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October 2024 by Donovan Abraham
Doug is always on point with his suggestions for flavor, aroma and taste for your palette.
I have been going to him for about 5 years now and always enjoy the smooth aroma when walking around in his shop as well as his friendly banter and conversations.
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October 2024 by Teresa de Vallejo
I give him one star because he has nice items but the owner is a very unpleasant person, not friendly and even rude when I was there with my kid.
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October 2024 by srayan guhathakurta
Fabulous maritime instrument finds
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October 2024 by Christopher Ledesma
As a sailor with a passion for maritime history, I had high hopes for my visit to Cargo Hold in Poulsbo, WA. The store is known for its extensive collection of unique and vintage maritime items, which drew me in with excitement. I imagined spending time exploring the treasures within and buying some as Christmas gifts and some for myself. Sadly, my experience turned sour due to the unwelcoming atmosphere created by a staff member (which I believe was the owner).
Upon entering the store, we were immediately struck by a hostile vibe that marred what should have been an enjoyable outing. While browsing, we encountered rude comments directed at my 18-month-old granddaughter, which were both inappropriate and uncalled for. It’s disheartening to see a place that could be a charming reflection of maritime culture instead foster negativity and disrespect.
This incident not only ruined our experience, but also left us feeling unwelcome in a space that should celebrate the love of all things nautical. We were having a fantastic day in Poulsbo, enjoying the sights and sounds of the town, until our visit to Cargo Hold turned into a regrettable moment that overshadowed the joy of our trip.
If you’re considering visiting Cargo Hold, I urge you to read the reviews beforehand; they may provide some insight into the store’s atmosphere. It’s unfortunate that a store with such potential can be so negatively impacted by the demeanor of its staff. I truly hope the owner reflects on the importance of customer service and the lasting impressions they leave on visitors.
In summary, while Cargo Hold has the makings of a delightful maritime shop, the unfriendly treatment we received overshadowed its charm. It’s disappointing to think that a space dedicated to the love of the sea could be marred by such hostility. As for me, I will never visit this particular store; but as a sailor, I genuinely hope for improvement, as it would be a shame for this unique store to continue to drive away potential customers with negativity.
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October 2024 by James Beck
Good selection of nice cigars and pipes with friendly customer service!
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August 2024 by Christian Poleynard
Doug runs the best tobacconist shop experience one could ever hope for. He made my son and I feel so welcome and he treated us like we were old friends. Not to mention the stellar pipe selection which I was able to indulge in purchasing one free at a great price coupled with the most knowledgeable expertise in the business. Thank you Doug!
- BagEndPiper
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August 2024 by Daniel Calarco
Very interesting place. The owners were very nice. I bought a brass bottle opener for my Navy son and chocolate for my wife and I.
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August 2024 by B C M
Look I don't think this review will help to change the behaviour; the owner has clearly been like this for years. However reading about other people's experience makes me feel better about ours, so I hope to help others who come to the reviews to try to understand what is up with this store.
The store has great items that we were very interested in, but we left abruptly after a hostile vibe that included rude comments about our country. After reading the reviews I think my spouse taking a picture of the cigars is what triggered him. We would not if we were aware it was an issue.
I saw a review where someone said he must hate women, another says he must hate Asians, another wonders if it is the disabled etc. For us we left thinking he hates Australians.
Nope...we were all wrong! He just hates everyone. We were having such a happy and great time in Poulsbo until we entered this shop. If it happens to you, reading the reviews afterwards might help take the edge off!
I hope this guy is ok, he honestly must be a very unhappy human to have this much hostility.
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July 2024 by Chris Thomas
Rude store owner yelled at my wife for asking an honest question. Not worth visiting this store.
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July 2024 by Ryan Cate
I witnessed the man behind the counter be so rude to another customer (that I wasn't even with), that I immediately dropped everything, let him know what an absolute .... he was and left. I've never witnessed a more rude store owner in my life.
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June 2024 by Harold Duffey
A very positive experience.
I am fairly new to smoking a tobacco pipe. This is the first knowledgeable tobbacanist I have had the pleasure of talking with. Doug knows his pipes and tobaccos. If you know what you like to smoke, he can recommend a blend for you. Cargo Hold has a wide variety of pipe tobaccos. I was even given a booklet that the Owens' prepared, explaining how pipes are made, purchasing guidelines, and types of tobacco.(super helpful) If you smoke a pipe, want to learn, or need tobacco that is not generic crap from a chain store, this is the place for you. -Cheers!
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June 2024 by Miranda Lindsey
I went in the store to look at the wooden maps and get an idea of price as I've been planning to buy one for my husband and prefer to support local business. The man working asked if my friends and I needed help. I replied that I wasn't looking to buy today, but was very interested in the maps as an anniversary gift. He seemed offended and said "do you hear her getting defensive? I didn't ask if you wanted to buy something, I just asked if you needed help" and then he continued to say he has the best prices available on maps and offered a 10% discount, today only. I repeated that I didn't have the money today, but would be back soon and just wanted to get a look at the map options. He repeated "that's 10% off today only". I'm sad because I want the map, have the money, and want to support local business, but I felt belittled. I asked my friends to make sure I wasn't overreacting and they agreed that he was very rude to me. Amazon is $20 cheaper and the customer service is far better so I'll be ordering online.
ETA: I mentioned this to my sister and she asked "isn't that the place I got yelled at for taking a picture?" Why yes it is, and I wish I had remembered sooner. I won't be shopping there anymore and certainly won't take any future out of town guests again
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May 2024 by Christopher Johlfs
The proprietor went above and beyond selling me my pipe and went over all aspects of the hobby. He def wasn’t trying to upsell me but get me what he felt was best for me regardless of the price. I did end up buying one of the best but that was my choice and let me tell you, everything he said was accurate and helpful and the pipe I brought home was def a great choice. I’ll be back again and again!
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April 2024 by Steven Brown
Very high quality tobacco and pipes.
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March 2024 by Josh Maestas
I do not like leaving unfavorable reviews, however the proprietor of this establishment is so vile that I feel compelled to warn any potential customers to look elsewhere. The individual that runs this shop has absolutely no respect for his customers and is completely out of line in the manner that he conducts himself. He is a stain on an otherwise very wonderful street. I cannot fathom how such an awful person even got into the business nor how he remains open. My family and I made the mistake of being lured into his shop and were screamed at for no apparent reason, due to my diminished hearing he then screamed at me again and looked like he might have a stroke. I was planning to purchase several high dollar items but after his needless outburst at my very well behaved children I took my business elsewhere on the street and had a much better experience. Please, listen to all the negative reviews, I can assure you they are not over exaggerated! This was a truly crazy individual who has absolutely zero respect for his clients.
