My local smoke shop listened!

[spawnsharks]

So, when I was smoking, I would buy a nice tobacco from my local smoke shop SmokeATX here in Austin. When I decided to try vaping instead, I bought my first starter kit there... eGo 650 and a clearo kind of get up. It was all they carried. As I learned things, and realized that this is my new path, I started giving them info and recommendations.

I mentioned here that I dropped and broke my Protank Mini last night, but also am expecting a PT3 any day, so I was going to deal with stopping by for a clearo from them to hold me over, and what did I see in the case? KANGER! Yes, they listened to my advice and are starting to expand their ecig section. I picked up a new PTMini, and only $2 more than what I paid online!

All I can say to those who have a local smoke shop... stop in, make friends and try to get them to carry more stuff.

On a side note, I stopped in to an exclusive vaping shop here in Austin, and they were pretty overpriced, and I felt a bit uncomfortable in there... Not sure why, but it was unwelcoming i guess. Even though I was greeted with a hello, I felt like since I wasn't wearing fancy duds, they assumed I couldn't afford the shinies. Their loss, as I am deciding between the Sigeli or the Provari to buy myself for a gift, and would gladly pay an extra 10-20% to support local business.

 

[Jay-dub]

The vape-shop I go to here in KC is pretty blue-collar feeling. Yeah, the products are pricey but they also cut me breaks when no one else is around. Maybe they see me come in all wide-eyed and giddy and like to see me get wound up. Plus, nearly every time I stop in he offers to re-wrap my coil or throws me a head for free. Nice...

 

[Bill's Magic Vapor]

30+ vape shops here in Las Vegas. There are a couple of good ones, well stocked and expensive. Many of the new ones (20 opened over the summer) look like the FT catalogue at 2 - 4 times the price. I will always support my local shops provided they are competitive with other options. They don't have to be the lowest, but competitive. I can't pay double to the local guy. Good luck!

 

[devauto]

Sadly, here in the heart of BT, the smoke shops are pretty snobby and won't do e-cigs/vape supplies ...

 

[Mark Anthony]

30+ vape shops here in Las Vegas. There are a couple of good ones, well stocked and expensive. Many of the new ones (20 opened over the summer) look like the FT catalogue at 2 - 4 times the price. I will always support my local shops provided they are competitive with other options. They don't have to be the lowest, but competitive. I can't pay double to the local guy. Good luck!

Wow Bill..... 30+ shops??!? My neck of the woods doesn't have any..... I'm turning green with envy....lol

 

[spawnsharks]

Those were two separate instances. Smoke ATX is friendly, welcoming and reasonable. $39 for an eGo starter kit, and $16-25 for Kanger tanks, plus they only carry locally made VG juice (a plus in my book).. I would give them 5 stars if we had a star rating here.

The other place I went, shall remain unnamed, as I don't believe in badmouthing a place from a single experience. We all have our days, and you never know what was going on in the store prior to your arrival...

 

[UnclePsyko]

Sadly, here in the heart of BT, the smoke shops are pretty snobby and won't do e-cigs/vape supplies ...

I know the feeling... the owner of the local tobacco shop where I would browse the cigars and buy tins of pipe tobacco just sneers at me these days.

 

[spawnsharks]

I know the feeling... the owner of the local tobacco shop where I would browse the cigars and buy tins of pipe tobacco just sneers at me these days.

You could always remind him of the sales he is missing. Just be discrete, and show him your rig. Let him know that it was 'only' $150. Probably on par with his nicer humidors or pipes. He is missing out on your business if you were a customer before you switched.

That was kind of the point of my original post.. that my local smoke shop made accommodations for my transition to vaping, and they know that they still have a customer. In fact, I bought their first Kanger Mini, and showed them the flaws, tips and tricks and such. Of course, I was shopping there from opening week, and they just celebrated two years in that location.

 

[str3ck]

i know what you mean from an unwelcoming vibe. some shops you walk into and just wanna turn right back around even if they are the only local shop that carry what you are looking for.

 

[Bill's Magic Vapor]

Wow Bill..... 30+ shops??!? My neck of the woods doesn't have any..... I'm turning green with envy....lol

When I last checked in July there were 32 shops. Probably more now. I stopped trying to keep up with them. Truthfully, the FT stocked ones don't have anything for me, and the expensive nice ones are so over priced, that I just can't pull the trigger on the high-end gear. I use about 50 different online stores, including half a dozen overseas, so whatya going to do? I do like the juice bars occasionally. Gives me ideas for my DIY, so I will buy a bottle here and there, then order the flavorings and copy it as best I can.

 

[scottie4442]

I live outside of Little Rock and we have two vape shops here, both are great and very helpful, prices are not bad for retail. One has good selection but not much juice selection, the other is limited in gear, but HUGE selection in juices. From what I can see LR is converting hard core, but Arkansas is very backward about vaping, they still consider it smoking (stupid politicians). I have converted about 12 or 15 of my friends and students to vaping (I teach at a 2 year college) and they are all happy about it. 2 years smoke free and loving it (so does my wife).

 

[dice57]

Well I say but a Provari!! why, because then you'll be supporting my local business too!! lol. Just another find product from the state of Washington.

 

[Roselie]

Encouraged by this thread I did a search of my local smoke shops to see if they carried any *emergency* supplies. I looked at the yelp listings and *blink*, there's an E Cigarette shop right in the town next to mine. Last I searched the closest ones were both about 30 miles away. As luck would have it, I'm heading right by it this morning. Yay! Wonder if I can get anything with the 15 bucks I have in my wallet . Most likely will have to bust out the credit card, I do enjoy supporting local business as well.

 

[BigCatDaddy]

Excellent!! I'm sure it's comforting for you to have a place that you know start to carry a more diverse inventory. I'm in heaven up here in P'ville, we've now had 3 vape shops open in the past month. I have visited all of them and tried some of their juices and bought a few items from them as well. All have tasting bars and lounges where you can just sit and vape if you like. One even had snacks set out, nice!! The one I visited yesterday had some really nice pre-made juices, lots of hardware and the owner chatted with me for a good while. Turns out he has a real old house just up the road and we're going to metal detect (my main hobby) it soon. He's a history buff and seemed really interested in seeing what might lie hidden beneath the ground at his place. Win-win for me, maybe for him too!!

 

[KrisAinTX]

Excellent!! I'm sure it's comforting for you to have a place that you know start to carry a more diverse inventory. I'm in heaven up here in P'ville, we've now had 3 vape shops open in the past month. I have visited all of them and tried some of their juices and bought a few items from them as well. All have tasting bars and lounges where you can just sit and vape if you like. One even had snacks set out, nice!! The one I visited yesterday had some really nice pre-made juices, lots of hardware and the owner chatted with me for a good while. Turns out he has a real old house just up the road and we're going to metal detect (my main hobby) it soon. He's a history buff and seemed really interested in seeing what might lie hidden beneath the ground at his place. Win-win for me, maybe for him too!!

I'm in Hutto! Haven't made it to the new shops in P'ville yet, but I have been to a bunch in the Austin area and in Round Rock. My go to is The Refined Vaper in RR, but I've got plans to trip around P'ville this weekend or next to check out the selection.

 

[BigCatDaddy]

I'm in Hutto! Haven't made it to the new shops in P'ville yet, but I have been to a bunch in the Austin area and in Round Rock. My go to is The Refined Vaper in RR, but I've got plans to trip around P'ville this weekend or next to check out the selection.

Wow, another local, excellent!! All 3 shops are on FM 1825, check 'em out. Where is the Refined Vapor? I'd like to drop by.

 

[Davinna]

Their loss, as I am deciding between the Sigeli or the Provari to buy myself for a gift, and would gladly pay an extra 10-20% to support local business.

I recently purchased a Sigelei Legend. I'm very happy with it and would recommend it. I have not owned a Provari to do any comparison. I bought mine at a local B&M for $79 (mod only). Same price I found online.

 

[FearTX]

Those were two separate instances. Smoke ATX is friendly, welcoming and reasonable. $39 for an eGo starter kit, and $16-25 for Kanger tanks, plus they only carry locally made VG juice (a plus in my book).. I would give them 5 stars if we had a star rating here.

The other place I went, shall remain unnamed, as I don't believe in badmouthing a place from a single experience. We all have our days, and you never know what was going on in the store prior to your arrival...

I have not tried SmokeATX (I will be trying soon on your recommendation) I have tried 3 other shops 2 in Austin and one in Bastrop. AAV (All About Vapor) on Airport or in Round Rock have been stellar experiences for me. They have great juice, their prices on the starter kits are good, they come with 30 mil of your choice of juice. They have decent prices on mid grade APVs and carry provari in the shop. Their prices on Kanger tanks are lower than 1/2 the web prices I have seen and not much more than the cheap places. I got my PT2 for $13.99 and when they have the minis in stock they are $11.99. The place on east 7th is good ZeeCigs is the name. I will not be shopping in Bastrop again, it is hard to judge from one experience but there were enough cons on the one visit to make me think I should not stop again.
I will not stop at the place on Oltorf because of the Yelp reviews, that and they are blacklisted for knockoffs by Joyetech. There is a really small Vapor shop that has just opened on Airport near Dan's Hamburgers I will be stopping in there to browse when I can. I do like supporting small local business.

 

[daezygirl]

I'm in Hutto! Haven't made it to the new shops in P'ville yet, but I have been to a bunch in the Austin area and in Round Rock. My go to is The Refined Vaper in RR, but I've got plans to trip around P'ville this weekend or next to check out the selection.

hey neighbor! we're in hutto too

 

[KrisAinTX]

Wow, another local, excellent!! All 3 shops are on FM 1825, check 'em out. Where is the Refined Vapor? I'd like to drop by.

Sam Bass Rd, just off of 35 to the west. The Refined Vaper.

They carry a lot of great juice lines and a lot of nice mods. RBAs/RDAs, rebuildable supplies, etc.