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Name of Shop: The Morgan Hill Tobacco Company & Wine Shop
Date Visited: 03/06/09
Street Address: 17430 Monterey Road
City: Morgan Hill
State: CA
Zip: 95037
Phone Number: 408-776-7667
Hours of Operation: 10 am to 10 pm, Monday – Saturday; 10 am to 6 pm, Sunday
Website: http://www.morganhilltobaccocompany.com
Location: Above Average
Location is right in downtown Morgan Hill. There is some limited parking in front on the street but plenty of public parking behind the shop. It is just 5 minutes off of Hwy 101. It’s great for locals since there really isn’t anything else around (that I have found anyway) unless you head up north to San Jose.
Staff: Average
I’ve only talked to to the owner, Wyatt, once but he was very pleasant and polite. There are 3-4 others that work there as well. They too are very pleasant and fun to talk to. One of them is fairly knowledgeable and provides some good advice if asked, but leaves you alone to browse if that is what you want. There is also another younger guy that isn’t quite as knowledgeable but is willing to ask the others if he doesn’t know the answer. My only complaint is that they rely on you to track the cigars you get as well as the pricing. Just my little pet peeve.
Stock: Average
This is a fairly small shop and their variety of cigars reflects that. They have most of the standards; Ashton, Fuente, Padron, Punch, Rocky etc.. They do carry some Tatuaje but most boutique cigars are absent. Their stock is displayed in cabinets or display cases with the small walk-in humidor used more as a stock room rather than being available to the public. They also carry pipe tobacco and accessories.
As for the care of their inventory, I’d say average. There have been a couple of times that I have noticed mold on their cigars but they were quick to remove them from the case when I let them know about it.
Of the few shops that I have been to here in California, their prices are in line with the rest – which is not saying much.
Lounge: Above Average
There is a small public lounge in the back of the shop that serves a small selection of beer and wine (they also have a wine cellar). It also has several cafe type tables with 3-4 chairs at each. There is pool table and they have chess boards as well. It is kept clean but has a well lived in look. They do have a TV that seems to be locked on ESPN, but there really isn’t anything wrong with that.
They do have memberships with lockers and monthly events but I haven’t been interested enough yet to inquire about the details.
Overall Opinion: Average
After looking over what I put in this review, I realized that while I like this shop a lot it doesn’t quite make it to ‘Above Average’. The lounge is a big plus – especially with the beer and wine – but as a shop goes, it’s not quite enough to make it really stand out.
I must say I have never seen a shop with mold on their cigars. Not only would I worry about the condition the cigars have been kept in, but I think it says something about the staff’s attention to detail. I suppose it could be worse though – a friend of mine dug deep into a local B&M’s cabinets once, and found a large stash of cigars with beetles (holes, etc.).