Briarpatch

If you smoke a pipe and live anywhere in Northeast Ohio, Briarpatch is a name you already know. This Canton cigar shop has built its reputation on one of the deepest pipe tobacco selections around, from traditional blends to a wide range of flavored options, including the cherry pipes and the English Luxury tobacco that regulars come back for again and again. The bulk loose tobacco keeps people driving in, and ask anyone who shops here and they'll tell you good pipe shops are hard to come by these days.

The cigars are the other half of the story. The word around Canton is that Briarpatch stocks just about any cigar you could want, sourced from all over the world, and across a real range of prices so you can find something if you're a longtime smoker or picking out your very first stick. People who shop here swear by the owner, a friendly, genuinely knowledgeable guy who will ask your taste and price range and walk you to exactly the right choice.

Newcomers mention feeling welcomed rather than pressured, which is not something you can say about every shop. One person put it plainly: this place knows tobacco and customer service. Beyond the tobacco and cigars, you'll find a solid selection of pipes, rolling papers, and the smoking accessories that go with them.

It's the kind of shop where the staff take time with you and treat a first-time buyer the same as a regular. We'll be honest: we've heard the odd grumble about the shop looking cluttered on a given day, but that's the exception in an otherwise strong local reputation. For most folks in Canton, Briarpatch is simply the only place they'll go for a good cigar or a fresh tin of pipe tobacco.