Hey all… “new” to the scene… been vaping for awhile now; mixing as well… been using ELR for a year easy… feel I am up to speed enough to get a feel for the community of DIY (for funzies AND now what feels like necessity lol)
Curious about local vape shops in General though (I know it’ll be subjective) but I tried going out last week to drop like $200 on new hardware #SupportYourLocalVapeShop (right?)
But I found that I’m “out of the times”… I almost felt ignorant, with a side of shame, for asking what squonk mods and RDAs were in stock/being carried.
Is brick and mortar dead for ‘us’? Is the online vaping community as I’ve always perceived it actually the minority? (Facebook, YouTube, Reddit, etc)
I went to 5 vape shops in an 80 mile radius and only came home with a 60ml bargain juice (to tide me over till my flavors came) lol
Bonus question: does anyone have any secrets/links to vape shop hangout etiquette? Always feels like I missed the memo and can never get comfortable enough to chill. Seems like such an amazing hangout opportunity (coffee shops don’t have pool tables and tekken!!)… but I never see anyone doing it without seeming to be bugging the employees working there at the same time.
ROAR !!! Welcome to the funzies side of ELR @streamylc. I think it MAY be area related, but not always. I seldom go into local shops because of what you mentioned. I have however found a few real super shops, BUT, not in my own state, so having to travel to get good stuff, place to chill MAY be how it is. I think with all the crap in the air (no pun intended) regarding vaping has proved to be a real PITA for local shops. Lotta stress, lotta struggles, and more, so some of what you mentioned could be explained away because of that.
As far as etiquette, hehe, I’m probably NOT the guy to answer that one, as I have none !!! I got lucky walking in, and started talking to the owner, we hit it off, met the staff, more of the same. And luckily for me the owner was a SteamCrave fanboy, and I still go to that store to this day, out of respect, and drop coin when I can.
One of my local shops quit selling anything you didn’t have to buy coils for lol if I had to buy local I would be in trouble, last time I poked my head in the door of the other two local shops the only rta one shop had was the ofrf gear rta, the other place only had two rda’s, drop dead and drop solo
Shop closest to me from my search: “vaping map:94086” Sunnyvale, CA.
1/5/2020
For those that like to vape , you know what most stores are like , so keep this one simple
Upside
Huge selection, I’ve been able to get juices here others don’t have in stock
Staff is friendly and the environment is good for a vape store. No up selling , but knowledgeable staff
Keep good hours so open times when other stores may be closed
Downside
Little bit on the higher side for juice and pods at least what we have seen
Parking can be a problem, several restaurants next to store so parking can be an issue
But all and all 4 solid star !
This was copied from Yelp
If you want to vape a PG Free juice, forget it.
I can no longer support local vape shops. In my area, they have stopped carrying almost everything not POD related. I find everything online. I almost bought a juice the other day, (I haven’t purchased juice in two years) and it was $45 for two. Pfffft Really!!! So NO up to date RDA’s. NO pre-made coils to include mesh. No squonk mods, No Mech mods. I can only get and POD and JUUL shit. The two juices online were a mere $9 each. Rip off
Long gone are the days i can walk in a vape shop sit and chill and blow some clouds while talking about the latest mods and which one i plan on getting. So are the days i can place an order for something soon to be released. I am in a POD run town and i am extinct.
Good news is Bull City Flavors is an hour away. Best $45 spent.
Disclaimer-------This is my opinion and experience for the area i live in.
Don’t get me wrong, sad to say… and hear… but I feel you 100% where I’m at.
I understand they gotta do what they gotta do to stay open, and it’s amazing knowing that it’s most likely a by-product of smoking converts… but it’s really strange being so alienated… Feels like going to a Harley dealership and all you can find are Vespa parts. How is someone who rides a harley going to support them anymore?
I failed miserably my first attempt at quitting cigs with sticks, pens, & “pods”… Wasn’t until I got into everything that is not carried anymore that I was able to make the full transition, and have not faltered.
Thats the Key to vape shops I have found, the owners are up to speed, most (not all) the other employees are less knowledgeable IMO, when I was buying commercial juice every week I went to the vape shop, my juice was put aside in the back for me, out of 4 shops I frequented regularly, 2 have closed due to FLAVOR BAN, I used to buy my coils online but now I pay more at local shops, just to help out #shoplocal
A shop that accommodates all vaper types not just what brings in a dollar. A shop that doesn’t try to convince me that POD’s are better and if i switched i wouldn’t have a problem finding things.
Admittedly I do buy wire online.
What I meant to say is sub-ohm tank coils, mainly FreemaxMeshPro.
I still enjoy going to the vape shops, I don’t even look at the pod stuff, not into that, and now with no flavors available here the B&M shops may soon be a thing of the past. It’s too bad, I know these guys and gals put there life savings into these shops.
I think the pod systems are very much pushed from the suppliers side though. But I agree, if the local shop doesn’t sell what you want, why would you spend your money on them?
I don’t have a local vape shop hehe I have to get on a plane for that. But when I do get on the plane I only go for commercial treat juices. I like my own makes but sometimes it’s nice for that. One vape shop I cmgo to has almost one of everything open on the counter. They know me as I bought my first setup from them and ask them first for hardware (order online from them) they don’t mind me Drip testing 20 juices as they know I buy 10 or 15 at a time because I can only go every few months. The guys there are great maybe not so knowledgeable but I always find a surprise free juice they want me to try in the bag after I’ve paid.
Almost becomes a dead horse issue the more I think about it… 70$ including shipping I got what a vape shop would’ve charged me ~$200 for (I was hoping and willing to do so).
If I were to have gotten a rebuild-able pod setup it actually would’ve made that price pretty similar/affordable.
For that reason I am tempted to really put some effort into the rebuild-able pods at times… but I almost have a feeling it would inevitably lead me to upping my nicotine… I really don’t like the thought of that.
You know in advance that you can’t compare the 2. B&M stores are usually up to 3 times more expensive but you get personal service and in case of any issues, they are there to help you. Online retailers will give you a cheap product because they cut out the middle man and don’t have to invest as much in employees who assist you. So if you have any issues, a lot of times it’s easier, cheaper and faster to throw away what you have and buy something new.
While I do think that vape shops should cater for everybody, I do understand this evolution. People who are into big mods, rebuildables and all that, they don’t need much personal support and are more interested in cheaper prices. People who want to quit smoking will need advice and are unlikely to walk out with a mech and the latest RTA.
I’m really not surprised to see this evolution and it’s not at all helped by regulations. Most shops I’ve seen over the last couple years don’t allow to vape inside anymore. Those B&M stores almost used to be like the new generation pubs where people gathered to vape and try out new things. Seems like a huge missed opportunity for the local economy and pushing a big part of the market into foreign hands instead.
Only when after they are educated on what it is they are selling… 90% of the time.
I do remember having teaching quiet a few… even held a few round tables at more than one vape shop here. Including ohm’s law/battery safety, and how to create juices.
I can not help some see a quick dollar… and after a few drags on an ecig… they are set to be millionaires. I watched one honey baked ham have one shop then 4… they are still in business and they sit on the advocacy group for the state… hmm they could be the “big vape” in SC…
this is true too, however, when they push nothing but pods and prebuilt coils and the rest of the market is left hanging…
I wont mention trying to clone MY juices…
at least a year ago… we could vape inside…
Hate to say it… way back in the day… only place to buy any kind of equipment was…
fasttech and health cabin… in fact i know a few that that is all they stocked thru…
there were a few super small websites here in the USA… but rarely offered good equipment and then failed to keep up with the newer mods and tanks/drippers…
dunno but I do buy pods every now and then to check my recipes… been known to give away my pod mods too… just grateful I do have rebuildables and know how to maintain them… Safety is the biggest issue I find, trying to teach someone… We all have our ways… but yes if you run a shop… know what it is you sell… it’s a pet peeve with me.
