2008 Woodie Awards
A distinctive smoke for every occasion
Tobacco shops specialize in different goods
Galen Sanford, Staff Writer
Issue date: 11/21/06
Last Updated: 12/26/07
There are five or six tobacco shops in the Spokane area, three of which are within traveling range of most Whitworth students. Each shop impressed me for different reasons, and so I recommend each for different occasions. Topp's Tobacco Square in Northtown Mall is notable for a looseleaf tobacco price almost 40 cents an ounce less than Tobacco World in the Flour Mill, located at 621 W Mallon Ave. They keep over 100 pipes in stock for sale. Tobacco World has an even larger selection of pipes and has the largest selection of pipe tobacco and foreign cigarettes. Most of the blends of pipe tobacco are mixed according to their own recipes and all blends are mixed in the shop. Smokin' Tobacco Shop, located in the same block as Nikko's Greek Restaurant at 725 W. Riverside Ave., is the only of the three to sell hookahs and has by far the best selection of cigars.
The first stop was Topp's Tobacco Square, located in Northtown Mall up the escalators from Barnes and Noble bookstore. The atmosphere inside the store is quiet, a stark contrast to the noise of the mall. Most of the tobaccos are mixed in the store, but some are shipped pre-mixed. An ounce costs $2.95, about 40 cents less than Tobacco World. Most of the 100 pipes are midrange pipes, but there was a selection of Meerschaum pipes which are made from a mineral which, according to the shopkeeper at Tobacco World, appears similar to sea foam. He said the Meerschaum is novel because it begins as a white or beige mineral, but as it is smoked its color turns gold.
Topp's Tobacco Square had a fair selection of cigars, but few expensive cigars. The shop also carries a variety of collectibles, classic shaving supplies and flasks for your choice of alcoholic beverage. The keeper of the shop was conversational with the four or five customers who were shopping and an interesting discussion developed about smoking in public and laws targeting smokers. It was impressive that the shopkeeper developed community in as impersonal a place as a shopping mall.
The first stop was Topp's Tobacco Square, located in Northtown Mall up the escalators from Barnes and Noble bookstore. The atmosphere inside the store is quiet, a stark contrast to the noise of the mall. Most of the tobaccos are mixed in the store, but some are shipped pre-mixed. An ounce costs $2.95, about 40 cents less than Tobacco World. Most of the 100 pipes are midrange pipes, but there was a selection of Meerschaum pipes which are made from a mineral which, according to the shopkeeper at Tobacco World, appears similar to sea foam. He said the Meerschaum is novel because it begins as a white or beige mineral, but as it is smoked its color turns gold.
Topp's Tobacco Square had a fair selection of cigars, but few expensive cigars. The shop also carries a variety of collectibles, classic shaving supplies and flasks for your choice of alcoholic beverage. The keeper of the shop was conversational with the four or five customers who were shopping and an interesting discussion developed about smoking in public and laws targeting smokers. It was impressive that the shopkeeper developed community in as impersonal a place as a shopping mall.
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