Your Thoughts please

One of the top 10 rated tobacco shops in the world is in the city I live in right now. They have good prices, but the people that work there won't really help you that much.... Back home in FL I have a guy that always asks how you are, what smokes your interested in, and is always ontop of things, he knows so much about tobacco and gives great advice.

I guess just learn everything you can, and acquire great people skills. I hate a shop run by rude people....

I have never been to a tinder box , none in my area , but I think any business that is franchased could be run by you with out the help or expence of the franchise, sure they have all the bugs & kinks worked out but I want to sell coffee with my cigars I can , if I want to sell candles with my coffee & cigars I can, I dont know if you can do that with a franchise, you have to fallow the cookie cutter outline of the shop, & do things the way the franchise tells you to it, , you get all your supplys from them & cant take advantage of a spiff or sale from a distributor or a lazy sales person who just wants to go home for the weekend. , I have been able to pick up some great deals on a Friday evening when the sales person wants to get home & sleep off the effects of Thursday night !, just go to the Small Business Association, they will give you all the help you need to get a business off the ground , they will supply you with a "mentor" & you can pick there brain all you need & since it is a Government agency, they can help with bank Loans & they dont charge a fee ! Like a franchiser would !, some thing to think about ! but with a franchise, you have a brand name & national advertising, ( of withch you will help pay for ) . I like being independent, but i wouldnt be apposed to starting a franchise , where would you like to open hahahaha ! Enjoy, Vince

I've had tinder boxes in several locations that I have lived in. I find them to be as Vince mentioned "cookie cutter" establishments, and I agree 100% with Vinces advice.

While in DC I wanted to start a gentlemens club,( not of the naked kind, of the original meaning of the term) A place where adults could go to talk business, pleasure or whatever and enjoy a fine assortments of sticks, tobaccos, coffe's, and spirtis. I was traveling down very similar paths that Vince had mentioned, and if you are serious, I would highly reccomend.

By the way, Vince owns his own place, so, I think he might have a little knowledge of the sorts!!

Good luck

I have a Tinder Box in my town. I avoid it unless I am desperate. It is just a shop full of little overpriced gifts for grandpa. I can't imagine making much cash in that place. Maybe selling bongs to kids but other than that, I think Vince has the best idea. It has a great walk-in Humidor but the cigars cost 3 times what they cost here........

I also agree with Vince.

You can get a much better start by doing your own research, rather than paying for a franchise.

It doesnt matter what you name your store. A good retailer has inventory, clean shop, and a comfortable environment. Personality and customer service mean more to me than anything else.

For the people person aspect a little advice i am far from a peoples person i HATE people and HATE dealing with them ( you guys are ok) but i am an excellent salesman. I have dealt with the most stupid, stubborn, arrogent, pigheaded @$$ holse out there. But when i was in sales at the end of the day they all left happy. Your best bet is to get some people skills (sales) go to a Clothing shop or something and just try to sell everyone that comes in there on something sell sell and sell some more but make sure they leave happy

I avoid Tinder Box at all costs. The woman that owns the local one is very nice and knows her stuff but her employees have no clue. Not much more selection than the local discount cigarette place down the street from my house either. Its a great place if you want the newest collectible Zippo or a duck decoy but other than that its pretty much a waste of time for anybody who's really into cigars IMHO. Also, any place that displays signs reading "Ask about our legal Cubans!!" is nothing more than a store for people who you don't want to deal with.

I know a few people who got thier start at the Tinder Box chain. They left and started thier own shops, for the reasons stated above. I would not start my own Tinder Box, maybe work in one to get some experence in retail. They must do some things right, they are still out there.

Banihex said:

One of the top 10 rated tobacco shops in the world is in the city I live in right now. They have good prices, but the people that work there won't really help you that much.... Back home in FL I have a guy that always asks how you are, what smokes your interested in, and is always ontop of things, he knows so much about tobacco and gives great advice.

I guess just learn everything you can, and acquire great people skills. I hate a shop run by rude people....

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Which one are you talking about? LJ or CM?