BMSI "Bricks and Mortar Shelf Index"

[El Presidente]

Bricks and Mortar Shelf Index. 

 

This should be an interesting way to gauge the health of the Habanos retail world. 

On your travels, post a photo (or more) of the Habanos retail humidor or cabinet or shelf in the store that you are visiting. Post up the name of the store and maybe your general impression. 

• Your post/photo must be within 90 days of your actual visit. This will give it some relevancy.

All posts each calendar month go into the draw for a sampler selected by myself 

[El Presidente]

Photo's people or it doesn't count 

[Dougthesnail]

I don't have photos but at the LCDH at Half Moon Bay Resort in Jamaica the shelves were quite bare. They had every Cohiba Vitola, Monte 1935s, Monte Edmundos, Open Masters, RYJ wide and short Churchill 10s, and a couple boxes of Partagas shorts. For my first LCDH experience I was surprised how empty it was.

[riderpride]

LCDH Varadero Calle 63.

Better stocked than the Plaza America. I had to bribe my way in to get these pics. As you can see, not too many special items: no ELs, just Cuba REs, and no special releases. Cohibas were just the CEsp, Panatelas and a lone medio siglo tubo. Plenty of stock on hand though including some LCDH exclusives.

Plaza America wouldn't let me take pics, but it was mostly Parti tubos, R&J high-volume sticks, some Hoyo 1&2, Mag 46&50, and JL 1&2. Also PLENTY of RASC and some RAG.

Cohibas are still being made, but now direced to the diplomatic/baller market. I have spent some time with an executive in a hotel chain here who has access and gifted me a few sticks (CoRos, Genios, and Siglo VI), but has to send a car to Havana to stock up.

Cheers!

 

[Chas.Alpha]

On 1/20/2022 at 5:08 PM, El Presidente said:

Photo's people or it doesn't count 

I'm rather surprised that they're isn't more response to this. I think everybody read it as "from Havana, send your pics..." (?) 

[Hammer Smokin']

can't speak for the USA, but no B&M is letting you take pictures of their cigar supplies here in Canada. 

[Huckleberry]

I have never been told I couldn’t take pictures inside of a B&M or the supplies thereof anywhere in the US.  I don’t know why anyone would care to be honest.

[traveller]

Well I would take some photos today in Dusseldorf but all cigar shops seem to be closed on Sundays.

[El Presidente]

14 hours ago, Chas.Alpha said:

I'm rather surprised that they're isn't more response to this. I think everybody read it as "from Havana, send your pics..." (?) 

They can be from anywhere. Photos are not an issue anywhere that I have been. It can be as easy as asking if they  can take a photo of you in front of the humidor. 

However if you genuinely can't, post away a written update. 

[traveller]

Forgot to post these earlier. From last week at the Vabajo Lounge, LCDH in Frankfurt Germany. Quite sparse on the ground it seemed, only one type of Cohiba, siglo 2's. Ask any other questions and I will let you know what I remember. Basically no big cigars, mostly smaller/lower cost smokes.

 

[Cigar Surgeon]

On 2/19/2022 at 12:12 PM, Hammer Smokin' said:

can't speak for the USA, but no B&M is letting you take pictures of their cigar supplies here in Canada. 

I'm confident I could walk over to the store I helped open down the street and take some pictures 

Maybe I should do just that.

[SpecialK]

45 minutes ago, Cigar Surgeon said:

I'm confident I could walk over to the store I helped open down the street and take some pictures 

Maybe I should do just that.

 

 

[Hammer Smokin']

3 hours ago, Cigar Surgeon said:

I'm confident I could walk over to the store I helped open down the street and take some pictures 

Maybe I should do just that.

well, that just "might" be different than the average customer. 

 

just .... maybe

[Cigar Surgeon]

Just now, Hammer Smokin' said:

well, that just "might" be different than the average customer. 

 

just .... maybe

I mean he knows me so ... yeah it could go either way. 

[El Presidente]

23 hours ago, traveller said:

 

 

Yep, that would sum up the Habanos world right now. Thanks for the photos!

[ha_banos]

Mitch's flagship store on St James St. Was bound to be well stocked. But then who the hell buys in London!? 🤣

Was there last night for a tasting. Have the hangover 😵‍💫😫

[Corylax18]

I TOTALLY Forgot about this thread! Thanks for the bump @ha_banos!

These are from Havana/PdR a couple weeks ago:

First, Fransisco Donatien. The roof of their humidor fell through, so they just have the cigars out in the shop now:

 

Next was the Hotel Nacional, I Couldnt find any ahstrays for sale, but they had piles of Cohiba Sig I, Panatelas and Coronas Especial. Along with stacks of Seleccion Robusto and my first sighting of the Partagas Capitols in the wild. These are pretty strong little PC's I only picked up a couple 5 packs, the tins are great!

 

5th and 16 is next. I've never really liked shopping here, the staff has always been a PITA and they went out of their way to suck on this trip. Great Selection of Cigars though! There where some Realy Gems here, RYJ Club Kings where fun too see, plenty of Monte Dumas, some boxes from 2015, a really nice variety. My photos from this shop are Blurry as hell though, possibly a consequence of the LONG lunch I had just consumed at Santy. 

 

Finally, Club Habana. Probably my favorite shop. Great atmosphere and staff. They also had a nice selection this time. The day was getting long at this point, so I only grabbed a few photos. 

 

There are still many shops closed right now for example the New Partagas shop still hasn't opened. They are still waiting on wood to be imported from Mexico to complete the interior finish work. Don't hold your breath. 

"Renovations" seemed to be the common excuse, weather you could see any work happening or not. The Hotel Comodoro was closed when I stopped by for my PCR test. Plaza de Los Artisans (the whole building) is being renovated, so that shop is still closed. Melia Habana was closed, also for "renovations." The shop looked just fine to me though. Melia Cohiba was closed and apparently only opens for "events" now? Something may have been lost in translation, but they definitely weren't open. The entire Conde de Villanueva Hotel is closed, for renovations, so that shop isn't open and it wont be the same when it does reopen. The only shop that I believe is open, that I just missed, is the Habana Libre. I never had great luck there, probably why I spaced it.