Tinder Box Ahwatukee - Phoenix, AZ

Tinder Box Ahwatukee, operated by Jeff Cayton, is located off the intersection of Chandler Blvd and 48th Street just west of I-10. The sign on the storefront now reads “Tinder  Box” is the traditional green sign we are used to seeing. I am in the process of getting a picture of the building. I will update this posting when the new pictures come in.

Tinder Box Ahwatukee has one of the largest humidors in the state of Arizona with 900 square feet of selection. I have to assume that filling a 900 square foot humidor allows for some major purchasing power and discounts from his suppliers since the shop stocks more than 200 brands. The prices of the cigars are great and you will not find any price gouging with the popular cigars.

I must also give Tinder Box Ahwatukee credit for carrying more humidors, pipes, pipe tobacco, magazines, and even knifes than any other shop I have been to. It makes it quite fun to browse the store. Prices on these items are also great.

Every visit to the cigar store has involved an enjoyable conversation with Jeff Cayton and a friendly greeting/farewell from all his knowledgeable employees. They allow you to browse the huge humidor in peace and always seem to step in only when you were about to ask a question. It’s a great shopping experience for a great shopping atmosphere.

Tinder Box Ahwatukee is also known for their very large - very luxurious private cigar club: Camacho Cigar Club. Mr. Cayton has graced me with a tour of this club (it requires a secret pin to enter). A custom pool table, private lockers, multiple LCD HD televisions, beautiful leather chairs, and perfect lighting for the PERFECT smoking experience. Perfection comes with a price.

Unfortunately I can not afford to pay the yearly dues for a private club. This makes the public smoking area of the shop my only other option. The public area contains three high-tops and 12 chairs in a small cramped corner. While smoking there with a friend you can not enjoy a private conversation or while alone you can’t stretch out to be comfortable. I have never enjoyed smoking a cigar with this seating arrangement but I LOVE shopping there. I also want to mention that all his customers, regulars, and people who hang out at the shop are a great bunch of people and always find my self forgetting about the seating and running to the humidor for my second stick.

Tinder Box Ahwatukee is a shop first and then a lounge for the select few (and now I have motivation to ask my boss for that raise).

Jeff Cayton’s Tinder Box Ahwatukee
(480) 961-7777
4611 E. Chandler Blvd., Suite #106
Phoenix, AZ 85048
Visit the Tinder Box website

Stogie Cutter - Gilbert, AZ

Stogie Cutter cigar shop in Gilbert, Arizona is located on Guadalupe Rd and Cooper Rd. This gem of a cigar shop may be hard to see from the street, but once you find it – you will not be sorry. This is one of the most personable and friendly cigar shops I have ever encountered.

Pricing at Stogie Cutter is a reasonably-priced cigar shop. Cigars did not have any outlandish markups; Stogie Cutter actually had very popular cigars that are sold out / hard to come by at other shops, for a reasonable price (the nub).

As you open the door to Stogie Cutter you have just let in a minuscule amount of light that just cuts across the dark, smoky filled room. The windows to the outside are completely covered. The walls are very dark, the furniture is deep rich leather, and even the bar is black with dark wood. Light comes from the few deep yellow lamps and the large plasma screens plastered across the walls. The cigar mood is set, and set well.

Richard, the owner of Stogie Cutter, has been in the shop at every visit. I have always stepped foot in the shop with a warm visit (so has everyone else who has come in). All the shop visitors are friendly and always willing to involve you in conversation.

The atmosphere is wonderful. On my 4th visit or so (I visited multiple times prior to making any review) I decided to have a beer with my smoke. I sat down, lit the cigar, and without even asking – had the beer in front of me. Richard had remembered the beer I had on the very first visit month’s ago.

I will be making this my personal shop, getaway, and cigar supplier.

Stogie Cutter
(480) 813-2628
833 N. Cooper Rd., Suite #106
Gilbert, AZ 85233
Visit the Stogie Cutter website

Tobacco Tin - El Paso, TX

Tobacco Tin is located in El Paso, Texas located snuggly in the “westside” across from Sunland Park Mall.

Pricing of cigars is always an important factor for any shop – and this shop was some what unique in their pricing practices that I feel I must dwell upon. Let me start by saying Tobacco Tin had quite a selection of cigars, especially in comparison to the other cigar store Kern Place Cigars which is located just a few miles away.

The large selection and the pricing practices lead me confused: Acid cigars were priced higher ($4.25) than the Oliva G ($3.99). They were selling “cigar bundles” – that I think I remember getting at the last Big Smoke event from Cusano. However the bundle was cheaper than just buying a single Cusano stick; this was a good thing for me yet very odd.

Opus X was priced gouged more than I had ever seen at any shop averaging about $40.00 a stick. I said AVERAGE because regardless of the size, let me say this again: regardless of the size, it sat around the same price. This upset me.

Tobacco Tin did not have any visitors in the shop and only one worker. The worker was very nice and friendly to acknowledge me the second I stepped in. However he then proceeded to go into the humidor, pull up a stool in the middle, and watch me like a hawk. Again I am not happy.

I felt pressured. I felt rushed. I think he had even convinced me that I was going to steal something by looking over my shoulder every time I picked up a stick with my back turned to him. This forced me to hastily choose a stick, pay, and walk right out of the store. Thanks Tobacco Tin!

On Another Note: Some of the cigars in Tobacco Tin were over humidified. So if you go in there to purchase some sticks please remember that you may not be able to smoke them right away.

Tobacco Tin
745 S Mesa Hills Dr.
El Paso, TX 79912
(915) 584-0945

Kern Place Cigars - El Paso, TX

Kern Place Cigars is perfectly located on the famous Cincinnati street of El Paso, Texas. Kern Place it self is a small, yet cozy set up that can only be expected within the limited space available on Cincinnati Ave.

Kern Place Cigars had very reasonable prices on their sticks. Of the two cigar shops I took the time to visit, and various other “smoking” shops that sold cigars – Kern Place held its own. Everything had the standard markup you would come to expect from the major brands.

Upon entering the shop there was only one person working (not more would be needed for the space) and I was the only visitor inside (again a good thing for the space). The person working was a lovely young lady who was attentive and willing to help had I any questions.

The shop does not contain much of an atmosphere. It’s more of the location that you go in to buy your cigars and continue on the the neighboring bars (many to choose from). In a way – I kind of liked that ability. I was literally at the heart of the city, smoking a cigar, and had the ability to walk 20 ft to get another had I wanted it.

I had only two small issues: First: The cigars were over humidified. Finally, there were more empty boxes on the shelves, then cigar boxes with actual cigars in them. After asking multiple times if they had any in the back the friendly worker finally said

“Everything we have is on the shelf.”

Which really meant that I was limited at the specific time I visited.

Overall: A cool place to visit for a quick stop. The prices are fair and the selection might be few. It’s conveniently located by all the bars in the city; its more intended for the quick stop then the social gathering.

Kern Place Cigars
(915) 838-6767
216 Cincinnati Ave
El Paso, TX 79902
Visit the Kern Place Cigars website.