I have become somewhat of a regular customer at a local B&M. Another member here, David (Screen Name Catfish) has also visited there a few times and we have hit it off. It's always nice to have a smoking buddy.

I wanted to throw out some stories of my "routine" at the B&M and see if anyone has any ideas, suggestions, or advice on things I could do better or more of.

1. I never show up just to "hang out." When I visit, it's to smoke and buy.
2. I usually show up with my 10 count travel humi. I tend to bring the travel humi with, say, 8 sticks in it. I will come in, sit, smoke, drink, watch TV, maybe play some Wii, and then on my way out, I will buy anywhere between 1-3 cigars to "top off" the travel humi for next time. Sometimes, I will not necessarily buy sticks, but some accessory - a can of butane, a drymistat tube (I have about 5 of them now, spread among various travel humi's and tupperdors) a pack of "smoker's mints," something like that.
3. So far, I have only smoked sticks purchased there. But even if I smoked an "outside" stick, I would still buy SOMETHING on the way out.
4. Here's where it gets a little tricky. They don't have a liquor license, but the owner gladly provides drinks, especially for the regulars. He has a tip jar next to the register, and it's kind of hidden. I generally don't drink liquor, but when I grab a soda or bottled water from the mini-fridge, I'll drop $1-2 into the tip jar. Not really "paying" for the drink, but this makes me feel like I'm not mooching. On the rare occasion that I do have some liquor, like a glass of scotch, I'll put $5 in the tip jar. I also offer to clean up after myself, but the owner always tells me not to worry about it.
5. I have gifted the owner (and his wife) some sticks, and he has smoked some of them in front of me. To be honest, I don''t think he really loved them, but he never said anything bad about them, and he was gracious in accepting them and at least tried them, which is all anyone can really ask of someone.
6. I don't have some of the super impressive collections of sticks that some guys here have, but I try to be generous. For every 5-pack I buy, I usually keep 3 for myself and give 2 away. Sometimes, I give a smoke to the owner or his wife, sometimes another BOTL from here.
7. I try to spread as much positive word-of-mouth about the place as I can. I know that I have brought at least 3 more regular customers to the shop, and for that the owner seems genuinely grateful. Occasionally, he will chop 5-10% off of my bill, or toss in an extra stick. I never ask for extra discounts, but I do sometimes splurge buy when he has a good sale, like 20% off everything in the store, or buy 3 sticks, get 1 free.

I'm especially interested to hear from people who own/work in B&M's. Besides spending money, what else can a regular customer do to help you out, business-wise?
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Word of mouth seems to work best in our hobby.

Just think of how much you've learned, been gifted, and enjoyed because of other BOTL's.
I believe the best thing that you can do to help grow your favorite proprietors business is to tell EVERYONE:-)

So where's this B&M:-)
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Great rules of the heart brother!! :-)


I work in a cigar bar. We sell cigars, cigar accessories and beer and wine - no liquor. I receive tips as a bartender would.

We don't mind people bringing in their own smokes, but as an unwritten rule we hope they buy beverages from us, however we won't kick 'em out if they don't.


Basically I think if you support your local B&M with purchases they will take care of you. I know when I used to frequent another B&M on a weekly basis (before I got my part time job at the current cigar bar) the owner would toss me a stick, give me a discount, or other accessories such as hats or shirts.

I think gifting the owner of the establishment is not really necessary. Maybe give him a bottle of Port at Christmas time or something.

That's my 2 cents. :-)
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Celebration, FL. Near Disney World. It's called Backroom Cigar Corp. I've posted about them a lot, because I've been spending a lot of time there.
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Thanks, Scott!

I know, I was hoping you especially would chime in.

Eh, it's not like I'm giving him Opus X's or anything. Couple of Taboo's, some 5 Vegas. Stuff that's not super expensive, but stuff that I like, stuff that I think he might like, and stuff that I think he might want to consider carrying.

But worth so much more!
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I work at a B&M. I've been there over a year and I'd say you're doing all the right things. In my opinion, any shop would be happy to have you there. We have some real pains in the ass customers who leave HUGE messes, don't buy ****, and hog the T.V. We would welcome you any day, keep doing what you do. :-)

P.S. 3 or 4 times I've found chicken wings in the stinky. :-)
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Christian,

I think it says a lot about your character that you care about doing what's right in regards to a place you visit a great deal.

I wrestled a bit with the same question, but with the larger B&M across town where we herfed.

I meet friends there once in a while and we normally buy drinks, but smoke our own cigars, most of which they can't sell.

To complicate matters further, my friend works at a small B&M in the mall and sells boxes much cheaper than the bigger guy and also calls me when Opus arrives and doesn't limit my purchase. No lounge though....
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Thanks, Darrell. If I make it to California any time soon, I will be sure to look you and your shop up. (PS, you're another one of the guys I was specifically hoping would put their two cents in on this thread)

Now that's just gross.
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I think most of us, in our own good-hearted way, like to see businesses that we frequent do well. I love the "big cigar shop across town," and will continue to visit there, by myself and with friends. The good thing about cigar shops is that they're more forgiving than women. You can give your heart to more than one.

On a positive note, the owner of Backroom has said numerous times that he's not trying to necessarily "compete" with anybody, just trying to run HIS store as well as he can. He has never said anything disparaging about any of the other cigar shops in town, and I respect him for that.

BTW, how's the quitting cigarettes thing coming?
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Their was some meat on a couple of them so I did not mind. :-)

That was a joke.
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No..No it wasn't Darrell.
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I used to work at an Italian restaurant (rhymes with "Slap a Bony Shill") and this one server used to make a habit of picking at uneaten food after he brought it back to the kitchen, before he scraped the plate to put it in the "to be washed" area.

One day, a manager accosted him and said "Dude, don't do that, you might catch AIDS from that pizza!"

To which he replied, "Not unless they [insert slang term for masturbated] on it first!"
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:-)
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Well, since you asked.... next week will be 2 months without so much as a puff on a cig!!! Feb is a short month, but for the first time in a long long time, I don't even think about cigs. Thanks for remembering!
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Good on ya, mate! Congratulations, brother.
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Hmm from another customers POV, sounds like your doing it as well as you can. I have one B&M that trats me good and I try to buy from them as much as possible, no lounge though and that hurts them IMO.
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Tell you what Christian. You're the kind of guy I'm proud to know. Just keep on keeping on bro.
:-)
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That wasn't me!!! I swear!!!:-)
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The B&M I go to I usually always bring a small assortment of sticks I think I might want to smoke some bought there some not but I always seem to wind up spending $50 a week in there anyways. I am also a person who picks up after himself while there. I will wash out my own soda cans and if it is around lunch time I will give a call in to see if the store manager needs anything for lunch on my way in.
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I didn't really see a question in your post...

I think you are being a good customer to this guy and wouldn't change a thing. If you didn't already have the relationship with the B&M, I'd say buy something when you first get there instead of when you are leaving to avoid anyone thinking you are just there to smoke and not buy. Since it's established that you don't do that there, I think you are fine buying before or after as you do.

Do you give the owner or his wife cigars out of fivers you bought there? I'm wondering what they'd think about that. I'm sure they don't mind, but I'm trying to place myself in their shoes. I wonder what they'd think of you gifting cigars they don't carry as well. Would they be offended? I know I wouldn't. I have gifted a CC or two to one of my locals. That went over very well and he could tell they had a few years on them.
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