You have a good b&m right there in Nashville, they sale on line also. NashvilleVapor.com
buying ejuice local vs online
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Unfortunately the process of learning what you like involves wasting a little money. Some of the flavors I thought I would like just didn't agree with me at all. I heard talk of a place that you could order 1ml samples from multiple vendors for $1.50/ea. but I can not find that site now. It seemed like a great idea.
I bought my initial juice from a local b&m to start me on my journey but quickly branched out to online vendors. In the beginning it was a hit or miss shot in the dark as I was still trying to find what I liked. It was hot and humid here when I started vaping so I stuck with fruity flavors. When buying online, buy their smallest bottle or sampler pack if they have them. Try out other vendors with the same flavor, you might like theirs better (or not). reviews will be your friend 
Yes that is one I need to make it to soon! (I actually live in Murfreesboro).
As an aside, if you're anywhere near the minneapolis / St. Paul area you have 503 (Smokeless Smoking is the name of the shops?) and the Plume Room, both of which are truly excellent.
Thank you I have seen the 503 was not sure where they came from. I love to diy but sometimes you need ideas lol. I have found Baker White juices which are pretty good too.
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I am trying some online places because my local shops just don't have what I'm looking for. I order only from sites that offer sample packs. If I don't like them I pass them on to friends because they may like them
503 is expensive but the quality is excellent. Every flavor has been delicious--very light and clean. I can't afford to vape them exclusively but they're worth a few extra bux if you see a flavor you like, especially if you're buying locally w/out shipping. Their Sarsparilla is one of my favorites.
I agree with much of what has been contributed here already. There are a few points I'd like to make.
I have three B&M shops near my house. One makes their own. One re-sells local e-juice. The third has a house brand (that they purchase) and also sells many popular brands; ie. MtBaker, Namber, Cosmic Fog, etc. These "national brands" are almost always pre-steeped. For example, the MtBaker I purchase locally has been made 4-8 weeks earlier (MtBaker dates their bottles). While I paid $10 ea for 15ml bottles, I could vape them immediately and avoid a 10 day to 4 week steeping process. While that's twice the cost of ordering directly from MtBaker, when you need juice NOW, it's a good alternative.
I've also learned that tasting juice (at the juice bar) in the cheap CE4 clearomizers and stock eGo batteries is not a good indication of what the juice tastes like or whether I'll like it. This third B&M keeps the bottles of juice they fill the clearos from on a shelf behind the bar. They allow veterans to drip in their own devices to taste. So I picked up a couple of bridgeless dripping attys ($5 ea.) to taste juice, whether at the B&M bar or my own steeping stash. This gives a much better idea of what the juice is ACTUALLY like and how lousy/good your clearos/tanks are working.
Lastly, in addition to sample packs, keep an eye out for eMerchants that run daily/weekly/holiday sales. Get on their mailing list. For instance: MtBaker just had a July 4th sale on their already inexpensive juices; several eMerchants had 10-20% off coupons, even their sample packs; killer-juice(dot)com has weekly sales (Thurs-Sun), offering, varyingly, 1 to 5 of their (all pre-steeped) flavors for $.99/15ml bottle. If I don't like the sample/sale juice, I simply pass it on to another vaper and have only lost a buck or two.
In the same vein, the local B&M was clearing out flavors that weren't moving well in their shop. I picked up three MtBaker flavors (MooJuice, BlueMoo & Ecto Cooler) @ 3 for $10 (pre-steeped!).
I've only been vaping for just over seven weeks and have been analog free for almost four. I'm still looking for ADVs (all-day-vapes). I don't have one yet. I am, however, constantly surprised by what I do like. So I taste practically anything I can. If it is reasonably highly customer-rated, and on sale, I'll try it. If it's in front of me, I'll try it. I've already saved $168+ in analog costs and have only spent $115-120 in vaping gear & juices. I'm already ahead of the game. If it eventually costs me three months worth of analogs to settle in to vaping, then so be it. I'll wind up saving $140+/month over analogs and feel much better for doing it!
Good Luck & Happy Vaping!
~Alden
I have three B&M shops near my house. One makes their own. One re-sells local e-juice. The third has a house brand (that they purchase) and also sells many popular brands; ie. MtBaker, Namber, Cosmic Fog, etc. These "national brands" are almost always pre-steeped. For example, the MtBaker I purchase locally has been made 4-8 weeks earlier (MtBaker dates their bottles). While I paid $10 ea for 15ml bottles, I could vape them immediately and avoid a 10 day to 4 week steeping process. While that's twice the cost of ordering directly from MtBaker, when you need juice NOW, it's a good alternative.
I've also learned that tasting juice (at the juice bar) in the cheap CE4 clearomizers and stock eGo batteries is not a good indication of what the juice tastes like or whether I'll like it. This third B&M keeps the bottles of juice they fill the clearos from on a shelf behind the bar. They allow veterans to drip in their own devices to taste. So I picked up a couple of bridgeless dripping attys ($5 ea.) to taste juice, whether at the B&M bar or my own steeping stash. This gives a much better idea of what the juice is ACTUALLY like and how lousy/good your clearos/tanks are working.
Lastly, in addition to sample packs, keep an eye out for eMerchants that run daily/weekly/holiday sales. Get on their mailing list. For instance: MtBaker just had a July 4th sale on their already inexpensive juices; several eMerchants had 10-20% off coupons, even their sample packs; killer-juice(dot)com has weekly sales (Thurs-Sun), offering, varyingly, 1 to 5 of their (all pre-steeped) flavors for $.99/15ml bottle. If I don't like the sample/sale juice, I simply pass it on to another vaper and have only lost a buck or two.
In the same vein, the local B&M was clearing out flavors that weren't moving well in their shop. I picked up three MtBaker flavors (MooJuice, BlueMoo & Ecto Cooler) @ 3 for $10 (pre-steeped!).
I've only been vaping for just over seven weeks and have been analog free for almost four. I'm still looking for ADVs (all-day-vapes). I don't have one yet. I am, however, constantly surprised by what I do like. So I taste practically anything I can. If it is reasonably highly customer-rated, and on sale, I'll try it. If it's in front of me, I'll try it. I've already saved $168+ in analog costs and have only spent $115-120 in vaping gear & juices. I'm already ahead of the game. If it eventually costs me three months worth of analogs to settle in to vaping, then so be it. I'll wind up saving $140+/month over analogs and feel much better for doing it!
Good Luck & Happy Vaping!
~Alden
I would only buy online, from reputable vendors that disclose information you most likely will not get straight answers from locally Brick and Mortar and can negatively effect your health. Be sure to look to see if they use diketones such as diacetyl, because they are something that is speculated to cause permanent damage to your lungs. Ultimately, it has been shown that diacetyl is just one agent that can cause flavorings-related lung disease: "The flavorings industry has estimated that over a thousand flavoring ingredients have the potential to be respiratory hazards due to possible volatility and irritant properties (alpha, beta-unsaturated aldehydes and ketones, aliphatic aldehydes, aliphatic carboxylic acids, aliphatic amines, and aliphatic aromatic thiols and sulfides)."
A lot of local B&M do carry larger brands of eliquid, and that maybe a good option if you are uncomfortable ordering online. Shops like make there own flavors are risky in my opinion because they are not professionals typically and do not have very strict quality control and safety measures in place. Some online vendors advertise being FDA Complaint and FEMA / GRAS. This does not mean they are approved by the FDA just that they follow guidelines the FDA has set for similar industries(food etc.). It is a good sign when you see that but keep in mind it may not be true, Do your research and remember its your body so make sure you know what your putting in it.
EDIT: Also, I use to try flavors in local stores that seemed OK when I took one or two drags, but when I brought them home I hated them. I have bought maybe 15 flavors locally and liked 2 in the end. Wasted a lot of money doing that and now I just read online reviews and order the top liquids, I just placed a order from Nicoticket thats a great place to start and I believe they are a sponsor here. They won best liquid thats when I am trying them, it will be here monday.
A lot of local B&M do carry larger brands of eliquid, and that maybe a good option if you are uncomfortable ordering online. Shops like make there own flavors are risky in my opinion because they are not professionals typically and do not have very strict quality control and safety measures in place. Some online vendors advertise being FDA Complaint and FEMA / GRAS. This does not mean they are approved by the FDA just that they follow guidelines the FDA has set for similar industries(food etc.). It is a good sign when you see that but keep in mind it may not be true, Do your research and remember its your body so make sure you know what your putting in it.
EDIT: Also, I use to try flavors in local stores that seemed OK when I took one or two drags, but when I brought them home I hated them. I have bought maybe 15 flavors locally and liked 2 in the end. Wasted a lot of money doing that and now I just read online reviews and order the top liquids, I just placed a order from Nicoticket thats a great place to start and I believe they are a sponsor here. They won best liquid thats when I am trying them, it will be here monday.
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There are many b&m stores around me and most of them have the generic crappy flavors I find everywhere. There is one store with 503 e liquid which I really enjoy. I get a zamplebox monthly now as I'm very wary of ordering things online, now I reorder things that I really like. Try before you buy is necessary for me because I have pretty specific tastes.
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There's a couple good stores where I live in Chicago but once you find the good ones online, you're options expand considerably. I would read about other's favorites on the forums. Most places online have a smaller sample size too to try. I personally like most flavors from high brow vapors. Usually go with their RY4 and their tabaque de perique
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