I went into the local Tinder Box today to see if they had anything new to try (not that I need them I guess but I haven't tried any of the Esencia cigars). They didn't have any, but I didn't expect them to either, but that is the problem.

On another thread here there is a discussion of internet cigar stores versus B&M. How does a B&M like Tinder Box expect to compete when they carry the same old stuff? Some of the same old stuff is great but I want to see Esencia, Tatuaje, Jameson, Kristoff and Canimao to name a few.

It reminds me of the TV networks insisting we watch TV like we did 20 years ago. Times have changed, keep up!

:-)
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At IPCPR in Vegas I was hanging out at the bar in the Venetian. I wound up bumping into a tinderbox owner. I don't recall where he was from, but he was a nice guy.

When I asked him if he was impressed by any of the smaller manufacturers, he made mention that he didn't give them much time. He went on to say that the small boutique stuff is great for the educated cigar smoker but it would never move with his regular customer base.

I see the same thing in my local shop. I think its a great place but he is very slow to bring in new stuff. The reasoning is that myself and two other customers would be the only ones buying from the box while the other regulars stick with their staples.

Because 99% of my purchases have been via B&M over the last 3 months, I always feel like I am behind the times.
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well whats aggrivating is that if you ask if they ever carry Tatuaje they look at you like youre an a$$hole and reply "never heard of it"

How, in this day as a B&M owner, have youve never heard of a company like Tatuaje???

these guys are happy doing the bare minimum.
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Yeah, the stock at my local Tinder Box hasn't changed in years either. I rarely go their to buy sticks anymore. There are just better B&Ms that carry a wider variety.
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I've bought from Tinderbox once in the 14 years I've been smoking cigars. It was a few months ago, and I only bought a few sticks b/c i felt bad leaving empty handed. I spent less than $20.
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I have a B&M just like you describe, they do have a couple tats however they are not an authorized retailer so thats a little sketchy, I have never even seen the owner smoke a cigar or any of the employees for that matter, but they all smoke cigarettes, go figure. they have no new lines of cigars. Luckily for me, I have a couple other shops that have a much better selection.
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The Tinderbox here in Mesa brings in excellent boutique stuff all the time. Paul always has something new after RTDA/IPCPR. I think because there is such a goodly amount of regulars and educated cigar smokers that they are able to sell them.
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Question: Does the owner of a Tinder Box have to purchase product from a particular distributor, or can the owner go outside the box and purchase product too?

I'm sure its great to keep the same ol' staple of stock, but its also nice to expand with current product too...
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A guy once told me that going to Tinderbox for fine cigars was like going to McDonalds for gormet food. Just isn't gonna happen :-).



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TinderBox has been around for quite awhile but that doesn't mean they carry everything. They are good for the occasional cigar when you have golf tournaments and poker and your tastes aren't that discriminating. That doesn't mean that some locations do not carry premiums,,,they do. I knew of one in Wellesley, Ma. that carried just about every premium that was out there only because the owners insisted on carrying them for their clientele. Conversely, there are plenty of locations that carry just the bare minimum. I like the older B&M's that found a way to survive based on what they knew about their customer base. They knew how to sale their cigars because they became your friends quickly, they walked and talked with you to get to know you and your tastes,,,they appreciated your business and they showed it. I didn't care that they charged a bit more because they took an interest in you and when you did business with them they always gave me a percentage off,,,it was called the " good customer discount" and it was a win win.
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I stopped at a place in Pittsburgh yesterday that had a beautiful store and a gorgeous bar.
The walk-in was gorgeous, too.
A good 8 feet, floor to ceiling, was dedicated to Macanudos. I never knew there were so many Macanudos.
The one thing that struck me was that they can't hardly keep Acids on the shelf. Many empty boxes, many different types offered. It looked like they were easily their best seller.
I'd stopped by because the last time I was there I found a box of Opus pc's on the shelf. I got their last Opus they had, it was a robusto and it was behind the bar.
Goes to show that there's just no figuring "it" out.
I tend to think that the way I think about cigars and brands is the way everyone does. It just ain't so.
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I very infrequently visit my local tinderbox, but I think I am done. My wife, trying to be really nice, was at the mall last month and decided to get me a couple good surprise smokes. She called by buddy for recommendations and went in asking about a few recommended selections.

According to her, the kid working the store was a complete A-hole, with zero interest in helping her - basically stating they don't have what she was looking for and not at all willing to help her pick out anything. She said despite the store being empty, he was rude and seemed like he preferred she didn't buy anything and just left - so she did.

I have had mixed results at this store over the years, with most recent experiences being quite negative. I do not think I will visit them anymore. Way too many other choices to get cheaper cigars with better service.
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That describes 99% of the stores in my town.
Sometimes if you can get the kid behind the counter to stop eating or texting, they'll allow you to buy something.
I used to mention that sort of thing to the owner if I knew them. I don't bother anymore. I figure if it's your store and it's let to go on that way, then the market will sort it out.
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A store personality is definately a reflection of the owner, and speaking of texting, my daughter and I were having breakfast yesterday morning at a well known cafe here in the Santa Clarita Valley, and apparently the two waitress' were more interested in their "texting" as opposed to my empty cup of coffee. Good food though:-)
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I am lucky that I have an awesome B&M near me that carries ALL of the new stuff at the best prices.

I feel sorry for you guys. :-)
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Once a retailer is known in the local cigar community as not keeping up with the changing cigar world that retailer will have a hard time convincing them to come back. Such is the case with me and the local Tinder Boxes. Yesterday was my last stop there. I have a few good local shops that actually know what they carry and why.

I too have asked about Tatuaje and been greeted with a snarl about never having heard of them and they must not be any good. The last time that happened I told them they could keep eating their Twinkies while I head to another store for some Swiss chocolate. The look on their faces was priceless.

I guess if they don't care and can make a living serving smokers who don't care, fine with me. I'll stick to the local cigar stores owned by people who actually smoke cigars.
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Thankfully, in addition to the lame Tinder Boxes in my area we also have a few nice cigar shops with employees that know a thing or two about cigars. One of them has 20% of Wednesdays. Every cigar is 20% off. Their prices end up being lower than a lot of online retailers on Wednesday.
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The only Tinderbox I've ever been in was located in Columbus, Ohio at the Easton Center Mall. I was there for a weekend, and I took my wife along with me.

The first thing that I noticed was that ALL cigars were in a long wall glass-front humidor and the glass doors were all locked. I mentioned to one of the sales people that I would like a stick or two, and he said "well, look them over, and let me know what you want". I told him which ones I wanted, and I expected him to unlock the glass doors on the front, but he said, "Ill be right back" and he disappeared, only to reappear inside the rear of the shelves. He picked out my cigars and reappeared at the register to ring them up.

There were quite a few folks who may have been "regulars", but none of them were particularly friendly. I took my purchases, and my wife and I left, selecting seats outside to smoke and people watch.

I was surprised by the apparent "no-handling" policy and the lack of comraderie that is always found at the cigar shops in my neck of the woods. I probably won't ever visit that store again - there are other cigar stores in Columbus where you are welcomed immediately when you walk in.


:-)
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As you all mentioned, it very much depends on how your local Tinder Box is run. Back in the day, I worked at a Tinder Box and the owner was very into cigars and actually trained new employees (both in cigars and how he expected the employees to interact with the customers). Yes, I can think of one employee who was an ahole, but on the whole all of the employees were knowledgeable about cigars and treated all of the customers respectful and well. Regarding what new cigars the owner would bring into the shop, he along with the sales manager went to Vegas on a yearly basis and they would bring in new cigars which they thought would sell and were good. Any questionable cigars were distributed to the staff and if we thought one was great, it was likely to added. Although his shops were run well, I did vist a Tinder Box in another city (not owned by the same owner) and the customer service and cigar selection sucked! So, all in all, it really just depends on how your local Tinder Box is run. I guess this is why this particular Tinder Box owner has done so well in the cigar industry.
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The few Tinker Boxes around here do carry Tatuaje and Kristoff but I rarely ever give them my business. One is way out of the way and I have never been there but the three by me are owned by the same person so I am assuming they are one in the same so I would rather not waste my time with that particular store knowing the other two. The second is in a convenient spot for me but most of the employees I met are stuck up A-holes and act as if I do not know what I am talking about and literally seem annoyed when I say I do not like most of what Rocky Patel has to offer since that is what they always try and push on me. Their humidor conditions are horrible as it seems rather dry in there and the humidifier is always leaking water on the floor and they usually leave a towel on the floor to soak up the spilled water.(Been like this for over a year now that I know of) I always cringe when I do decide to look around when I see boxes of 1926s and 64s with wrappers cracking from being so dry and when I bring it to their attention they act like I am the crazy one.:-) The third is actually in a grocery store and the woman who works there is very nice but the other guy is a do*che. There walk in is maintained much better but I would rather pay a little more and give someone who actually appreciated my business my money rather than the snob who thinks they are the end all be all of cigar smokers and just seems annoyed that there is a customer taking up there precious time. It's a shame to because they carry a rather decent selection of smokes but the one thing I can not tolerate is the arrogance. Some of these people have no business being in the service industry. Hell, if they offered me a job at a decent wage I would have to say I would probably love my job.
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