I can remember a time when there were NO vape shops anywhere. You had no choice but to buy a product based upon a picture or a description from an online store.
I remember visiting my first brick & mortar vape shop in 2012. I felt like I was kid in a toy store; just to be able to talk with other vapers and see what they were using was incredibly fun. I think I spent 3 hours there. I had originally driven 60 miles to buy a battery, which they were out of stock of 14500 batteries that day. Having said that, that long trip was still worth it to me even coming home empty handed.
I ended up working for the same owner in a local shop in my city a few years later. It was just the second vape shop in a major US city. In the year that I worked there, the emphysis changed from catering to beginners to catering to cloud chasers. The best thing about the shop was we carried up to 20 brands of commercial juices and allowed you to sample them free of charge prior to buying any. When I left the shop a year later, there must have been 20 shops spread across the city.
The last time I went into a local shop was a few months ago. I had neglected to follow my own advice and keep "backups for my backups". I failed to keep a supply of drop in coils for my clearomizer tanks. I had ordered some more from fast tech, but that can take 2 - 3 weeks. I regretfully bought a single coil head for $12 (normally you can buy them online for $3 each) but I needed it desparately.
I make my own DIY liquids. I buy my gear either from fast tech or from the same US vendor that I have used for nearly 6 years (My Vapor Store). There is something to be said to be able to hold a mod in your hand before you buy it, or to get friendly and hopefully expert advice from the sales staff if you are new to vaping. But with my experience, I've learned what brands to buy and which to stay away from. Vape shops have their time and place, but I don't have much need for them now.
I remember visiting my first brick & mortar vape shop in 2012. I felt like I was kid in a toy store; just to be able to talk with other vapers and see what they were using was incredibly fun. I think I spent 3 hours there. I had originally driven 60 miles to buy a battery, which they were out of stock of 14500 batteries that day. Having said that, that long trip was still worth it to me even coming home empty handed.
I ended up working for the same owner in a local shop in my city a few years later. It was just the second vape shop in a major US city. In the year that I worked there, the emphysis changed from catering to beginners to catering to cloud chasers. The best thing about the shop was we carried up to 20 brands of commercial juices and allowed you to sample them free of charge prior to buying any. When I left the shop a year later, there must have been 20 shops spread across the city.
The last time I went into a local shop was a few months ago. I had neglected to follow my own advice and keep "backups for my backups". I failed to keep a supply of drop in coils for my clearomizer tanks. I had ordered some more from fast tech, but that can take 2 - 3 weeks. I regretfully bought a single coil head for $12 (normally you can buy them online for $3 each) but I needed it desparately.
I make my own DIY liquids. I buy my gear either from fast tech or from the same US vendor that I have used for nearly 6 years (My Vapor Store). There is something to be said to be able to hold a mod in your hand before you buy it, or to get friendly and hopefully expert advice from the sales staff if you are new to vaping. But with my experience, I've learned what brands to buy and which to stay away from. Vape shops have their time and place, but I don't have much need for them now.
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