I think it might be time to find a new B & M

JDH

There's a local shop I've patronized for about 6 or 8 years now. I like the guy that runs it, and his staff, and they keep quality merchandise avaliable.

BUT...the other day while I was in, one of his customers brought in a humidor that had been over-humidified, to the point that mold was growing inside; not just a little bit of mold, but enough to be visible in all 4 corners of the thing. The owner advised that "a little alchohol will kill the mold, and everything will be alright". I mentioned the use of humidity beads (which the owner does not sell) instead of the device the customer was using, and said that mold was very hard to kill, especially in a humid environment.

When the guy left, the owner chewed me out for "interfering" with one of his customers. My view is that if you've got mold in the humidor, get a new humidor. The only way to remove mold is to remove all moisture, and that can't be done in a humidor. I believe the owner gave the customer extremely poor advice, so I may not be going back.

Vision

JDH:

There's a local shop I've patronized for about 6 or 8 years now. I like the guy that runs it, and his staff, and they keep quality merchandise avaliable.

BUT...the other day while I was in, one of his customers brought in a humidor that had been over-humidified, to the point that mold was growing inside; not just a little bit of mold, but enough to be visible in all 4 corners of the thing. The owner advised that "a little alchohol will kill the mold, and everything will be alright". I mentioned the use of humidity beads (which the owner does not sell) instead of the device the customer was using, and said that mold was very hard to kill, especially in a humid environment.

When the guy left, the owner chewed me out for "interfering" with one of his customers. My view is that if you've got mold in the humidor, get a new humidor. The only way to remove mold is to remove all moisture, and that can't be done in a humidor. I believe the owner gave the customer extremely poor advice, so I may not be going back.

Good for you bro. Eff him. There are 100000000 other shops out there. If he doesnt mind effing his customers and giving poor advice, who knows whats up with the rest of his cr4p.

I agree.... new humi time if mold it hanging out.

JDH

Yea. You cannot "kill" mold with alchohol. Once you have it, you can only remove the conditions in which it grows, and that means providing a bone dry environment...forever. This will only work if you like bone dry cigars.

Lee.mcglynn

Honestly he was probably embarrassed by the whole thing. I thank god I haven't had mold issues(knock on wood) but I would assume that the humidity was too high and the temp too high. As far as not returning to that B&M that is all up to you. But I do applaud the fact that you gave a stranger good advice instead of keeping your mouth shut

JDH

Lee.mcglynn:

Honestly he was probably embarrassed by the whole thing. I thank god I haven't had mold issues(knock on wood) but I would assume that the humidity was too high and the temp too high. As far as not returning to that B&M that is all up to you. But I do applaud the fact that you gave a stranger good advice instead of keeping your mouth shut

Yea, I'm really conflicted about this. Like I said, I like this guy (the owner), but if he's going to get defensive for being called on giving REALLY bad advice....I dunno. I think I'll go back in with some very good technical information about mold (I've had some state certification on this subject), and some information about Heartfelt beads, (maybe even bring in some of mine) and see how I'm received.

If he still wants to be an ass, well, that's his business (literally). But there are still plenty of places for me to purchase cigars. I can live without him.

Smokindaddy

I find that most of the time when I'm in a B&M I know more about this hobby then the owner of the shop or the person working there. So good for you for speaking up and giving the correct advise!

laker1963

JDH:

Lee.mcglynn:

Honestly he was probably embarrassed by the whole thing. I thank god I haven't had mold issues(knock on wood) but I would assume that the humidity was too high and the temp too high. As far as not returning to that B&M that is all up to you. But I do applaud the fact that you gave a stranger good advice instead of keeping your mouth shut

Yea, I'm really conflicted about this. Like I said, I like this guy (the owner), but if he's going to get defensive for being called on giving REALLY bad advice....I dunno. I think I'll go back in with some very good technical information about mold (I've had some state certification on this subject), and some information about Heartfelt beads, (maybe even bring in some of mine) and see how I'm received.

If he still wants to be an ass, well, that's his business (literally). But there are still plenty of places for me to purchase cigars. I can live without him.

Maybe you should also point out to him that you were actually trying to do some good customer service on his behalf.

You assisted the customer who needed help. In other words rather then this guy listening to the B&M owner, getting bad advice, spending more money on sticks only to have them mold too... you saved him all that grief AND educated him on something for the future. The B*M owner owes you big time. As well as what I mentioned above he should have also thanked you for your advice to the customer and been greatful to have a customer like you who has the knowledge to help in situations like that one. Instead he chews you out for interferrence? WOW!

He is lucky you saved him one customer with your advice. The fact that he may have lost a customer because of his actions, is his responsibility. Maybe he was just having a bad day. If you like him and think he is worth the effort, maybe explain your side of things to him and if he still wants you to stay out of his business... that is exactly what I would do... stay out of his business. There are plenty of B&M's out there.

phobicsquirrel

Well I agree with you to a point. I mean one thing I really hate is when I'm telling someone something and someone else pops up telling them something different. You might be right you might be wrong but it doesn't really matter at that time. The respectful thing would be to catch up with that person when their conversation is over with if you wanted to set the record straight. I understand you wanted to help and that the cigar shop person probably should have known but maybe he didn't, I dunno. I personally don't like getting involved with conversations. Just my 2 cents.

robertgreen30

I think that the owner was embrassed that you knew more than he did. If he doesn't like it tell him to GFY lol

JDH

phobicsquirrel:

Well I agree with you to a point. I mean one thing I really hate is when I'm telling someone something and someone else pops up telling them something different. You might be right you might be wrong but it doesn't really matter at that time. The respectful thing would be to catch up with that person when their conversation is over with if you wanted to set the record straight. I understand you wanted to help and that the cigar shop person probably should have known but maybe he didn't, I dunno. I personally don't like getting involved with conversations. Just my 2 cents.

You nailed it. That's exactly where the owner was coming from. He didn't appreciate my "interference with his customer" and advising the use of a product he doesn't have in his shop. Small tobacco shops are under a tremendous amount of pressure these days, especially with the uncertainty of looming regulations. I think that's why he got defensive. Maybe I was out of line. It is his business, not mine, but my intentions were to help the guy with the mold.

phobicsquirrel

Yeah, I get ya. Your heart was in the right place. I don't know who it was, but they were here and had a similar story, however instead of getting chewed out they got offered a job at their shop.

0patience

JDH:

When the guy left, the owner chewed me out for "interfering" with one of his customers.

Yeah, I'd have done more than not go back.
He's lucky he didn't have to pick himself up off the floor.
I'd have told the owner right then and their do go "procreate with his own self" (Well, the forum won't let me post the real words, so it's a clean way to say it) and that my business was done there.

But I'm one of those guys that will never set foot in a business again if they piss me off.

catfishbluezz

Walk outside, politely tell them the real truth...then invite the broth over for a herf. I agree, the owner is a moron, 99% of them are. You basically cut his balls off in front of a custy, so I see why he's pissed. I've seen it before and offered advice outside the walk in lol.

reggie713

catfishbluezz:

Walk outside, politely tell them the real truth...then invite the broth over for a herf. I agree, the owner is a moron, 99% of them are. You basically cut his balls off in front of a custy, so I see why he's pissed. I've seen it before and offered advice outside the walk in lol.

i gree, i would have met him outside and gave him my opinion, which woul be...give that old humi away, as a jewelry box and buy a bigger one

stad

JDH:

There's a local shop I've patronized for about 6 or 8 years now. I like the guy that runs it, and his staff, and they keep quality merchandise avaliable.

BUT...the other day while I was in, one of his customers brought in a humidor that had been over-humidified, to the point that mold was growing inside; not just a little bit of mold, but enough to be visible in all 4 corners of the thing. The owner advised that "a little alchohol will kill the mold, and everything will be alright". I mentioned the use of humidity beads (which the owner does not sell) instead of the device the customer was using, and said that mold was very hard to kill, especially in a humid environment.

When the guy left, the owner chewed me out for "interfering" with one of his customers. My view is that if you've got mold in the humidor, get a new humidor. The only way to remove mold is to remove all moisture, and that can't be done in a humidor. I believe the owner gave the customer extremely poor advice, so I may not be going back.

I have had similar experiences before. No one likes looking stupid. However your advise is wrong. Vinagar will kill nearly all molds know to mankind. I was gifted a used humidor several years ago from a friend who started smoking but then decided it was not for him. Anyway i found some mold growing when I got it home and checked it out.

I mixed a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water in a spray bottle and sprayed it down. After wiping everything down I left it to dry with the lid open for a few days. No smell no mold and has been working great for the last 3 years. I keep all my Liga Privadas and Undercrowns in it.

JDH

stad:

JDH:

There's a local shop I've patronized for about 6 or 8 years now. I like the guy that runs it, and his staff, and they keep quality merchandise avaliable.

BUT...the other day while I was in, one of his customers brought in a humidor that had been over-humidified, to the point that mold was growing inside; not just a little bit of mold, but enough to be visible in all 4 corners of the thing. The owner advised that "a little alchohol will kill the mold, and everything will be alright". I mentioned the use of humidity beads (which the owner does not sell) instead of the device the customer was using, and said that mold was very hard to kill, especially in a humid environment.

When the guy left, the owner chewed me out for "interfering" with one of his customers. My view is that if you've got mold in the humidor, get a new humidor. The only way to remove mold is to remove all moisture, and that can't be done in a humidor. I believe the owner gave the customer extremely poor advice, so I may not be going back.

I have had similar experiences before. No one likes looking stupid. However your advise is wrong. Vinagar will kill nearly all molds know to mankind. I was gifted a used humidor several years ago from a friend who started smoking but then decided it was not for him. Anyway i found some mold growing when I got it home and checked it out.

I mixed a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water in a spray bottle and sprayed it down. After wiping everything down I left it to dry with the lid open for a few days. No smell no mold and has been working great for the last 3 years. I keep all my Liga Privadas and Undercrowns in it.

I would maintain that whatever you had in your humidor was not mold. Vinegar does not kill mold.

0patience

JDH:

I would maintain that whatever you had in your humidor was not mold. Vinegar does not kill mold.

There is a lot of information that disagrees with that.
This is just a small amount of information available on the subject.
Does Vinegar Kill Mold
How to Kill Mold With Vinegar
Does Vinegar Kill Mold?

JDH

0patience:

JDH:

I would maintain that whatever you had in your humidor was not mold. Vinegar does not kill mold.

There is a lot of information that disagrees with that.
This is just a small amount of information available on the subject.
Does Vinegar Kill Mold
How to Kill Mold With Vinegar
Does Vinegar Kill Mold?

All I can say is that I've attended State Certified training required by the local Health Department and my employer dealing with mold, and I am very skeptical of this information. Vinegar will slow mold down, but it won't kill it, especially if you are dealing with an environment that must stay humid. The liklehood that it will return is very high after a treatment with vinegar or citric acids. If the mold has not penetrated the wood very deeply, (is just on the surface) it can be removed by scraping, gouging, or even sanding. The application of vinegar after doing that would be "insurance", but not prevention. If the mold has "taken hold", and penetrated the pores of the wood, I don't believe that there is anything that will prevent it from "coming back".

jihiggs

i think the difference here is durration and type of surface. mold in a house is almost impossible to get rid of. most any home inspector will tell you this. of course im refering to the northwest, mold capito of the us. in a house by the time you realise youve got mold its too late, once its in the wall, you replace the wood and drywall. this is because the mold has been growing and digging in for years at this point.

mold in a humidor is very different. usually its only been growing a couple weeks, and on wood that is naturally mold repellant, spanish cedar. i had mold in my humidor once, cleaned it with vinegar and sanded down the affected areas some, then cleaned the whole thing with vinegar again. this is not the time to be worried about warping, get the sucker wet. then left it open for a couple days. that was years ago and its been fine since i got beads.

seagarlover

GOOD FOR U, He should have thanked you for helping one of his customers instead of yelling at U, I'm loaded with spite, so I would stay clear for awhile and then go in, if he wants to know where U have been tell him, Well I don't like being yelled at for passing on some advise to a fellow smoker, OH and I walked in here to pick up some more HUMI BEEDS but I forgot U don't sell them........ and walk out. thats what I would do, just a thought.

seagarlover

JDH did not bring this up to get help on a mold problem, he is not the one with the mold, he is upset about the merchant he thought was a friend of his and is upset the he treated him so bad. am i right JDH.

gmill880

Customers should never be yelled at , even by the owner . They do , afterall , have your paycheck in THEIR pocket . Why does it seem so many times people who are idiots get the brakes and own businesses ? Just a thought .

Amos Umwhat

Two words: "Buh Bye"

JDH

seagarlover:

JDH did not bring this up to get help on a mold problem, he is not the one with the mold, he is upset about the merchant he thought was a friend of his and is upset the he treated him so bad. am i right JDH.

Yep. right on the money. I've printed off some info about the heartfelt beads, & I'll stop in sometime next week and give it to him. If he's got a brain he'll find a way to start offering them to his customers, if not there's other places to patronize, ... but it's hard to give up on somebody who's trying so hard to proviide premium cigars to the public these days. Loosing a customer doesn't solve anything, and I aint that special. I've been chewed out by better men than that, and for better reasons too.