Jim's Pipe & Tobacco Shop

If you're looking for a real pipe and cigar shop in Panama City, Jim's Pipe & Tobacco Shop is the one locals point you to. It's earned a strong reputation over the years, and folks who've been going for a long time will tell you it's the best in town for cigars, tobacco pipes, and accessories. One longtime regular put it plainly: the owners are the place in Panama City, strong. The cigar selection gets a lot of love, and the prices are known to be fair.

Ask anyone who shops here and they'll mention how welcome the owners make you feel, whether you're picking up a modest cigarello or something a little nicer. That friendliness matters most if you're new to all this. We've heard from more than one first-timer who walked in with no idea what they were after, and the staff walked them through the different types and qualities of cigars until they found the right gift. One couple mailing cigars to a friend even got sent off with a box and packing to make the shipping easier.

That's the kind of place it is. Pipe people are just as well looked after. The traditional pipes and pipe tobacco keep the collectors coming back, and the lady behind the counter has a name around here for being patient and accommodating, the sort who'll help you settle on the right churchwarden without any rush. Plenty of regulars say they stop in just for the aromatic smell and the good company.

A couple of things worth knowing. It sits a little off the beaten path, close to downtown just off Bus 98 at Jenks Avenue, and one regular wished it was open longer, since the hours run daytime and it isn't open weekends. If your schedule lines up, though, the word around Panama City is that this is a genuine gem and well worth the trip.