Below are some FAQs and some "not so FAQs" about who we are, tobacco pipe smoking, and shopping at The Story Teller's Pipe.
We are a small, family owned and operated business located in central Illinois.
The Story Teller’s Pipe began with Sean and Michele Faires. They developed a business based upon high quality products and excellent customer service. The Story Teller’s Pipe has always been a person oriented service! You are always treated as an important person when you are here! Although it was growing in popularity, Sean and Michele made the difficult decision to shut down their business on January 1 of 2021. That was that.
Or was it? Several months later during an informal conversation, Sean and Skeet were talking. Out of that conversation was a plan to bring the Story Teller’s Pipe back into existence with the same values and quality that made it so beloved by the pipe smoking community. This decision was borne out of great trust and friendship. Now we are back and ready to serve your pipe smoking needs!
Skeet is the captain of the ship. He spent many of his years in the computer industry before becoming a church pastor for nearly 25 years. (He loves to talk about faith and would be glad to encourage you in yours.) He spent 5 years as a school bus driver which made him a bit crazy but the pipe certainly helps!
Cindi is Skeet’s wonderful wife and business partner. Although not a pipe smoker herself, she loves the smell of the tobaccos and has always been supportive of Skeet’s passion for the pipe! They have 6 grown sons, several of which also smoke pipes. Cindi will be running many aspects of the business and answering your emails with help, advice and orders. She never seems to get grouchy like Skeet either!
Together, Skeet and Cindi have been a great team for over 50 years. It is our goal to serve and support you in your pipe smoking journey with products of high quality and personal service that cares about you. We hope to make relationships that are more than customer; we hope to be friends. If you choose to trust us in that way we promise to do our part to make it an enjoyable and rewarding experience!
Skeet has a passion for pipes and pipe smoking. He was a customer of The Story Teller’s Pipe and a friend to Sean and Michele. When The Story Teller’s Pipe closed down, Skeet realized what a great loss that was to the pipe community. It was Skeet’s desire to combine his love for pipes, tobacco and fellowship with a small business effort. Through the generous willingness of Sean and Michele, The Storyteller’s Pipe is reborn! We will continue to provide the best quality pipes and pipe tobaccos to our customers with the kind of warm and friendly hospitality folks have come to expect from us.
We do not charge sales tax on orders placed at www.thestorytellerspipe.com with one exception: customers located in Indiana who purchase from us must be charged sales tax by Indiana law.
Thestorytellerspipe.com is not responsible for individual states' sales tax and/or tobacco tax reporting laws for online purchases. As such, we strongly encourage you to check your state's (and local jurisdiction's) laws before you shop. You are responsible for any taxes incurred by your purchase. We are required to submit online tobacco sales to the State of Indiana, which may include name, address, and tobacco purchased.
Every pipe we offer is individually photographed and described on our website with the exception of certain Missouri Meerschaum cob pipes. Our website automatically hides the product from the public's view when the pipe is sold in order to prevent a situation of two customers purchasing the same exact pipe. So, if you don't see the pipe on our website any longer, it's because it was sold to another customer.
If you still want to purchase that pipe model, please contact us and we'll order one for you. However, please be aware that pipes of the same model have variations in the graining so the pipe you receive won't look exactly like the pipe you originally saw on our website.
Beyond purchasing a smoking pipe and pipe tobacco, there's really not much else you need to get started with piping.
Step 1: Find and purchase a pipe that suits your taste and style and fits your budget. And, keep in mind that the price of the pipe does not necessarily reflect the kind of smoking experience it will provide. In other words, not all expensive pipes provide a good smoking experience, nor do all inexpensive pipes provide a bad smoking experience.
Step 2: Determine what you think your taste in pipe tobacco might be - aromatic, non-aromatic, English blends, VA-PERs, etc. - and purchase a blend you would like to try. If you're not sure, check out our BULK PIPE TOBACCO page for some great options that you can purchase in 1 oz quantities to try.
Step 3: Select pipe accessories that can make your smoking experience more enjoyable. These include:
1. A 3-in-1 tool or a pipe tamp. The 3-in1 tool is used to tamp the tobacco into the bowl of the pipe and clean the pipe out after you finish smoking a bowl. The pipe tamp is simply used to tamp the tobacco into the bowl of the pipe.
2. A lighter or matches. These items obviously are needed in order to light the tobacco so you can smoke your pipe. Don't use a torch to light your tobacco because it can damage the pipe.
3. Pipe cleaners. Pipe cleaners are used to give your pipe a light or a thorough cleaning depending on the type of pipe cleaner used.
Step 4: Find an old codger who can properly mentor you so you can hone your technique to maximize your pipe smoking enjoyment.
Step 5: If you can't find an old codger, there are a number of instructional videos available on YouTube. While we have no affiliation with him, a gentleman who goes by the name "Muttonchop Piper" has a number of excellent videos available for new and intermediate pipe smokers.
For pipe packing and smoking techniques, you can also read what Pipedia has to offer. The Forum at PipesMagazine.com also has some good information for beginning pipe smokers.
Step 6: Sit back, relax, and enjoy a great bowl ... preferably with a good cup of coffee or tea or a wee dram of good whiskey.
Happy Piping!
The short answer is "No." An inexpensive cob pipe provides the same enjoyable pipe smoking experience as an expensive briar pipe. Also, keep in mind that price doesn't always reflect quality.
As with most tangible items, proper care and cleaning of your pipe will provide an enjoyable pipe smoking experience for the long term.
While Skeet works hard to make sure our website contains accurate information, he is only human! Mistakes can happen. If you do find an error, please fill out the "Contact Us" form on our home page and let us know where you found the mistake. We appreciate you taking time to tell us so that we can make sure our website is 100% accurate.