Hill & Hill Tobacconists Ltd

Hill & Hill Tobacconists Ltd is one of the last of its kind in Michigan, an old-fashioned pipe shop in Grosse Pointe Woods that has been going strong for 45 years. Ask anyone who spends time here and the conversation comes back to Jim, the owner, a man locals describe as a genuine tobacconist with a depth of knowledge that is fast becoming a lost art. He blends all the house tobaccos himself, and regulars swear by them. The Hay Market blend gets named again and again as something special.

First-timers tend to leave a little overwhelmed, in the best way, by his history and his collection. The pipes are the heart of this place. We hear the estate pipe selection is the real thing, quality vintage pieces at fair prices rather than junk, and folks have walked out with everything from a 1970s French piece to their very first briar. Jim is happy to walk a newcomer through the whole process, from packing to keeping it lit, and the other gentlemen who hang around the shop are known to pitch in with advice too.

Beyond pipes, you'll find rolling papers, bulk and tinned tobaccos, and a range of smoking accessories. Cigars are a draw as well. Jim carries his own exclusive brand, hand-rolled at Nicaraguan and Dominican factories, and people who shop here talk up the EXL Black and the Dominican as some of the best they've had. The word around Grosse Pointe Woods is that the tinned tobacco selection runs a little lean, but almost no one seems to mind given everything else on offer.

This is the kind of shop where a man might spend an afternoon talking pipes and enjoying a smoke, the way generations of families have done here since the 70s. Metro Detroit's best, as one longtime regular put it. Well worth the trip.