There are pretty much zero B&Ms near me that carry LP. What gives? There is one across the river in Illinois about 45 minutes from downtown (I'm from STL). But I live the opposite direction from downtown. Just odd. I'll buy them online, cheaper anyways, just curious why no one carries them..... and I have a fair amount of B&Ms around the area that have a good selection.
Liga Privada at B&M
- Thread starter KFBR392
- Start date
I have 4 B&M's near me and only 1 carries LPs. My guess (and completely a guess) is that it has to do with the distribution and lines they carry.
And I assume the B&M has to sell a significant amount of LPs to get opportunities to carry UF-13s, Pigs and L40s.
And I assume the B&M has to sell a significant amount of LPs to get opportunities to carry UF-13s, Pigs and L40s.
This.
I frequent 2 B&M's and both have different smokes. Very few of the same brand or line. I'd agree with @Dick Leighton and figure it's because of the distribution. Or maybe they just don't want to carry the D.E. line and others do. It probably comes down to the preference of the owners.
Craig Mac
BoM 4/10 7/11 12/14
You have to sell (not just carry) a certain amount of Drew Estate to get Liga Privada. The Unico Series stuff is released in very small allocations and you get what you get based on what is available
Hoshneer
Drew Estate NotRex
Last time I checked a B&M had to have so many facings of DE and buy like $20,000 in product to even get considered to have a Liga Privada contract. I can understand why a lot of shops don't carry them.
Exactly what the others have said. I spoke with my B&M owner about the lines he carries in general and he brought up LP. Said he has to sell 15K in other DE products to get LP in the shop then has to sell some crazy amount of LP to get any Unicos. I know some shops will buy from other retailers, just to have them on the shelf - though of course, DE wouldn't be happy and the margin on those sticks would be virtually non-existent.
Exactly correct
DE makes you have at MIN 17 facings of their product and do $20K in sales a year OF THEIR PRODUCT to be able to even get on the list to get LP. So as a small shop you will NEVER get LP unless you find a wholesale distribution center that is willing to share.
Its a JOKE IMHO. I'll sell TATS and CH and to be honest. They are better cigars ANYWAY!
Cheers
Jay
AlohaStyle
BoM Sept '12 & Aug '13
JD would come to my local cigar lounge every time he was in the Seattle area just to hang out after his days work. My local wasn't allowed to sell Liga. I asked JD every time he came to Seattle to make my local a Liga account as he would always say how much he loved smokey joes and the people. He clearly did as he would always make smokey joes his stop at night just to chill. Finally after a few years of begging basically, they got Liga. (I don't know their sales volume of other Drew Estates products, but they generally have good volume)
Hoshneer
Drew Estate NotRex
Yeah, this is pretty much my personal belief as well. This is coming from someone who used to be a huge fanboy. I don't really care for their business model and they always talk about supporting local shops.
They do not support 80% of the local shops with that model. I have seen people compete for Liga contracts and even the reps can't promise contracts. It's ridiculous and it tends to hurt small shops. I'm not saying it's wrong it just rubs me the wrong way personally, I understand it's business.
They do not support 80% of the local shops with that model. I have seen people compete for Liga contracts and even the reps can't promise contracts. It's ridiculous and it tends to hurt small shops. I'm not saying it's wrong it just rubs me the wrong way personally, I understand it's business.
AlohaStyle
BoM Sept '12 & Aug '13
I understand people feeling that way, but when it comes down to it, it makes sense. We all know Liga isn't heavily produced like some other cigars. There's only so many boxes to be shipped out on a monthly basis to B&M's. Even though you might want all the little guys to get your product and be allowed to sell, it's just not logistically possible, and it doesn't make business sense. Since production is a bit more limited, offer them to shops where people buy. You can sell at the better shops all around the country and make it logistically easier and more efficient sending to 100 accounts vs 400. (I have no clue on the amount of shops, just example.) Plus it makes your cigar seem elusive making people want to hunt them out. People want what you can't have.
DE is very strict on who gets Ligas. My local B&M sells a ton of Acid, Undercrown & Hoya and have been trying for years to get Liga to no avail. I was at an event for Hoya Reds there and talked to the rep about the shop getting Liga and he said there was nothing he could do, whole separate branch. I also asked him what his favorite Liga was and he said he didn't know, he's never smoked one and the only way he could would be to buy them at Liga approved shop. Now that's strict when the Undercrown rep can't score a #9!
I consider myself lucky because my B&M carries almost every LP cigar. I guess the B&M needs to carry most of the DE line and do 40k a year in business (which I guess is not hard to do). I love the T52 and No. 9, I am hoping to get a box when DE has an event at my B&M this next Friday.
My b&m gets liga and único but the unico sells out so quick.
TraderCigarCo.
Alex
Have a B&M that I'm at right now that carries them. Guy said you can call them and they can ship to you if u want. Wee.elitecigarcafe.com
DE is VERY strict with dealers on what they must carry. They have to carry acid, they have to carry full line of Undercrown, java, etc. They still might not get any Unicos, and even if they do it might be 1 box every 6 months. Most places that have full humidors just don't have room to put in a new full line without seeing how it's going to sell.