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Would you open a B&M

Not for $250K.

I was actually talking to my buddy the other day saying if I won the lottery, say $25mil, I was going to open my own Cigar Store/Bar. The only real reason I would do this is that now in Iowa we have the "Clean Air Act" which does not allow us to smoke anywhere in public including outside, except for tobacco outlets. Private property only or business that are not open to the public which do not have non smoking employees on the clock (say a private party at a club). There is one B&M in the town I work in which is a 30 minute drive from my house that has a lounge. I've never smoked there because they close a 6pm. So for now when I'm in town I smoke in my car.

So yeah, if the money was just sitting there I would build myself a giant humidor, stock the building with drinks, furniture, and satellite TV and have a place to hangout in town.
 
Maybe after I retire, but not now.
Right now I have one boy in college and another that starts in the fall of this year.
$250,000 would go a long way to paying those bills.

Hell, I'm just hoping to keep my job thru the end of the year...
 
bfreebern said:
Wife and I were just talking about this last night. When/if I ever retire, I would have liked to own a cigar shop. She has these fantasies of owning/operating a winery and said I could open a cigar shop along w/ the winery, LOL.

In reality, there would be no way I'd do it now, with the forthcoming taxes. Unless the B&M has other things it sells, I don't think it would be very profitable. But then again, I'd skip in to work each and every day, instead of skipping home each and every day now.
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Does your wife know anything about winemaking? I only ask because this is something my wife talks about on a fairly regular basis but so far, all she knows about wine is how to drink it. :sign:

And to answer the question, even though I've thought about it a lot over the past couple of years I would not open a B&M if I had $250K in disposable savings, especially given the current state of the economy. I'd drop at least 75% of it into the stock market looking for some very short term gains.
 
Not only no, but hell no. $250K would be good seed money to build a fast food (franchise) store - McDonalds or some such. Lottery? Might do a B&M for the fun of it, not caring if it made money or not.
 
amateuraficionado said:
bfreebern said:
Wife and I were just talking about this last night. When/if I ever retire, I would have liked to own a cigar shop. She has these fantasies of owning/operating a winery and said I could open a cigar shop along w/ the winery, LOL.

In reality, there would be no way I'd do it now, with the forthcoming taxes. Unless the B&M has other things it sells, I don't think it would be very profitable. But then again, I'd skip in to work each and every day, instead of skipping home each and every day now.
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Does your wife know anything about winemaking? I only ask because this is something my wife talks about on a fairly regular basis but so far, all she knows about wine is how to drink it. :sign:
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About as much as I do about opening a B&M :laugh:
 
uptown_isy said:
Bkatz87 said:
Many distributors wont print receipts for a % of what you buy from them (no taxes) :whistling: . Of course you can run back room game as well.
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Where did you get this from? There isn't one distributor or manufacturer that would risk their tobacco license to do this. If your "friend" told you this, I would be willing to bet that he's full of chit. Tobacco is one of the most regulated industries out there, and accomplishing this is more trouble than it's really worth.
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I'm not here to stir up trouble. I'm not blowing smoke up anyone's ass. I was just listing off things I have personally seen. I am not calling any manufacturer out, because it would turn into a huge argument. The last thing I want to do is argue with people on here. I'm here to make friends. I personally don't agree with the illegal practices I listed. Like others have said, why would you take the risk? I would operate a liegit business and make good friends doing it. I just wanted to display both sides of the spectrum. I wouldn't like to be viewed as someone who conducts business that way. However, I can understand why people are quick to place me in that space, because I brought up issues that aren't legal or correct. As i said before, I should have been more clear. I don't condone any of it. I am a very honest person.
 
Yea, I'd build one, complete with a nice ass cigar lounge. I think running a B&M would be a blast! Going to work in the morning and just selling cigars and BSing with people all day. I could do that.
 
amateuraficionado said:
Does your wife know anything about winemaking? I only ask because this is something my wife talks about on a fairly regular basis but so far, all she knows about wine is how to drink it. :sign:
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I've been a making wine at home for several years now, it's a great hobby. PM me if you have questions. Also visit THIS SITE

But from what I've heard there is probably no easier way to lose money than to try to start your own commercial winery/vineyard. Don't even think about it unless you are wealthy and have money to burn. At the very best your business will have no income for the first several years until your grape vines grow, and your first batches of wine have several years to age before selling.
 
I've thought about it, but the political and tax atmosphere just isn't worth it. My hat is off to those retailers here that are making it work, but to start from scratch... no way.
 
KusoJijii said:
Not for $250K.

I was actually talking to my buddy the other day saying if I won the lottery, say $25mil, I was going to open my own Cigar Store/Bar. The only real reason I would do this is that now in Iowa we have the "Clean Air Act" which does not allow us to smoke anywhere in public including outside, except for tobacco outlets. Private property only or business that are not open to the public which do not have non smoking employees on the clock (say a private party at a club). There is one B&M in the town I work in which is a 30 minute drive from my house that has a lounge. I've never smoked there because they close a 6pm. So for now when I'm in town I smoke in my car.

So yeah, if the money was just sitting there I would build myself a giant humidor, stock the building with drinks, furniture, and satellite TV and have a place to hangout in town.
Click to expand...

I agree... not for 250k, but maybe if I won the lottery. I don't think there will be a lot of money left in the industry after the next few years' worth of nanny-state needle-d!ck ph#ktards are done wrecking it. I'd be fun to run a B&M if you didn't have to worry about the business end of it, but if I have to feed my family on what I bring in, I'll keep my current employment.
 
In today's day and age (and also speaking from a younger generation perspective), a B&M would be difficult to be successful without an online front too.

If anything, I would open a B&M store that sold tobacco products (anything from cigars and pipes and pipe tobacco to cigarettes and glass pieces), and a lot more. I'd definitely have a cigar lounge in the store too, which would attract customers (especially because of the laws nowadays telling people where they can and can't smoke). In addition to all of this, I'd create and maintain an ecommerce front, selling cigars and products online; I feel that online business is the future because of superior prices, and in order for any B&M to compete nowadays, it must participate in online business.
 
Actually I just did open up a new store. I sold my previous store and opened a new one in another part of town. And actually it only took $150,000, supprisingly enough.
 
talking to my buddy who owns a shop 25 miles south of "six"burgh, he wants to expand into the online world, we debated the pros and cons of it. It would take him about $25,000 to up his inventory, and create the website. I told him he should take the $25,000, and look into a liquor license, and create a cigar bar. With cigar bars being allowed in PA, this would create a better money making opportunity, and a better way to expand his business I believe
 
If I won millions, yes, for the fun of it. I wouldn't be in it for the profit, although I feel I could do well in New Hampshire. It would be a nice retirement job, but with tabaccy going the way it is going, it is a gamble.
 
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