My Trip To My Local B&M

[catmomma]

A new B&M opened up less than a mile from my house. Today I went to check it out. I had a blast talking to the guys, trying juices, checking out their mods. I even found a couple of juices I couldn't live without. The best part of the day however was after I left. I picked up a sandwich to take home from a little shop in the same shopping center and was leaving, and decided to take a vape. This guy on a bike sees me, and comes up and tells me, "wow, Ive been trying to quit cigarettes" I told him all about my set-up, and how much better good juice tastes than cigarettes. I answered a few basic questions for him. He was impressed cause he could "see" the "smoke". He said he had tried cig-alikes, but it wasn't a good experience. I told to go on over to the B&M, since he was there, and try some juices, and that a basic set up wasn't going to be either too expensive or complicated. He was so excited, and grinning from ear to ear. It just made my day. To be able to help someone out like that was a privilege. Talk about right place right time. I couldn't stick around to find out the outcome, but I know if he went into the shop, the guys there would pick up where I left off. It felt really good.

 

[Candyheart]

That is so awesome
Some people just do not know how great it can be!!!

 

[Frenchfry1942]

Definitely a good day. I call such encounters planting a seed.

Thank-you for sharing.

 

[Rat2chat2]

That is fantastic. We have several vape shops but I have not been too impressed with the 2 I have been in. I don't know all that much but I felt like I knew more about vaping than they did. I should not base those experiences on all shops because I know there are some very nice ones like you found. I think I might give another shop a try. Thank you for posting. BTW, love your name and avatar. I have 4 cats myself so I am definitely a cat person.

 

[Jugband]

Great story! And once again... Why are there NO vape shops in my town????

 

[cbrite]

Great story! And once again... Why are there NO vape shops in my town????

Jugband, I just noticed that you live in Monaca--not so far from me (New Castle). We don't have vape shops here either and I suspect I may be the only person in town who vapes!

 

[Rocketpunk]

Finally once a story with "B&M" in the title without it being a "this place will never get my business again" post.

As an employee of a B&M, it kinda irks me to see so many of these places being torn a new hole. Some may deserve it, but from the recent posts, a lot of people are giving the impression these are fly-by-nights ran by shady unscrupulous get-rich-quick schemers or herbally inebriated 20something slackers. And many of them are.

But for every shady fly-by-night, in-it-for-the-cash shysters, there are just as many up-right and tried and true B&Ms out there. It won't take long for the shifty ones to dry up. The true ones will stand the test of time. I hope your's is one of those.

 

[bhswmc01]

Woo hoo! Now that's a good day.

I'm so glad to live where I do - 40+ stores within 20 miles of home. Yes, FORTY. Not bad for a 'metro' area of less than a million people. Go Boise!

 

[SnesGuy]

my local "B&M" is in this weird indoor shopping center. basically an indoor swap meet thing. yea. They're friendly enough, had a good time bull....ting with them, but they're doing way unsafe crap, like building .4 ohm coils on standard 2amp batteries, and they're the ones introducing people to vaping around here. >_<

They can do whatever they want, but theyre selling these kids (18 -20) mods and RDAs, and build them coils as a service charging them $10 for a very unsafe mod.

Edit: I just noticed the profanity filter. Is that really necessary, as vaping is a 18+ hobby =P

 

[MissBlue]

Nice one catmomma!! way to PIF!

will also put in a good word for good B&M stores.... here in Philly we have many vape shops and so far every one i've been to, has been great. i guess competition does drive up quality, cause i haven't met a crappy, disinterested, snooty employee yet. a new shop also just opened up about a mile from me, and they are so exemplary that they now get all my business. and not just cause they are the closest - i could easily still go to others - but because of the customer service and the super knowledgeable guy who runs it.

i'm really new at this, and on a budget - and this guy is as happy to help me with my small little 10- and 20- dollar purchases just as if i was buying the most pricey item in the glass case. he's never pushy on the upsell, but suggests what he knows is within my budget. he takes time to carefully explain everything, remembers what we talked about the last time i was in the shop and gives me freebies to try based on our previous conversations, and is just super encouraging.

he is clearly a very smart businessman and knows how to cultivate loyal customers. cause when i do manage to get myself employed again, I will for SURE be running right over there with my first paycheck to get myself a great treat that i cannot presently afford hehehehe .... I know he will do very well.

 

[catmomma]

I live in the Maryland suburbs of Washington DC. Now, you would think that in an area like this there would be tons of B&Ms, not so. There was up until now, 1, that's right, ONE. There is one in Virginia, and several in the Baltimore area.This new shop that opened up is even "under the umbrella" of the other one. So now there's 2. As much as I love my online shopping, sometimes you want to try some juices out, or see that mod you KNOW you can't afford, but covet. The guys at the shop were mostly 20 somethings. But what a great attitude they had. Everyone had such a good vibe, staff and customers included. There was another customer there who had come up from downtown DC cause he didn't have anything nearer to him. Another couple was there cause the wife/girlfriend, had been vaping for a couple of weeks and she was giddy trying juices. Such a great atmosphere, and a beautiful spiffy new shop. We talked, juice, coils, tanks, everything. Hopefully the vaping culture will continue to be a positive thing. I'm grateful and so happy to have this place just down the road. You never know when you'll have a juice emergency (not hardly, but you know)

 

[Caffeine7]

It varies so much. I went in one shop in a Baltimore and they had generic juices, the generic selection of e-gos and way overpriced starter kits. the lady working there seemed irritated that I would ask a question. I walked out and went to another shop a mile away(Bmore Vapes) that was packed. They made their own juices and stocked several other brands, had a good selection of hardware and great friendly, knowledgable staff. I walked out of there with a 30ml of juice, a tank and a dripper. The guy took the time to explain the different drippers and told me what worked and what was more complicated etc. the first shop lost a $50 and the second shop got my business and I'll go back next time I'm in town. The way the market is exploding and saturating areas with shops will get to a point where the ones that offer service will have a loyal following and stay in business and the ones in it for a quick buck will fail. To the OP. It's great that you were able to point a beginner to a good shop that will be helpful to get them a good starting point and be there to support the products. It irritates me to think about how many people still smoke simply because they tried vaping with bad equipment from a shop that didn't care after they had their money for overpriced junk that failed.

 

[GaG8tor]

I think one of the problems is that vaping is so new that many associates are not as knowledgeable as many of their customers. I think many of those guys are learning at the same pace as their customers so I sympathize with them. Unless they're pretending to know more than they do then they don't get my business.

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[Moedog]

Glad to hear a few good words for the B&Ms. As I've posted in other threads, I've had nothing but good experiences at the stores I've been to in this area....

 

[mikonei]

Nice. I know of four within an hour drive of where I live. Unfortunately the more I visit the two closest to me, the less I want to shop there. They are starting to seem more and more like the 20-something burnouts that act like they know more than they actually do.
The furthest from me is great. They have friendly, knowledgeable staff, and if one of them can't answer your question, they will ask an employee that can.Also they have little classes on rebuildables.
I still have to try the fourth one, which is closer, so fingers crossed.

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[schuff]

I'm so glad to see a thread where B&M's aren't getting bashed. As an employee of one I love them.

OP, that is exactly what B&Ms are for. Allowing people to try the product and receive the information to help them along the way.

I hate the guys that come in and go "that mods $20 cheaper online. You guys are ripping people." Of course it's a little more expensive. We have a physical store, multiple staff members and other overhead.

I personally get my greatest satisfaction working there from the older people just starting out way more then the guy that racks up over $200 on mods and rebuildables. Feels more gratifying seeing a 30+ year smoker realize this can work for them and help them with there health problems way more than somebody looking for a bigger cloud.

 

[MissBlue]

Of course it's a little more expensive. We have a physical store, multiple staff members and other overhead.

so true schuff. of course it does cost more at a physical store - it's not rippin off, it is paying for PERSONAL SERVICE - you don't get that online. and yes, there are some things i get online super cheap, but i also have no problem paying for the personalized service for other things that i need an expert to advise on.

i hate these smartmouth wiseazzes who downtalk everything with a snotty scornful tone of voice; just because something is not their choice doesn't mean it's bad, nor that 'they' know better. i wanna slap that snotnose attitude right outta their mouth, lol.

 

[Tomthern]

I have been to a few of the shops near me. I have my favorite and they are great to me. I can ask questions and they never try to sell me up (maybe because they realize I will do it myself). They know their products well but not the ones they don't carry (I guess they don't read the forum like I do.). I figure that if they know their products and they have good ones that's ok.