Hardwicke’s Pipe & Tobacco

I visited with a friend looking at writing implements. She was looking at a particularly expensive fountain pen, but ended up buying one less expensive. She felt like the fellow helping her was presumptuous when he immediately directed her to the cheapest pens available.
I was there for the cigars and I don’t have any complaints in that department. The staff has always been reasonably friendly to me and I never leave without a stick, but it’s not the type of place that I go very often. The selection is not overwhelming, but adequate. The reason I visit is to support my local bmo, but there isn’t anything particularly exceptional going on here.

I’ll just tell the story without comment. I was looking at their pipes. I saw what looked like a polishing cloth. It had a CAO brand and then «meerschaum» on it. I asked what that meant. The clerk said,“It’s a polishing cloth for meerschaum pipes.” When I looked questioningly, he continued. «You know when you smoke a meerschaum and it starts turning brown and other colors, this cloth is used to make them white again.»

Hardwicke’s offers a decent selection of sticks, good prices and well maintained humidor’s. Why, do you ask am I only giving this establishment three stars? It’s the same story as most Cigar shops I enter. Shitty customer service. The two people who were running the store the day of my visit had the personal interaction skills of a Pineapple. After walking around the humidors for 10 minutes, a person finally asked me if I found everything ok. I was never asked what kind of Cigars I smoked or what I was looking for. I actually had to ask the guy if they offered a house brand. And I was the only customer in the store.
Places like Hardwicke’s really make me want to open up a Sales training service that’s aimed toward Cigar shop owners. I honestly think that the people who run these Smoke shops hate Cigars. I felt like I was buying a Steak from a Vegan Butcher. It really makes me appreciate places like Utopia Cigar and Up down Tobacco even more.
Here’s the bottom line: The next time I’m in Indianapolis, I’m going to walk into Hardwicke’s with my head down, pick the Cigars I want, pay the man without saying a word. I doubt if the people working there would even notice that I left without uttering a syllable. Nor, do I doubt if they would care.

Hardwicke’s has a decent selection of pipes — there is another shop with a better selection, but Hardwicke’s is good. Their pipe tobaccos are pretty good. The staff is fairly knowledgeable about pipes.
The sole reason I’m giving only 3 stars is that they sold my wife and I a pair of clearly used pipes are new, and missing some of the items they are supposed to come with.
I don’t smoke cigars, so I can’t comment on their cigar selection.
They carry a good selection of mid/​high end cigarettes too. (Most varieties of Native Spirit, Nat’s, etc).
Good shop, for the most part.

I was in here with my boyfriend while he picked up a fat cigar much to my chagrin. I remember this place back when I was in high school. We would pop in to buy packs cigarettes or singles when we were low on funds. It smells amazing. I checked out the other side with all the fountain pens and old magazine covers, 2 with Tom Selleck, meow. The guy behind the counter was really helpful and knowledgeable, or that’s what it sounded like to me. He was helping a customer while we were there. I liked ogling and huffing the tobacco filled air and he liked his cigar, so I guess it was a successful trip that will be repeated.

I’m an avid Cigar guy. This happens to be on my route when I’m cruising looking for property down in the Broad Ripple area. They have a decent selection of cigars and a very pleasant staff. Even though I have a humidor full of cigars at home sometimes I run out of the house without one and realize it by the time I get down that end and always decide to stop in and pick something different up. Parking can be a pain in the ass and usually the first thing the staff will ask is if you have fed the meter and offer to give you a dime to feed it if you haven’t because its almost like those meter Stalkers hide behind walls and pop out as soon as you walk away to give you a ticket. Knowledgeable friendly but a little pricier.

Great cigar shop in Broadripple!
Mike the owner is very knowledgeable and pleasure to talk to. Wonderfull selection of cigars

I have been a customer of Hardwicke’s for over a decade. They have the best selection of high-​end pipes in Indianapolis. Their selection of pipe tobacco is also wonderful and includes house blends and lots of brand name tins. Their selection of cigars is nothing to scoff at, either. I do, however, scoff at many of their staff members. While the owner of the establishment is a true gentleman, he seems to have a habit of hiring pretentious little snobs. On two occasions, I have been so turned off from Hardwicke’s rude staff members, I have sworn I’d never patronize the store again. I didn’t make good on that swear, but I still hesitate before giving them my business.