The Wooden Indian Expeditions

[Smoked!]

Is That a Fact? # 3: American Indians did not typically wear metallic suits of armor.

[Smoked!]

Shop: Three J’s Cigar Emporium (one of two locations)

Location: Davie, Florida.
The shop is in a strip mall on Griffin Road, just West of University Drive.




Wooden Indian: No. But they did have an Excalibur suit of Armor.



Atmosphere: John has run this shop along with his partners for many, many years. To me, he is the epitome of the old-school hometown shopkeeper. He knows his business and he knows his customers. The shop, like many others, is a walk-in with a counter and a register. I happened to stop in on delivery day. It looked like Christmas with boxes and packaging everywhere.




Service: John knows which end of the perfecto to light. He is also willing to share that knowledge with you if you ask. He has no idea why Gurkhas unravel. … He said he doesn’t try to compete with online retailers on price, but suggests that having a seasoned, experienced guide at your service far outweighs the cost difference when you’re looking for something in particular. John’s daughter, who sometimes steps in to cover a shift, is equally knowledgeable and pleasant. Plus, she is really cute. This is one of those shops in which you just feel at home.


Walk-in: The entire store is humidified. It’s not perfect, but it keeps the stock in good condition. There is fairly high turn-over, as evidenced by the multiple weekly shipment arrivals.


Cigars: The newest creations are always up front. This is one of the first shops in the area to receive new products and they are often chosen to host cigar introduction tour stops. You will find all the popular brands and a deep inventory. I noticed a respectable selection of top shelf labels like Davidoff, Opus, and Crown Max. Prices are average for the area. Check out the Oliva V storage on the top of the display wall:





More:





Additional offerings: There a few basic boxes and cutters available. They can keep you going if you misplace a tool or lighter, but it clearly is not a point of emphasis.




Additional amenities: There is a small, comfortable chair by the door. I think it’s more for Al, the afternoon guy. You can watch television, but again, I think it’s a convenience for the staff while they’re working.

Special Notes: Three J’s hosts multiple cigar night events during the cooler months (November through April.) I have attended a couple and, believe me, they are packed. The last one was sponsored by Rocky Patel. They have a band, food, and the obligatory cigar specials. These are great events for local cigar guys and gals. They’re working the schedule to see if they can get Carlito Fuente to stop by in November ’09. If I go this season, I’ll be sure to post photos.

Summary: John is a cigar pro who knows his industry. If you’re local and haven’t discovered this store, you owe it to yourself to get acquainted. You should definitely plan on hitting their cigar night festivities. Those who visit the area and need to restock their travel humidor will find this shop to be a good choice.


Disclaimer and Full Disclosure:
Do not smoke. It is bad for you. I have the utmost respect for our Native American brothers. They never wear metallic armor. Ice cream is good. I have no financial interest or ownership interest in any cigar shop, store, retailer, wholesaler, distributor, manufacturer, packager, shipper, stevedore, roller, farmer, harvester, or tobacco farm land lease holder, nor do I receive any other benefit, explicit or implied, from the inclusion of or review of any establishment herein named, referred to, or otherwise described. I do watch the Big Bang Theory on CBS. I think Wooden Indians are cool.

[FunkyCold5]

Dang, dude. Where are all these places with Opuses???? Are the prices good?

I'd be buying all those bad boys.

Love the thread, very original.

[Smoked!]

Dang, dude. Where are all these places with Opuses???? Are the prices good?

I'd be buying all those bad boys.

Love the thread, very original.

Glad you like the thread.

So far, the shops I've posted are in South Florida. I think most of them have a website. I could post their contact info, but then it becomes a commercial thread. The purpose of the thread was to get guys to think a little about their local shops and see some details they may have overlooked. Let me know if you have a specific interest and I'll look around.

[Smoked!]

Is That a Fact? # 4: The first American Wooden Indian statues were used as an advertising device because of the strong association between tobacco and Native American traders. Immigrants who did not speak or read English identified tobacco merchants by locating the Wooden Indian placed on the walkway in front of the store. Some tobacco companies made duplicate statues for retailers of their cigars to increase brand recognition.

[Smoked!]

Shop: Cloud Nine Cigar Bar & Lounge

Location: Palm Beach Gardens, 33418
Cloud 9 is on the southwest corner of Donald Ross Road and Military.

Wooden Indian: Negative. When asked about the absent traditional talisman of good fortune, the clerk cited the sidewalk obstruction law of 1910, mumbled something unintelligible, and disappeared into the mist of the humidor. I don’t know… I’ve got nothing.




Atmosphere: The bar and lounge are very clean. All of the furnishings and displays look brand new. The set-up looks great, but it seems a little… sterile.





Service: The clerk seemed more interested in web browsing than anything else. He didn’t seem too interested in describing the shop, nor its stock and amenities. I’m pretty sure he is a grad student working on his dissertation. … or not...

Walk-in: Yes, they have a walk-in and yes it’s full of cigars. For some reason they had a ton of Diamond Crown. Look:




Additional offerings: They have a decent selection of humidors and accessories.


Additional amenities: This is by far the best cigar smoking lounge in the area. There is a full bar and plenty of space to relax, watch television, enjoy a beverage, and savor a cigar. They also offer free Wi-Fi.




Summary: This shop fits its community quite well. There are professional offices nearby as well as upscale communities. The Jupiter Hammerheads baseball team plays right across the street. I would like to stop in here when the evening crowd is around and reevaluate. Overall rating: Meh.




Disclaimer and Full Disclosure:
Do not smoke; it is bad for you. Plus, that means less for me. I have the utmost respect for our Native American brothers. They never wear metallic armor. Ice cream is good. I have no financial interest or ownership interest in any cigar shop, store, retailer, wholesaler, distributor, manufacturer, packager, shipper, stevedore, roller, farmer, harvester, or tobacco farm land lease holder, nor do I receive any other benefit, explicit or implied, from the inclusion of or review of any establishment herein named, referred to, or otherwise described. I do watch the Big Bang Theory on CBS. I think Wooden Indians are cool.

[Smoked!]

Is That a Fact? #5: The late Frank Gallagher was one of approximately 12 true full-blooded Man-Dan Indians remaining. In the 1800’s, the Man-Dan village was infected by small pox which practically wiped out the entire tribe. Frank's Great-Great-Grandfather was away from the village at the time of the outbreak while working for a furniture maker named was Samuel Gallagher. Following the custom of Indian laborers of that era, Frank took his employer's last name as his own. One of the original Gallagher Wooden Indians is on display in the Smithsonian Institute. The Gallagher family continues the art of carving as their ancestor would want it: the old way - the right way - by hand. (story and terminology from: alltribes dot com - Yes, he was real and his family still carries on the tradition of hand carving Indian sculptures.)




.

[Smoked!]

Shop: Smoke Inn – Port Saint Lucie, (Population: Not that many - Hee Haw!)

Location: Somke Inn is located on one of the main thoroughfares a few minutes east of I-95 and the PGA Golf Courses at St. Lucie West.




Wooden Indian: Yes! Finally! This is a fine example of a traditional Cigar Store Indian. The Chief stands about six feet tall, has an appropriate South Florida tan, and sports a fashionable Smoke Inn duffel bag. He is clad in buckskin and wears a tribal leader’s ceremonial feathered headdress. In his left hand is a bundle of colossal cigars. (I’m guessing Flor de Baloney.)





I’m not sure about the weasel looking over his left shoulder. Any guesses?





Atmosphere: This edition of Smoke Inn is off Prima Vista Blvd., on the way to the PGA golf resort in St. Lucie West and the Reserve. Most of the traffic in the shop on this day appeared to be golfers on their way out to the course. There is definitely potential for this shop to accommodate regular gatherings of a cigar smokers’ club.


Service: I spent about 45 minutes smoking and talking with the weekend guy (who prefers to remain unnamed and stayed well wide of the camera lens.) We enjoyed a rambling conversation about the city’s history and how the little town grew up. He makes no claims about his cigar expertise, but he is more than willing to find answers to your cigar related questions.

Walk-in: You may notice a similarity to Smoke Inn’s Tequesta location. The basic layout is the same. Each shop in the chain customizes its storage based on the square footage and code allowances. The stock is in excellent condition and the humidor is very well maintained. Check it out:















Additional amenities: There is a fair selection of accessories and a few desktop boxes to choose from. Opposite the main counter is a small bar offering coffee, espresso, and hot tea. One of the best features is the amount of space dedicated to the smoking lounge near the entry. (Sorry, no photos are included out of respect for customers’ privacy.) I understand there are a couple informal gatherings each week.

Summary: This was my first trip to the shop in a couple years. I found it to be better than average, and possibly the best cigar shop on the Treasure Coast… so far. I liked the relaxed atmosphere. For visitors to the area, this is the only stop you need for resupply. For locals who choose to shop online only - you don’t know what you’re missing.



Do not smoke too much; it is bad for you. I have the utmost respect for our Native American brothers. They never wear metallic armor. Ice cream is good. Sometimes I use Stay-Puft marshmallows in hot cocoa. I have no financial interest or ownership interest in any cigar shop, store, retailer, wholesaler, distributor, manufacturer, packager, shipper, stevedore, roller, farmer, harvester, or tobacco farm land lease holder, nor do I receive any other benefit, explicit or implied, from the inclusion of or review of any establishment herein named, referred to, or otherwise described. I do watch the Big Bang Theory on CBS. I think Wooden Indians are cool.

[badwhale]

I’m not sure about the weasel looking over his left shoulder. Any guesses?

I bet that's an otter skin. 4 of those, are worth a bundle of FdB. I think he has his right hand up, looking for someone with more otter skins to trade.

Will

[slcraiders]

Smoke Inn looks SWEET! Did you by chance meet Abe while you were there? I believe he is the co-owner. He has sent me some really good rare smokes when dealing with him in the past. I think they also host a nice annual poker tournament there, earning the winner a seat at the WSOP.

[kevin7]

I would trade 2 Buffalo Scrotums for a a bundle of FdB

[badwhale]

I would trade 2 Buffalo Scrotums for a a bundle of FdB

http://www.bisonfarmgiftshop.com/buf...um-p/scr01.htm

Deal?

Will

[tjcravey]

I so want to get a wooden cigar store Indian for my house. How awesome would that be?!?! Let him hang out in the living room by the front door to greet guests and what-not.

Awesome thread, BTW.

[Smoked!]

Smoke Inn looks SWEET! Did you by chance meet Abe while you were there? I believe he is the co-owner. He has sent me some really good rare smokes when dealing with him in the past. I think they also host a nice annual poker tournament there, earning the winner a seat at the WSOP.

Abe shows up at the West Palm beach store frequently, but I haven't seen him in a long while. He runs a tight ship. The poker tourney is usually in May. They have tons of events and release parties at the main store. More on that in another episode...

[Smoked!]

http://www.bisonfarmgiftshop.com/buf...um-p/scr01.htm

Deal?

Will

I don't think he has much chance of finding otter hide traders since Trapper John passed away.

Nice link. Do you think it's a coincidence that the buffalo scrotum is advertised just above the beef jerky? Seems... odd.

[Smoked!]

I so want to get a wooden cigar store Indian for my house. How awesome would that be?!?! Let him hang out in the living room by the front door to greet guests and what-not.

Awesome thread, BTW.

Missed this before - sorry. Yeah, it would be cool to have in a basement bar, game room, or smoking room.

[Smoked!]

Is That a Fact? #6 - Wooden Indian sculptures offer value, in various ways, to the thoughtful viewer. The impetus to create the first sculptures gives insight into methods of marketing and advertising in 19th century America. Carefully crafted original works offer a record of traditional dress and appearance. In my view, they also stand as a reminder to be conscious of our own history and our very nature. (I, myself, am an unashamed imperialist, western expansionist, capitalist pig! Oink!)

[Smoked!]

Shop: Oasis Cigars – 33323

Location: Sawgrass Mills, Sunrise, FL – near the Cheesecake Factory.
I would never have known this cigar shop exists had I not passed it on the way to score an espresso and cherry cheesecake fix. The Sawgrass Mills Mall is gianormous. It’s a regular stop for tour companies who bring guests visiting Florida from around the globe. I go only to the Adidas outlet and then I immediately leave… … …unless I want cheesecake.

Wooden Indian: No wooden specimen here, but I’ll give partial credit for the neon image above the doorway.




Atmosphere: You may notice from the image that Oasis is located in a breezeway off the main building. This a mall shop and it fits into the mall culture. It was about eighty-eight degrees out the day I stopped by. The front door was wide open and I’m not sure the AC was running. Go figure.

Service: The owner/manager seemed helpful, but not particularly knowledgeable about his stock.

Walk-in: Since the shop was wide open, I don’t see how the conditions could be well controlled. The glass-door cases you can see in the photo below are humidified and probably offer some buffer from the temperature and humidity swings. Draw your own conclusions.




Cigars: Oasis offers an average selection at higher than average prices. My guess is that mall rent is fairly high.

Additional offerings: They do offer quite a selection of lighters, cutters, and desktop humidors. This is the first time I saw an extensive array of hookahs in a cigar shop. You can see them on top of the cases in this photo.





Summary: If you’re on your way to the cheesecake place and have a minute to kill, it won’t hurt you to stop in and say hello.

[LawDog2006]

Thought I might add one of my own, as a spin-off episode!

Shop: Jungle Jim's International Market

Location: 5440 Dixie Hwy, Fairfield, OH 45014 - Near Cincinnati

I'd heard about this place for years but finally was able to go. This place is AWESOME! It's like a Whole Foods meets World's Market meets Trader Joe's meets Publix meets Walmart! It has an entire wine / beer department with vintages/brews from around the world. A hot-sauce section that is the size of a regular grocerie's meat/fish area! Not to be left out is the humidor (as you can see behind me) that has almost every major family of cigar that I could think of (their website says over 75 brands- http://www.junglejims.com/index.asp). This place is truly a Mecca of delicious indulgences!

Me with the Indian - Sorry for the picture quality but all I had was my blackberry.

[Smoked!]

Nice post, LawDog2006! Great Indian statue!