Nostalgic visit to St. Louis area Pipe Shop

[BurgundyRed]

I'm in St. Louis for a conference. I took time to go to a pipe shop I visited quite often in the early 1970's when I went to school there. I was looking forward to a visit after all these years. Thomas Wolfe said, you can't go home. Sure thing here. Nearly the whole shop is devoted to cigars and a small backroom has the pipes. Yes, he had some good stuff, but poorly displayed. I asked about their blends which I enjoyed in my youth. Don't make them any more, just sell the stuff the distributor gives us. Other brands they can't get anymore. Three Nuns isn't imported into the US because of taxes. He didn't have the elementary supplies. The bulk tobacco he had were in rather dusty dirty jars with old smudged labels. What a disappointment. I remember spending time talking to the owner who was happy to tell you all about pipe smoking and tobacco.

 

[Rob_In_MO]

Sounds like Jon's pipe shop. I wasn't impressed the last time I visited there either.

There is a fantastic B&M about 1.5 hours south in Cape Girardeau - Tobacco Lane. It's only 1/2 mile from I-55 at the Cape Exit at mile-96. A quite large selection of pipes, very nice tobacco selection (shop blends and tins/pouches), and a large walk-in humidor for cigars.

 

[Smoker99]

Don't know where you are talking about, but agree Jon's has gone downhill. At one time, they were the el primo shop in the area, sadly no longer.

 

[BurgundyRed]

I wanted to be intentionally vague, but you nailed it.

 

[Rob_In_MO]

I wanted to be intentionally vague, but you nailed it.

While I understand where you're coming from, I intentionally didn't want to be vague. My reasoning is this: If someone who frequents that B&M sees this and passes it on - maybe perhaps some good could come from it. As far down as it's gone, I don't see things getting worse. Maybe a good reminder of the way that shop used to be could inspire. I know, I'm being overly-optimistic but I see no harm in trying.

I would rather tell the truth and tell it like it is that build it up to be something great, and then have a fellow Brother be quite disappointed when he would visit that shop in the future.

At least this way people know what they're in for, instead of getting the 'Used Car Salesman' speech. :lol:

 

[Smoker99]

I think since JRs relocated from downtown to a few doors down from Jon's, it just killed his business. Last time I was in Jon's several years ago, I went there to pick up a few 100g tins of Rattrays blends. The Frenchman told me he didn't have them, as they were just too expensive to stock. That told me all I needed to know.