Dr. Grabow Pipes

gillywalker · Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 8:12 pm Post subject: Strange trip

The past few weeks I've been trying to track down SWR and other drugstore blends. I've hit about 15 grocery/drugstores and some discount tobacco shops. Today I hit a place I found on Google. It was in an old part of an old suburb of Chicago. The place was called Evanston Pipe & Tobacco. I walk in and its only about a one aisle wide walk back through the whole shop. It's absolutely cluttered with old drugstore tubs of tobacco some Mcbaren tins and about 20 house blend jars. They had a really cool Dr. Grabow display on a lazy susan and a lot of old medico filter boxes. I was slightly creeped out by the older guy and even more creeped out by his jumpy young helper who had some sort of mental issue, ontop of the fact that he probably thought a 27 year old 6'2 180 pound man was only in there to rob the place. Both men were from India and spoke poor English which added to communication problems. I asked if they had any Sir Walter Raleigh and the older man said nobody has asked for that in years. What I did find was 1 very old pouch of Brindley's Mixture. Which was something I've never smoked but my father had tubs of it and I distinctly remember it growing up.

You never know what you'll find on the internet!

steverino · Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 11:03 pm Post subject:

Gilly-I enjoyed your description of the tobacco shop. Sounds like the kind of place I'd like to look around in.

Just FYI, JRCigars has a large selection of the "drugstore" tobaccos, if you want to get some shipped.

ozark southpaw · Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 12:12 am Post subject:

I agree with you Steve! That might be an interesting place to dig around in!!.

Interesting story Gilly.
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The only thing shorter than my memory is a certain part of my anatomy!

Terry292 · Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 3:33 am Post subject:

Reminds me of a little place I used to frequent in Tucson, AZ. You could stand in the middle of the store, stretch out your arms, and touch the walls on both sides. It did, however, go on forever from front to back. Thanks for the memory.
Terry

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If I cannot smoke in Heaven, then I shall not go...Mark Twain