JR Cigar Outlet, Burlington — Local services in Burlington

How about this for serendipity:

I went golfing a few weeks ago and someone bought stogies for the foursome. I enjoyed it and when I got home thought "I wouldn't mind having a few for special occasions". I Googled for places to order online and the JR website came up. They clearly had the best selection and I ordered a few specials. It was my birthday so "why not"?

The order arrived along with an awesome catalog and a birthday card from me to me 😜. I'm old school so I love a nice, quality catalog. The only thing that was a bummer was with so much variety and selection, it's hard to choose, especially with something so tied to the touch/smell/feel aspect of shopping as cigars are. I looked through the catalog all week but couldn't decide what to commit to.

Fast forward to this past Tuesday afternoon. I was driving back to RDU from Greensboro on I40, a trip I've made possibly 100 times (no exaggeration) and I had to use the restroom. As I went to exit, I saw this large outlet mall I've seen more times than I can count (not on the way to Greensboro the day before though because I got in late) and I always thought it was just an outlet mall. As I looked, I noticed the JR logo and realized this was the same place I had just discovered for my new hobby.

mind blown

When I went in, I found out the cigars I received at my house in Texas shipped from this location. I spent plenty of time touching, smelling, asking questions, getting very informed answers, and came out with a nice humidor, a bundle of quality cigars, and they gained a customer for life. Any time I fly into RDU for business in the area, I will no longer drive by but make a special trip there to stock up, have a smoke, and next time have a drink and a smoke in the lounge area.

The atmosphere in the cigar room is top notch. Mist flying, warm lighting, wood tones, and everything you'd expect from the largest cigar store in the world. The staff is very knowledgeable and friendly... and the selection? It's...

Well today is a day I never thought would come and that's giving JR's one star. I had no choice especially when I placed a $152 order on 11Jun and as of 22Jun it hasn't arrived. I'm patient and understanding, but when you can't update your customer via email or phone, that's a problem directly related to customer service. The really sad part is residing 30 minutes from JR's and still having an order not arrive without any explanation from JR's. Customer service is "KING" in my book so this one incident is definitely enough for me to search for another online cigar company to patronize when I don't shop locally.

**Just received my "Cyber Monday" steal of a deal on the sample pack "Asylum Lockjaw 7." I purchased these tasty sticks online and had them shipped to my residence. Shipping was free and I utilized the First Responder discount to shave a little more off of my total cost (under $50 including NC sales tax). My wife brought me this same pack back from a shop in Swansboro called George's Cigar Shop and she paid a lot more. These sticks are perfect for the big ring smokers or those who want to try a big ring out. They burn pretty even with little to no touch up required and they hold a tight ash. My cigars arrived in a priority mail box with air packaging for protection. There was no shipping damage or moldy cigars. Each cigar arrived sealed in its own cellophane wrapper sealed in the Lockjaw 7 bag.

Just received another great order from JR's... Big Game Touchdown Cigar Sampler. 22 premium stogies for $51 including shipping. USPS delivery to...

JR Cigars is ok when it comes to online retailers, but the service is lacking especially recently. Their rewards program is honestly pathetic and the points you earn disappear every calendar year. On top of that, they appear to offer huge discounts on a weekly basis but the majority or manufacturers don’t qualify for these discounts. Besides that, even if you opt in for an order with a supposed discount, they pass the state tax burden onto the customer. Most online retailers don’t do this, and offer free shipping over a certain dollar amount. Recently they’ve also increased the price of their basic membership by over 100%, with the only benefit being free shipping and rewards points which are basically nonexistent after they apply the state tax they should be covering. Overall I had a ok experience ordering from JR in the past, and they do have certain exclusives, but for the reasons mentioned above I will never shop with them again, and I am completely dissatisfied with their services. There are plenty of other online retailers that appreciate their customers and offer much better deals and rewards. The only way to find out is with a cut...