Cigar/Tobacco Shops

[Cable]

I have been wondering over the weekend why there are hardly any specialist Cigar/Tobacco shops. I know there are a number in London but generally why are there not more of them in towns etc? Is it because there is just not enough demand for the product or the fact that its just much cheaper online that a small store just cannot compete? I would love to go into a local Tobacco shop and buy cigars and have a chat with the shopkeeper etc, when i used to work in London it was really nice going into Shervingtons in Chancery Lane, reallly nice traditional old shop. Just wondered what you all thoughts on this are.

[7kingsguy]

You hit the nail on the head, a combination of your two answers. There are still small tobacconists going though. My 'local' is pops in Ilford, every now and then I will buy something in there, but it is just not cost effective.

[Drewmidorn]

I used to go to a shop in Market Harborough not too far from where I live (about 40 miles). It closed and the man who owned it went to solely supplying as an online store.

I think there may be more stores around the country than you might imagine, but they do tend to be in the cities rather than the towns. I quite like a trip out to visit different cigar shops... I'd love one just round the corner though!

[Cable]

Exactly right, i too would like to visit a proper cigar shop. As im rather new to the world of cigars it would be an ideal place to go to ask questions, get some advice and have a good look around. Shame they are so hard to find these days.

[Drewmidorn]

Where about are you based cable?

Between us all we can probably come up with the closest good stores to you.

[Pandyboy]

There is one in Southampton on London Road that is good for tobacco but not so great for cigars. There is also another in Southbourne Dorset called the pipe shop. I think the interent has killed off some and just lack of smoking others.

[Pandyboy]

Cable, go visit The La Casa Del Habano in Teddington. AJ will look after you and show you all his toys. You can park nearby and it is a great shop to visit. Call ahead and mention that you are a member of the forum and you might be able to use the smoking area.

[smokeymo]

It’s a combination of factors to be honest……>>
>>
High street rents and rates are very high>>
>>
Margins in the tobacco trade are generally very low when compared to other businesses like food and fashion>>
>>
Lack of loyalty to retailers ( understandable) due to lower prices on the internet>>
>>
We do have specialist cigar shops that offer internet prices, small but comfortable cigar sampling areas and as much intelligent advice as the customer can possibly want as we are passionate about our products and we do try to give old fashioned customer service.>>
>>
We also welcome customers to our London offices and humidor>>
>>
Best>>
>>
Mitchell>>
C.Gars Ltd/Turmeaus Tobacconist/ Robert Graham Ltd>>
>>
London Mayfair- London West Hampstead- Liverpool- Chester- Glasgow- Edinburgh Rose street- Edinburgh Canongate-Hamburg LCDH>>

[Pandyboy]

If you live in the north my smoking shop is good, they have offers that you can only get in store and Simon there is really good.

[Stevieboy]

It’s a combination of factors to be honest……>>
>>
High street rents and rates are very high>>
>>
Margins in the tobacco trade are generally very low when compared to other businesses like food and fashion>>
>>
Lack of loyalty to retailers ( understandable) due to lower prices on the internet>>
>>
We do have specialist cigar shops that offer internet prices, small but comfortable cigar sampling areas and as much intelligent advice as the customer can possibly want as we are passionate about our products and we do try to give old fashioned customer service.>>
>>
We also welcome customers to our London offices and humidor>>
>>
Best>>
>>
Mitchell>>
C.Gars Ltd/Turmeaus Tobacconist/ Robert Graham Ltd>>
>>
London Mayfair- London West Hampstead- Liverpool- Chester- Glasgow- Edinburgh Rose street- Edinburgh Canongate-Hamburg LCDH>>

Hi Mitch...none of your post is visible using Tapatalk....are you cutting and pasting from a Word .doc?

[Cable]

Yeah i pretty much had the same thoughts as you have all said, just interested to know other people opinion's. Pandyboy, I live near Midhurst which is quite away from from Teddington, but from what you say it sounds like a good place to go, i will make time one weekend. Smokey, I love your online store, i recently made my first purchase from there, i was very impressed with the service and your prices, you are my first choice, i just need you to open a store closer to me lol. Just out of interest, how do you have smoking rooms in stores now, what with the ban on smoking in public places etc, how do stores get round this?

[Pandyboy]

You can only smoke what you buy on the premises. It is really a sampling room to test before you buy a box.

[Spoony]

I'm lucky living in Newcastle as we have the CCC which is an excellent shop. I am quite new to cigars so only really buy singles. I might be able to save a few quid if I bought online but having the shop and sampling lounge is great. You get great personal service, can have a good chat, the shop smells fantastic and you can go and sample your purchases in the lounge. I'll happily pay the little bit more (and it's not much) to support the place and make sure it is as successful as possible so I can continue to enjoy having it available.

[NhII7]

I'm lucky living in Newcastle as we have the CCC which is an excellent shop. I am quite new to cigars so only really buy singles. I might be able to save a few quid if I bought online but having the shop and sampling lounge is great. You get great personal service, can have a good chat, the shop smells fantastic and you can go and sample your purchases in the lounge. I'll happily pay the little bit more (and it's not much) to support the place and make sure it is as successful as possible so I can continue to enjoy having it available.

Cheers Spoony, how many cigars did I say again?

[Simon-JG-hr]

Cable, pretty much this:

You can only smoke what you buy on the premises. It is really a sampling room to test before you buy a box.

A specialist tobacconist (i.e. a shop for which cigars, snuff pipes and their accessories account for more than 50% of the turnover) is exempt for the purposes of sampling. It's one of the reasons that I looked into opening a cigar store in Plymouth (still am actually) - just about the only selling point they have against the lure of tax evasion...