor service. Not coincidentally, the shops that are most active fighting for cigar rights are rarely offenders when it comes to the above list.
Local cigar shops have plenty of competition from internet and mail-order shops. Still, I’m convinced that, even with lower volume and higher taxes, they can compete and even thrive when they focus on taking care of every customer and avoiding the pitfalls listed above.
–Patrick S
photo credit: Flickr
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