First USA store bought snus experience

[theoldsearock]

Iwan Ries in Chicago, IL sells the General (Loose) for $35 per roll.

I can't see paying more than $35 per roll when you can order direct from Swedish Match for $35 per roll, shipping included.

Of course, once the snuss becomes popular in the US then it will be taxes by the anti-tobacco zealots... until then, shop 'til you drop. :cry:

[capkanada]

Yeeee! Politcal banter!

*dons poli-banter filter specs*

Ah.. better.
Now, to the "First USA store bought snus experience" topic at hand.

So, today I took the mind-numbing (thank goodness for music) trip cross-state to Louisville (if you're interested, go to google (yahoo, mapquest, whatever) maps and check the distance between Morehead, KY and Louisville, KY) and poked my head in at Kremer's Smoke Shoppe.

Small haul, but still worth it, as I'm nearly out and didn't feel like waiting a week for an order from buysnus to get here.

I went in, and found the snus fridge displayed somewhat prominently on one of the counters in the store. I started by looking at it and seeing what varieties were stocked. Yeah, just General and Catch Dry Peppermint. :cry:
Ah well. KY citizens can't be choosers at this point I guess.. :wink:
So, I started by checking the date on the bottoms of the cans. The portion cans were fairly fresh, but looking at the loose ones, I noticed that their date said 6/22/07. :shock:
I brought this up to one of the employees (small mom 'n pop business, so I'm fairly certain that either the distributor or S.M. will be hearing from them...or me), and he said that it had all come in the same shipment. So...well... I went ahead and got a can of loose, portion, and decided to give the wintergreen whites a try (they're actually not too bad...if you like the 'wintergreen' flavor). I started out trying the loose...even though the date seems a bit off, the flavor and consistancy (and apparently the nic content) is just fine, so I'm not too disappointed. Then I gave the wintergreen a shot (believe me, disposing of a loose pris in a moving vehicle is, from what I can tell, an acquired skill), and was surprised at the potency of flavor. In fact, it tasted, for all intents and purposes, exactly like Timber Wolf wintergreen (not surprising at all really, considering S.M. owns Pinkerton tobacco, manufacturers of Timber Wolf), which I honestly didn't mind, considering I like the flavor of the aforementioned US snuff.

Okay.. now let's talk price. $3 a can + applicable local taxes.
Looking at the experiences of others who've bought snus in the US (snoos in the oos? :lol: ), I kinda feel like I made out like a bandito, and also thank my lucky stars for being in KY :wink:. My three cans came out to a little over nine dollars. I talked to the guy, and he said that the distributor rep had said that the usual suggested price was about $3.50, but that the shop guy had figured that considering the price of the Skoal Dry (dry? Euugh...) was around $2.50, and that it was being test marketed, it would probably be better to price it around $3 a can for the snus. He even asked me about how much I usually payed when ordering online; to which I replied, "Somewhere around $3 for the premium brands like General, Skruf, etc." I think this made him glad of his decision.

Anyhow... there's my story, thought I'd share. Still, I think I'm gonna continue to order online instead of trekking cross-country for my snus. It usually gets to me fresher that way anyhow.

'Til later!
Snus on.
--capkanada

[EDIT]
Oh, the other thing that I was going to mention.
Its packaged in the 'old style' cans, apparently (i.e. the non-stripey, cursive all over it kind), and all the labelling on it is in English (well, goes to figure.... :lol: ). Also has the 'may cause mouth cancer' warning on it, too. :evil: I swear, I'm gonna start posting fliers at oxygen suppliers that state that their product has been found to harden arteries and create free radicals. *sigh* Ah well, at least its in small print... its the US, what'cha gonna do? :-/
[/EDIT]

[KentuckySnusser]

Yeeee! Politcal banter!

*dons poli-banter filter specs*

Ah.. better.
Now, to the "First USA store bought snus experience" topic at hand.

So, today I took the mind-numbing (thank goodness for music) trip cross-state to Louisville (if you're interested, go to google (yahoo, mapquest, whatever) maps and check the distance between Morehead, KY and Louisville, KY) and poked my head in at Kremer's Smoke Shoppe.

Small haul, but still worth it, as I'm nearly out and didn't feel like waiting a week for an order from buysnus to get here.

I went in, and found the snus fridge displayed somewhat prominently on one of the counters in the store. I started by looking at it and seeing what varieties were stocked. Yeah, just General and Catch Dry Peppermint. :cry:
Ah well. KY citizens can't be choosers at this point I guess.. :wink:
So, I started by checking the date on the bottoms of the cans. The portion cans were fairly fresh, but looking at the loose ones, I noticed that their date said 6/22/07. :shock:
I brought this up to one of the employees (small mom 'n pop business, so I'm fairly certain that either the distributor or S.M. will be hearing from them...or me), and he said that it had all come in the same shipment. So...well... I went ahead and got a can of loose, portion, and decided to give the wintergreen whites a try (they're actually not too bad...if you like the 'wintergreen' flavor). I started out trying the loose...even though the date seems a bit off, the flavor and consistancy (and apparently the nic content) is just fine, so I'm not too disappointed. Then I gave the wintergreen a shot (believe me, disposing of a loose pris in a moving vehicle is, from what I can tell, an acquired skill), and was surprised at the potency of flavor. In fact, it tasted, for all intents and purposes, exactly like Timber Wolf wintergreen (not surprising at all really, considering S.M. owns Pinkerton tobacco, manufacturers of Timber Wolf), which I honestly didn't mind, considering I like the flavor of the aforementioned US snuff.

Okay.. now let's talk price. $3 a can + applicable local taxes.
Looking at the experiences of others who've bought snus in the US (snoos in the oos? :lol: ), I kinda feel like I made out like a bandito, and also thank my lucky stars for being in KY :wink:. My three cans came out to a little over nine dollars. I talked to the guy, and he said that the distributor rep had said that the usual suggested price was about $3.50, but that the shop guy had figured that considering the price of the Skoal Dry (dry? Euugh...) was around $2.50, and that it was being test marketed, it would probably be better to price it around $3 a can for the snus. He even asked me about how much I usually payed when ordering online; to which I replied, "Somewhere around $3 for the premium brands like General, Skruf, etc." I think this made him glad of his decision.

Anyhow... there's my story, thought I'd share. Still, I think I'm gonna continue to order online instead of trekking cross-country for my snus. It usually gets to me fresher that way anyhow.

'Til later!
Snus on.
--capkanada

I also had my first Snus-buying experience at Kremer's here in Louisville.

After hearing about the product and researching it for a few weeks, I was all set to order a roll direct from Swedish Match when I noticed that Kentucky had been recently updated on their website as having a retail location. First thing next morning, I drove not nearly as far as capkanada (about 5 miles) to the shop and made my way inside.

Upon entering, I asked the first clerk I saw if he could direct me to the Snus. He might as well have looked at me as if I'd asked him which team was awarded the first pick in the upcoming NHL entry draft (hockey's not even on the radar here in Kentucky, sad). So, he inquired to the owner after I'd informed him that I knew the establishment had only recently begun selling the product.

As the owner welcomed me, I was directed to the display refrigerator and heard the clerk I'd just been speaking to loudly recall his shaky memory on the identity of this new product; (southern drawl) "Oh! You mean that Danish stuff?!"

:lol:

The owner was somewhat preoccupied before he was able to point me in the right direction but introduced me to a guy who was sitting down in the smoking area who would be able to help. It was the Swedish Match rep, cigar in hand (???). He was very nice and helpful and we talked Snus for a few minutes. The Mr. Kremer (the owner) joined us and, after having received some informational literature on the reduced health risk of switching to smokeless tobacco from cigarettes, informed me that one of the reasons the shop had been selected to sell the product was out of a partnership with the cancer center at the University of Louisville hospital just down the street. Apparently, a prominent cancer research and treatment doctor in the States who is advocating the reduced health risk of Snus as a means of nicotine delivery is based there (and, I later discovered, receives a stipend of some sort from Swedish Match for his research).

At any rate, I found the whole experience to be very pleasant and walked out with 10 cans of General white at what amounted to $3.29 per can. After I'd run out and went back, the price had been lowered to $2.50. Having returned to re-up last week, the price went back up to $3.00.

Many cans are nearing their expiration and I made sure to let Mr. Kremer know of this. He says the product is starting to sell as word spreads but it may not be moving fast enough just yet.

Anyway, I'll never forget walking out of the store with my first cans, getting in the car and popping one in for the first time. Haven't had a cigarette since.

[theoldsearock]

Thank you for the stories, Ksnuss and CapK!

I asked about snus at one of our local cigarette shops; it was one of those moments straight from the Twilight Zone - like I was speaking some sort of language that nobody understood but me!

A very good friend of mine is co-owner of a tobacco shop in Richardson, TX (a suburb of Dallas). After doing my online searching I came to realize that snus will become something of a "phenomena" in a year or two in the US so I forwarded several links to my friend and recommended that he get hooked up with General. If nothing else, he will gain "word of mouth" (pardon the weak pun) advertising from snus and will be ahead of a curve/on the leading edge on snus as it grows in popularity.

Instead of driving, I wait on the postman. Seems like it's been a month since I ordered :wink: from Iwan Ries but the parcel should arrive today (in actuality, 120 hours since I ordered).

General Cigar (if this is the distributor in the USA) is a HUGE cigar company, not as big as Altadis but quite large. General owns/imports Punch, Hoyo de Monterrey, Romeo y Julieta, Montecristo, Macanudo and countless other non-Cuban cigars - so any good General Cigar rep would be smoking a cigar while on the job. Talk about perks! 8)

Side Note: When Cuban cigars were discontinued in the US, several companies started up in Honduras and Dominican Rebublic and started making cigars under these legendary cigar's name. When Cuban cigars are allowed for sale in the US (I give that embargo 4 more years, tops) I don't know what will happen to these "quasi" Cuban brands.

I used to work for Villazon before Villazon sold to General. Indeed, those perks were dandy! These reps have great jobs.

[theoldsearock]

Ah, the caffiene is kicking in. Swedish Match bought General Cigar!

No doubt about it - tobacco shops all over the US will slowly get on the snus bandwagon. I give it two years, snus will be a hit in the US. General is a real player in the cigar market, lots of exposure.

I look forward to seeing Ettan and N&J on the stockists lists soon.

[Subtilo]

Thanks for the stories!

[llewelynt]

Bought snus from a shop this past weekend. Mission Pipe Shop in San Jose, California. They carry General loose, portions, and white portions, also Catch Dry Peppermint. I do not like General portions, and this was my first purchase of loose. Much nicer, I must admit, but if I can acquire the baking skill it will probably be Ettan, Kronan, and Roda Lacket for me.

The snus is in a very small cooling unit placed near the pipe tobacco. It wasn't very good placement. However, the shopkeeper told me that they are indeed selling a lot of snus.

I will continue to order from buysnus. Swedish Match may be limiting the appeal of snus to Americans by limiting the selection.

[Subtilo]

[EDIT]
Oh, the other thing that I was going to mention.
Its packaged in the 'old style' cans, apparently (i.e. the non-stripey, cursive all over it kind), and all the labelling on it is in English (well, goes to figure.... :lol: ).
[/EDIT]

Ahh, I miss those. They were much cooler than the new sissy looking ones IMO. But then again - as long as they keep 'the one taste' tasting like 'the one taste' does ... I'm in.

:wink:

[yigs]

I got a price for you guys 6 dollars plus tax so about 7 something per tin at a Cali smoke shop. BUT it was in Beverly Hills so maybe thats why but still 7 for genral and for catch dry WTH!