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Last post 20 years ago by gorob23. 11 replies replies.
Bedford Cigar Shoppe
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buffallo Offline
#1 Posted: Sat, Jan 24 2004, 12:28 PM EST
Joined: 09-25-2003
Posts: 197
Just wanted to give warning to any locals here in Texas about a shop I was just in.
I walk in the store with an Indian Tobac Buffallo (I chew on cigars.. mmmm good)
I say hello, and walk into the humidor. I see pretty good prices, so I decide to buy some sticks for my bday group.
I go up to the counter, talk to an employee (?Owner?) about the holiday's.. he says he went on a cruise.. blah blah..

Then that (explicative) asks me "are you going to pay for that" I look over and see he is staring at my pocket, so I show him my chewed up cigar. I figured he saw what it was, and that it was ok then.. no harm no foul.. nope.. "Are you sure" he asks.. "yeah" I say.. "I dont think so" he says.. This piece of crap thought I was stealing from his shop! This is when I took offense. A Cigar shop where they dont welcome cigars! I told him he could keep his smokes, and left. I thought for a second, tried to reason the scenario, and walked back in. " I dont appreciate being called a thief, I am a proud member of the United States Navy, and would never steal from you" ... "I dont care who you are, You need to get out of my store, and dont come back"

I have never in my life been accused a thief. I see how he would be concerned with a cigar in my jacket pocket, but when I showed him a cigar that wasnt even a brand he sold, I would expect him to apologize, or even just shut up.

This is the shop off Harwood and Central, called Cigar Shoppe.

Chris
usahog Offline
#2 Posted: Sat, Jan 24 2004, 1:41 PM EST
Joined: 12-06-1999
Posts: 22,691
was he the owner?? sometimes you have to deal with **** who would rather be fishing then dealing with Customers... sad thing is it's hard to find good help.. walk-in shop?? didn't allow you to have a lit Cigar??? I could see this if it were in a mall... my Local allows all.. So he's the one I stick with for special cigars... there are a few other shops but they don't like my blue collar looks LMAO!!!!

Hog
RICKAMAVEN Offline
#3 Posted: Sat, Jan 24 2004, 2:24 PM EST
Joined: 10-01-2000
Posts: 33,248
a small cigar shop opened in whittier a few years ago owned and run by a couple in their mid to late 20's. big party for the block, cake, coffee, come and visit, no free cigars. ok, no mfg rep to give some away.

small walk in humidor stocked with what the new owner could buy from suppliers. not real junk, but acceptable to most people.

i went in the empty of customers store one day to look and buy something from the new owner. i picked up a book that was opened on a display rack, about $35.00, it looked interesting. i set it back down and picked up something else to look at.

i am a grey haired old man with a cigar in my mouth and i do look like i could afford whatever i wanted.

the little **** came to the display and moved the book about an inch to get it back to exactly where it was.

he didn't say anything. no, can i help, what do like to smoke? nothing, just the unspoken admonition, don't touch anything.

when they went out of business in about 4 months, guess how not suprised i was.
usahog Offline
#4 Posted: Sat, Jan 24 2004, 3:25 PM EST
Joined: 12-06-1999
Posts: 22,691
got to remember the old rule of thumb....

Customer always comes first.. and if there is a disagreement the customer is always right... (no matter how bad it hurts the pocketbook in the beginning)

Hog
buffallo Offline
#5 Posted: Sat, Jan 24 2004, 9:49 PM EST
Joined: 09-25-2003
Posts: 197
Agreed amigos...
CWFoster Offline
#6 Posted: Sun, Jan 25 2004, 5:25 AM EST
Joined: 12-12-2003
Posts: 5,414
you know, I've thought about maybe researching what it would take to open a shop when I retire. I have other interests that I would like to make money with, if I could make just a little, and keep the doors open, I'd love to be able to buy enough volume, and have the display space to become an approved AF, and Torano dealer. That way, when I want a box of something, I could get mine at cost, and sell the hard to find items to the BOTL without gouging. I doubt I'll ever do it, but I can dream....
usahog Offline
#7 Posted: Sun, Jan 25 2004, 6:21 AM EST
Joined: 12-06-1999
Posts: 22,691
a good friend of mine and many others here was/is in the business.. has been for years... he said it drives him Nuts.. he was a distributor for a 4 State area for a long time the pressures of being a middleman are overwhelming... and the friendships you lose are also astronomical.... I'll stick to woodworking and tinkering.... no set pace and in the end someone ends up with something they can cherrish the rest of their days... if there's a flaw then ya got a peice of firewood...

Hog

RICKAMAVEN Offline
#8 Posted: Sun, Jan 25 2004, 6:39 AM EST
Joined: 10-01-2000
Posts: 33,248
CWFoster

i agree with usahog.

also the markup is so small, it's not worth the effort.
CWFoster Offline
#9 Posted: Sun, Jan 25 2004, 8:11 AM EST
Joined: 12-12-2003
Posts: 5,414
Like I said, if I did it, it would only be a sideline. Only looking to finance my own habit :)

Also like I said, probably never happen LOL
Cigarick Offline
#10 Posted: Sun, Jan 25 2004, 8:17 AM EST
Joined: 07-28-2002
Posts: 3,078
There used to be a shop in a nearby mall run by three middle-eastern guys. Two of them were pretty polite and personable, but this one was obnoxious, rude, arrogant, and sneering when dealing with customers. I went in twice just because I happened to be at the mall, but their prices were high, and they had signs all over the store: DO NOT TOUCH THE CIGARS. ASK FOR HELP. And by the hookahs: NO, THIS IS NOT A HASH PIPE. I can't imagine that they'd still be in business.
johnfs Offline
#11 Posted: Sun, Jan 25 2004, 10:41 AM EST
Joined: 01-01-2003
Posts: 2,993
Local shop here is completely moldy, I told a local smoker about it and he replied,"Blue mold was a good thing". I think he was misinformed. The shop was moldy, but they did nice customer service, they just weren't cigar smart.

I bet it is stressful being a local tobacconist. Why don't you tell the owner of the shop of the experience, he may be able to rectify the situation to you satisfaction.

J
gorob23 Offline
#12 Posted: Sun, Jan 25 2004, 10:48 AM EST
Joined: 05-11-2003
Posts: 2,323
I have never been into a shop that wsan't overly nice. I hope this was a employee and not the owner. But I'm with you if they arent going to be polite screw it.

CW you need to open something that You can make money off of, and have the Smoke stand on the side of that :) then Invite me and I shall bring a big fat Opus X to celebrate the opening :)

Hog if you ever need to make a stand up humi just to try it out and see if you can (lmao) I would be happy to fill it and keep it as a tester at my house, (whistle innocently) I really wish I could do the wood stuff that you ans Scott can do. Alsa I can teach you to throw a curve, or run the double sucide bunt play lol. Have a great day Boys' :)
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