Brunello
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2020
- Messages
- 710
- Reaction score
- 291
With the disappearance of pipe shops in my area I sort of let the hobby fade away over the years. I was down to just a single bowl of vintage (1979) Balkan Sobranie every year for my birthday. Then one day I did a Google search and discovered a whole world of online retailers and a vibrant community of fellow pipe smokers!
But it seems I missed the Golden Years when everything was available online, because I landed right in the middle of all the FDA mania and disappearing import brands. I've put my other hobbies on hold and spent all my expendable income trying to catch up on blends that are disappearing faster than I can buy them. I know a lot of hobbyists are doing the same and holding off on buying pipes, and that makes it tough for any remaining retailers to survive because pipes and accessories are where the profit is at, tobacco being a low margin "convenience."
Anyhow, happy to have found some fellow enthusiasts to join in keeping the piping culture alive!
But it seems I missed the Golden Years when everything was available online, because I landed right in the middle of all the FDA mania and disappearing import brands. I've put my other hobbies on hold and spent all my expendable income trying to catch up on blends that are disappearing faster than I can buy them. I know a lot of hobbyists are doing the same and holding off on buying pipes, and that makes it tough for any remaining retailers to survive because pipes and accessories are where the profit is at, tobacco being a low margin "convenience."
Anyhow, happy to have found some fellow enthusiasts to join in keeping the piping culture alive!
