You guys! You're going to looooove this place!! Old Firehouse SmokeShop!!

So there we were, scootching down Rock Street in Fall River, MA, air conditioner blasting, me annoying Valentino...same old same old. All of a sudden, we both did this:

No Krabby Patties were harmed in the making of this blog post.

Because we both just happened to look out the passenger window* and saw this:

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I know what you're thinking. "Errr...and...?"

Maybe this will help:

Caballero #2 has frequently mentioned how much he likes Old Firehouse Smoke Shop and owner of the dog in charge, John Brandt.  Every once in a while, Valentino and I will have a lightbulb moment and say, "We should go to Old Firehouse..." and then we're distracted by not driving 45 minutes and we promise that another time, we're totally going there. (If you must know, our procrastination is made much more horrifying because my parents live 20 minutes away--next town over from Fall River.)

We looped around the block and pulled up. If it hadn't been so darned hot** I would have settled at one of the tables on the front porch and whiled away the hours.***

Instead, we went in and met awesomeness face-to-face. In the early 19th century, the building served as an actual firehouse, and then later a meeting house for Union Army veterans of the Civil War.  Although the building has obviously been updated and modified and gussied up right nice, the cigar shop maintains an old-world feel, harkening back to the days when the world was a little easier, a little nicer...a little more focused on community and camaraderie.****

I know we've chatted about this before, but what draws me to the cigar world is that community. And Old Firehouse Smoke Shop embodies all those feels. ::swoon::

And then the angels sang as we walked into the humidor about twice the size of my childhood bedroom, filled with boutique sticks. Proprietor John said he prides himself on their unique collection--and really, that's part of the shop's charm. We were in a museum, although way more delicious smelling--and you can't deny some of those bands are works of art. We stopped at each box, dreaming of future smokes, foregoing mortgage payments***** so we could take them all home. 

We actually did settle on a few--just a few! John introduced us to the Litto Gomez 2010, so that will happen soon. And who could possibly pass up this Factory Pressed IV LFD****** (6 1/4 x 60)? No mere mortal, that's for sure!! So, yeah, now we own one. How long we own it remains to be seen.

John also gifted us with this LFD, only available at events. And, well, us stopping by the fine establishment certainly qualifies as an event, soooo...

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And finally, he gave us this one:



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...which we'll tell you about soon! But this story is about a great man named John and his awesome dog Wyatt and a smoke shop where I suspect we'll be spending lots more time--under the auspices of visiting my parents, of course!!

Wyatt says "Hi!"

*He may have been trying to figure out how to open the door and push me out. But I digress.

**Mother Nature, why are you being such a bitch lately?

***Consulting with the flowers...

****Somehow I just turned into a crazy old lady who says, "Back in the day..." Although when my students say "Back in the day," they mean the 1980s, so... yeah.

*****Don't worry, Mum.  You know Valentino is the most fiscally responsible person in the world. Me, on the other hand... fill the humidor!!!!

******5th in a series of Factory Pressed cigars.