Smokers Express

At Smokers Express in Sterling Heights, the man behind the counter is the reason people keep coming back. Ask anyone who shops here and the story is the same: he's kind, always smiling, and treats folks like family. One regular named Andy gets a lot of love too. He'll set you up with everything you need to roll your own cigarettes, papers and all, so you're not paying full pack price anymore.

It's the kind of place where you might walk out with a free lighter, and where a longtime local will tell you she drives in from 26 and Van Dyke just for the friendly service and good prices on her cigarettes. The shop keeps the essentials well stocked. Cigarettes, vapes and disposable vapes, rolling papers, and the smoking accessories you'd expect, plus batteries for vaporizers and even some scented candles for browsing. Word around Sterling Heights is that the prices are fair, which keeps the regulars loyal.

The drive-through window on the side is a genuine perk. If you don't feel like getting out of the car, you can pull up, grab what you need, and be on your way, and the gentleman at the window has a reputation for being just as warm through the glass as he is inside. We'll be honest: a couple of people have run into snags over vape purchases and the no-warranty, no-refund policy, so it's worth knowing what you're buying before you leave. That said, the overall word is positive, and Smokers Express has earned a solid local following built on friendly faces and being easy to deal with.

For a neighborhood tobacco shop in Sterling Heights with a drive-through and a staff that remembers you, it's an easy one to recommend.