New stogie shop lights up downtown Middlebury

Author: Kasie Sherman

If you are not a tobacco connoisseur, never fear, Middlebury's newest store, The Emporium: Tobacco and Gift Shop, is anything but intimidating. Alongside high-quality cigars and cigarettes, the store sells the work of local artisans and the helpful staff is available to offer suggestions and explanations for any questions customers may have. The shop, located in the retail area between the Middlebury Market and Café and the Blossom Basket floral shop, is owned by James Stone and Stacey Towle. Stone and Towle are also the proprietors of two other Emporiums (in Vergennes and Rutland) and of Vergennes' Café 206. Middlebury's Emporium opened on June 15, but had been operating in a space near Middlebury's courthouse until its building was bought by Middlebury College.

Cigar choices at The Emporium cover a spectrum of flavors, strengths and prices, and clove cigarettes complement the selection of American Spirit cigarettes and Nat Sherman varieties available. According to Logan LeCompte, son of the owners and an Emporium employee, the difference between these products and those available at a convenience store or gas station is the additive-free tobacco and the higher level of satisfaction that such tobacco grants. Nat Sherman MCDs are one of the most popular products available, and are highly regarded by those with a taste for tobacco.

The Emporium prides itself on the wide variety of clientele it serves, and is stocked with merchandise to satisfy all inclinations and interests. The back of the store is filled with hand-blown water pipes, glass spoons and high-quality hookahs. The store imports the hookah products from Egypt and India, and all of the glass pieces are locally produced and then hand-selected for sale by the store's owners. The spoons are beautifully designed and artfully sculpted, rivaling the standards set by any Burlington shop. The Vergennes Emporium has offered glass-blowing demonstrations in the past, and LeCompte hopes to see the same event take place here in Middlebury - providing an opportunity to see art created, and also to have custom pieces made before the customers' eyes.

In addition to those works, the Emporium displays hand-blown glass jewelry, vibrantly ranging from pendants to bracelets. The glasswork display is surrounded by clay beads, hemp jewelry and colorful hacky sacks for those looking for a more impact-friendly purchase. On the front counter one can find incense imported from India, sterling flasks, tapestries and high-quality cigar cutters and lighters. Especially appealing to the discerning customer is the specialty carved-rock and wooden spoons available for purchase. Acrylic water pipes are also an uncommon commodity, but popular for cleaning and their reduced likelihood of breakage.

In addition to their comprehensive in-house selection, the Emporium also offers "a vast variety of resources to find products that people may not expect to be able to find here in Middlebury," according to LeCompte. For all customers who may have found a favorite product while traveling abroad or domestically, the Emporium has connections with wholesalers worldwide that may be able to connect a customer to a rare find. Better still, for those who have yet to find a favorite product, the Emporium is the place to discover it.

The Emporium Tobacco and Gift Shop, open Tuesday-Saturday 11am-6pm.