I'm Very Proud To Say

[Volusianator]

That I've not bought a cigar from an online retailer in over a year! :tu

[kelmac07]

WOW!! Can't make that same comment. :D

[nick2021]

WOW!! Can't make that same comment. :D

lol +1:D

[Ismith75]

That I've not bought a cigar from an online retailer in over ten minutes! :tu

Fixed it :tu

[CoreyD]

That I've not bought a cigar from an online retailer in over a year! :tu
Do you notice a big difference in taste wade?

[Emjaysmash]

Do you notice a big difference in taste wade?

:r:r:r

[Volusianator]

Do you notice a big difference in taste wade?

Nope, just a difference in my piece of mind knowing that I'm supporting my local B&M. :tu

[CoreyD]

amen to that, I just heard a rumor the taste is different

[Brutus2600]

Nope, just a difference in my piece of mind knowing that I'm supporting my local B&M. :tu

Much respect Wade! I try to support my B&M with my random singles purchases, but I don't have the money to pay 25-50% more on box purchases :(

Was this a New Years resolution that you had at the beginning of the year? Or did it just happen to fall around this time?

[joeobx]

I'm proud to say it's been 5 days....now you'll have to excuse me while I check my bids

[Ogre]

Much respect Wade! I try to support my B&M with my random singles purchases, but I don't have the money to pay 25-50% more on box purchases :(

Was this a New Years resolution that you had at the beginning of the year? Or did it just happen to fall around this time?

:tpd: I Wish I could do more at the B&M but the cost kills me.

[Bunker]

:tpd: I Wish I could do more at the B&M but the cost kills me.

:tpd:

I don't have a decent B&M worth buying from without driving into the city.

[dwoodward]

:tpd: I Wish I could do more at the B&M but the cost kills me.

My B&M has a 200-300% markup on everything, and doesn't sell boxes, You can get a box, but have to pay the cost of all the singles. So some boxes could ring as high as 700-800 dollars.

I would rather not support a business that has such a large markup.

[Don Fernando]

That I've not bought a cigar from an online retailer in over a year! :tu

I've not bought a cigar from an online retailer in two months.

[htown]

My local B&M told me the mold on its Tats was plume.

[sofaman]

The closest B&M to me is an hour and a half drive away :td

[GTsetGO]

That I've not bought a cigar from an online retailer in over a year! :tu

I can't remember the last time I bought online. I try to support the local guys.
Posted via Mobile Device

[maninblack]

I have no local b & m so I buy all mine online. Saved a ton of money.

[Volusianator]

My B&M has a 200-300% markup on everything, and doesn't sell boxes, You can get a box, but have to pay the cost of all the singles. So some boxes could ring as high as 700-800 dollars.

I would rather not support a business that has such a large markup.

Nor would I! Hell, I wouldn't buy a single stick from them.

[ajacobs]

I wish I had a brick and morter to support, even with the markup.

[E.J.]

My B&M is great....selection and people who work there...

That said, the State I live in has the highest cigar tax in the country. Our cigar tax is 86% of MSRP... In a nutshell that makes a $5 stick $9.30 or a $200 box $372 after taxes....:(

[Volt]

gotta say, if not for the internet I would not be smoking cigars. I do try to get at least a fiver now and again locally, most especially if I am smokling in the B&M.

[guitar4001]

Nope, just a difference in my piece of mind knowing that I'm supporting my local B&M. :tu

good for you! my B&M gets my single cigar purchases, but the 'net gets my bulk purchases. I have some many cigars in reserve that my wife would kill me if I bought anymore.

[CigarNut]

I am proud to say that I support my local B&M's and my favorite online retailers! The local shops do not carry all of my favorite sticks but I buy what I can from them. I buy the rest online -- usually from online retailers that also have a B&M store front.

[Chemyst]

My New Year Resolution last year was no online purchases until July 4th.
I succeeded until August 5th.

I did buy 6-8 sticks from a b&m while on vacation in FL, in April though.

The plan is to do the same this coming year. Saved some money and
rediscovered some xlnt smokes from a few years ago, like La Riqueza
and Oliva V ORs buried in the VinoTemp.

Chemyst :cool2:

[Starscream]

I wish I had a brick and morter to support, even with the markup.

:tpd:

[jet66]

I prefer the B&M, I can put eyes and fingers on what I am getting. The few times I have bought various bundle deals online, there has always been the odd cigar that was already dried and cracked or had an otherwise damaged wrapper.

The B&M I use also has a 'club' where you get varying levels of discount depending on which level you pay for. The one I subscribe to is $75 for a year, but I get 25% off of everything but beer and wine. (It's a cigar lounge as well.) Being a good and regular customer, I tend to get breaks here and there on top of that, as well.

[alpha8a]

My B&M is great....selection and people who work there...

That said, the State I live in has the highest cigar tax in the country. Our cigar tax is 86% of MSRP... In a nutshell that makes a $5 stick $9.30 or a $200 box $372 after taxes....:(

Wow, what state is that?

[E.J.]

Wow, what state is that?

Utah

[CoreyD]

usually from online retailers that also have a B&M store front.
I have been going this route along with some B&M purchases,But $45 in a store at a time for less than 10 hurts the pocket sometimes.

[CigarNut]

I have been going this route along with some B&M purchases,But $45 in a store at a time for less than 10 hurts the pocket sometimes.I agree but I figure that is the price of keeping a local B&M in business.

[alley00p]

I've been a supporter of buying from my local B&M's for a long time. :tu
I used buy at least 1 stick every time I stopped in at my hangout. The owner has to pay his overhead, just to stay open. He's never been upset if I brought my own sticks to smoke, while enjoying his shop.

Since I've been house-bound for a while, the only way to buy any new sticks is via online dealers. But I've only bought things that my favorite B&M didn't stock. :ss


:dance:

[Volusianator]

I agree but I figure that is the price of keeping a local B&M in business.

Here here!

[JJG]

I can honestly say, with the exception of Habanos, I haven't made an online purchase in years. I'm just not much of a collector/hoarder/etc. and I prefer to buy NC singles rather than boxes.

I have a handful of go-to smokes that I do purchase by the box, but they're all CCs. For a change of pace, there is nothing better than a trip to the B&M. In fact, I've got a huge, locally bought Anejo burning at this very moment. :tu

[htown]

Maybe I am wrong, but I only feel good if I am supporting a B&M that is run by decent people. Just because they have chosen to sell cigars does not mean that they are upstanding citizens or deserving of my hard earned cash. I have had an owner of one cigar shop tell me mold on his cigars was plume and the owner of another try and convince me that some unbanded cigars were habanos that his friend in Canada sent him (which they obviously were not). Neither one of these stores gets my money. I would rather buy cigars online or from someone here.

[CigarNut]

Maybe I am wrong, but I only feel good if I am supporting a B&M that is run by decent people. Just because they have chosen to sell cigars does not mean that they are upstanding citizens or deserving of my hard earned cash. I have had an owner of one cigar shop tell me mold on his cigars was plume and the owner of another try and convince me that some unbanded cigars were habanos that his friend in Canada sent him (which they obviously were not). Neither one of these stores gets my money. I would rather buy cigars online or from someone here.Agreed. I am fortunate enough to live in a city where we have at least 10 B&Ms. I don't support them all (even if I could afford it!). I support those that have good people who know their cigars, which brings it down to 3 or four for me -- which is still a lot but these are great stores with great people.

[smokinpeace]

I would love to support a local but my B&M owner is not someone who I would like to give my money to. He charges huge markups on some of the smokes I enjoy. How about $350 for a box of Anejo Sharks. After taxes they sell for over $400. I buy from many B&M's via mail order but my local guy is not going to get my business.

[BloodSpite]

:tpd:

I don't have a decent B&M worth buying from without driving into the city.

Same situation here. I can either drive to Springfield (about an hour and a half) or I can drive to Bentonville/Rogers (About an hour and change)

Just not worth the drive

[RevSmoke]

My last 3 purchases were from local B&Ms.

[tx_tuff]

Do you notice a big difference in taste wade?

I have bought some "great deals" online before of some regular everyday smokes and there is no doubt that they tasted different. I would say that there is no question they where sold as the real deal and they where 2nds if not 3rds or worse.

[tx_tuff]

Maybe I am wrong, but I only feel good if I am supporting a B&M that is run by decent people. Just because they have chosen to sell cigars does not mean that they are upstanding citizens or deserving of my hard earned cash. I have had an owner of one cigar shop tell me mold on his cigars was plume and the owner of another try and convince me that some unbanded cigars were habanos that his friend in Canada sent him (which they obviously were not). Neither one of these stores gets my money. I would rather buy cigars online or from someone here.

Are these the 2 main shops in Sugarland? I think there are more then a few great B&Ms in Houston.

[tx_tuff]

I like to buy most of my cigars from local B&Ms but if I see a deal or cigar I can not get there I will buy online.

[hammondc]

I buy mostly online these days, but that is due to the fact that most of the shops in SA have an air pretentiousness that has to be cut with a knife. There is one exception, and I do frequent that shop occasionally.

[htown]

Are these the 2 main shops in Sugarland? I think there are more then a few great B&Ms in Houston.

Of course there are great B&Ms in Houston and I buy cigars from them when I am in the area. My point was that I don't support B&Ms just because they are local. If I have a bad experience in one, I probably won't go back.

[swh127]

I support my B&M every chance I get. Its an older gentleman and his wife as their retirement job. He understands that he can't beat the online stores due to the volume they can do and the rent/electricity he has to pay downtown. So to combat this, he stocks boutique cigars that you can't find online.

I do buy a lot of the cigars I smoke online but I also visit the store at least 3 times a week. I love the environment and the conversation. Where else can a 18 year old college student hang out with industry professionals, college professors, firefighters and a local judge or two

[tx_tuff]

Of course there are great B&Ms in Houston and I buy cigars from them when I am in the area. My point was that I don't support B&Ms just because they are local. If I have a bad experience in one, I probably won't go back.

I agree with that 100%! I have had one tell me the same thing about mold, but it was an out of town place. Have been to another here in town that has mold on a few and the guy just leaves them out like no big deal. I don't get it.

[OLS]

I can't remember the last time I bought online. I try to support the local guys.
Posted via Mobile DeviceAnd that's why your wife hates cigars.....:r

[OLS]

I don't have you beat, Volusianator, but I DO have a long-standing animus against more than a few of em,
and I have not ordered since.....about the middle of October. Before that it was about every two months,
and before that it was every payday, lol.

[Volusianator]

Maybe I am wrong, but I only feel good if I am supporting a B&M that is run by decent people. Just because they have chosen to sell cigars does not mean that they are upstanding citizens or deserving of my hard earned cash.
Same hold true for online retailers!

I have had an owner of one cigar shop tell me mold on his cigars was plume
That's happened with online stores as well!

the owner of another try and convince me that some unbanded cigars were habanos that his friend in Canada sent him (which they obviously were not).
I would bet if you looked back in the archives here, the same has happened on this very forum too.

I would rather buy cigars online or from someone here.
And that's the cool thing, it's just like what cigars you smoke, ones you love, others may hate, and you're both right. I'm not condoning buying cigars online, just saying that when the day comes that you want to go to that B&M, sit down and enjoy a cigar, only to find out that they couldn't pay the bills and went out of business, keep in mind your willingness to save a buck to buy online.

I've bought from both of course, and I'm sure I'll buy online again in the future, but I will do everything I can do to support my local small business man, it's where I get my truck worked on, where I get my shoes, where I buy my cigars. I'm just trying to do my part.

[Adriftpanda]

I have never ordered any NC online. Support my local B&M.

[longknocker]

WOW!! Can't make that same comment. :D

I Can't Either, But I "Need" To In 2011!:r:D:tu

[Salvelinus]

I don't shop at my local enough, the tax is unbearable. I do however stop at B&M's in NH whenever I am passing through. I definitely prefer supporting the locals, even if they aren't local to me.

[Big_Ern]

But $45 in a store at a time for less than 10 hurts the pocket sometimes.

I am lucky if I can get 2 for $45. I was in North Dakota and was so happy about the prices I was skipping to the cash register. even my wife said they were cheaper in the U.S.

[Salvelinus]

I am lucky if I can get 2 for $45. I was in North Dakota and was so happy about the prices I was skipping to the cash register. even my wife said they were cheaper in the U.S.

Canada has by far the most ridiculous prices I have seen. Too bad, I really like the LCDH in Montreal but the prices just aren't worth the effort to go up and smoke more.

[Adriftpanda]

I support my B&M every chance I get. Its an older gentleman and his wife as their retirement job. He understands that he can't beat the online stores due to the volume they can do and the rent/electricity he has to pay downtown. So to combat this, he stocks boutique cigars that you can't find online.

I do buy a lot of the cigars I smoke online but I also visit the store at least 3 times a week. I love the environment and the conversation. Where else can a 18 year old college student hang out with industry professionals, college professors, firefighters and a local judge or two

Couldn't agree with you more. :tu

[E.J.]

Just to add insult to injury, not only do we have the highest taxes on cigars in the United States, we cannot smoke in any of them......

[Krish the Fish]

I can't remember the last time I bought NCs online, but I can say I haven't bought any since the summer. The only exception is buying from a local store (New Havana) that does business online.

I even bought a box of Anejo 49s from my B&M for like $316, knowing that I could have gotten a better deal online. However, even though my B&M owner doesn't quite know how to maximize his business, I like the guys that work there (owner included) and all the "regulars" are super cool as well. I want to support the place to keep a cool place to smoke in cbus alive.