I'm currently eating at one of my favorite restaurants, waiting on my car to be completed for maintenance. Before I came to eat, I stopped into a local cigar store in Harker Heights just to kill some time. I walked into there humidor and was immediately discouraged. Dust, and lots of it. Not heavy, but just enough to really notice it. In my course of looking around, i noticed light cobwebs here and there, old cigar boxes still holding cigars, a shoddy looking humidifier, and some other things that would not have in mine.
Don't get me wrong. This is not a post to blast someone else's set up. That place has been in business for over 6 years, so they're doing something right.
What this is about, is the FEEL of that place. I walked in and it felt like walking into someone's garage. Things stacked, dusty cobwebs, old boxes that needed to be removed. It looked and felt old. I was not excited to be in there. I genuinely felt saddened by the atmosphere.
The cigar selection was good, and prices were slightly higher than expected. The place was well humidified, lots of shelving, and the floor was clean. It had all the things that made it technically acceptable, but after really looking, it was a disheartening situation. It didn't make me want to ask questions or try something new. It gave me a feeling of "in and out" purchasing.
Selection and price aren't everything, especially in the luxury business. As a cigar store owner, my store speaks volumes about me, and I want it to say, "come in, we're glad you're here."
