Provides a comfortable environment to relax and smoke. Occassionally idiotic people come in, but for the most part it is an enjoyable place to be. John is overall a great host. read more

As local resident of old town, this spot is always reliable for good cigars at a decent price. The owner and employees are always great and helpful. read more

A much better experience my last several visits. Under COVID rules, it's no longer possible to peruse the humidor but the current staff is friendly and helpful. Good prices and a nice selection. It's an excellent place to buy a cigar. Bonus: it's next door to the Basin Street Lounge, where you can smoke your cigar and buy a cocktail or scotch to go with it. read more

Visiting from out of town and was very happy to stumble upon this cigar shop. Great selection and friendly. I was also happy to make a connection with Eric, one of the staff members there. Grab your stick and when they close at 10pm, go across the street to finish off the night. read more

John Crouch Tobacconist - Tobacco Shops Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

There is not a nicer or more knowledgeable tobacconist in all of Old Town, Alexandria. Much appreciated as well, the shop has a deep respect for the older legacy sticks that have never strayed from rolling true cigars. read more

They have a very good selection of cigars and a pleasant atmosphere to hang out in. I will definitely one back next time I'm in town. read more

Hard to rate this but staff was friendly and the 2 customers very friendly and informative as well. I came to this shop because I was site seeing and wanted a cigar due to Covid-19 I was not able to go inside the humidor so I had to rattle a few of my go to cigars off my head and I was lucky to purchase 2 that I really enjoy... I can't wait to be able to check this humidor out, I was able to walk a few blocks and smoke right on the Potomac River. read more

John Crouch Tobacconist - Fine Cigar with a fine view... - Tobacco Shops Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

I roll my own cigarettes, and this shop sells everything I need and more. I can buy a pouch of loose tobacco (they have four different flavors available) and the pouch comes with rolling papers included, unlike Natural American Spirit brand tobacco, which stopped including papers years ago. I can also buy loose filters here, and they include free matchbooks with the purchase. I have been shopping here for about a decade, and have never been disappointed. read more

False advertising! 2 of the photos of this place on yelp are actually pix of the cigar friendly bar 219 Restaurant's Basin Street Lounge which is 2 doors down the street (and is fabulous by the way). The cigar shop is dingy. 3 employees at a time and only 4 chairs. Folding chairs. It could not be more clear that they don't want you to stay and smoke unless you're willing to stand. The humidor is nice but I don't find it charming that you have to memorize the price of your sticks before you get to the cash register. It's a shame. Great location and they have room for seating if they would just get rid of the kilts, Scottish socks and the canned haggis they also sell. Then again, if you're looking for a kilt, some sheep stomach and a cigar to go - this is May be the place for you. read more

John Crouch Tobacconist - Sad - Tobacco Shops Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

In need of a good cigar this afternoon and stumbled upon this tobacconist. This is a no-nonsense old fashioned place. Good selection, no pressure. I will return. Well priced, helpful clerk. read more

Good humidor and friendly staff. It'd be better if there were more seating to just hang out. A lot friendlier (and much less expensive) than Old Dominion across the street. I'll spend my stogie money here, thanks. read more

I have traveled throughout the country due to my line of work, and I have been a pipe smoker for twenty-five or so years. Without a doubt, this is the worst tobacco shop I have ever been in. The prices are ridiculous, their pipe tobacco is horrific, and like a fool, because they are close to my current place of work, I gave them one last chance. I needed a new pipe stem. They have a box of random stems that they have salvaged from estate sales I assume, and I went in to see if they had one that would fit into an old throw away pipe I had. The employee who wasn't to busy sitting around to be bothered by a customer essentially grabbed my pipe out of my hand and told me he was sending it to their pipe repair person. I said the pipe wasn't worth repairing...I would just get a new one. "Don't worry...it will only be $15 or so." They passed the pipe around and ooh'ed and ahh'ed since I don't think they had ever seen a pipe that had been smoked before...then they put it behind the counter and took my number. Literally a month later, I called to see if they had lost my number or what? No, the pipe wasn't back from repair yet. So, apparently, it takes three weeks to stick a stem in a pipe...dang. The next day, magically...my pipe was ready to be picked up. They charged me $36 for the stem which, by the way, was the wrong shape and style. There was nothing done to the pipe...they didn't even run a pipe cleaner through it. My favorite part is that the pipe was originally bent, and it came back straight. Honestly, I don't know how this place stays open. read more

We went here a few months ago to buy my husband's first pipe. The attendant was very knowledgeable and did not take advantage of our inexperienced pipe life. Also this store is in a great location that includes street performances, restaurants, and the ability to walk in the pier. I would definitely recommend visiting the establishment. read more

John Crouch Tobacconist - Tobacco Shops Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Great selection of cigars and they stock Dunhill cigarettes at a very reasonable price. The guys that work there are friendly and always willing to talk about whatever local sports team is playing on the tv! read more

I've only ever bought cigars here so I can only speak about that (no pipes/loose tabacco etc) I get cigars here atleast twice a month. At first the guys just kind of stare, don't immediately offer to help, you kind of just lead yourself to the back. Everytime I've been its usually like that lol When you get to the back room they have an amazing, wall to wall, selection of cigars. Different brands, lengths, and quality. They still have many affordable options. Everytime I've been, eventually someone comes to the back and asks if you're looking for anything in particular. A gentlemen with longish gray hair is darling and very knowledgeable, and if you're honest and let them know you don't know spit about cigars, he'll go through all the brands, grades, what to look for, and suggestions. These guys have even been sweet enough to serve me and my friends 5 min before closing and never given me trouble. They take a second to warm up to but its been worth it for me :) read more

Stopped by here a couple weeks back when I was in Old Town with some friends. The shop is rather small, but they've got a lot of stock including a ton of pipe tobacco varieties and a lot of smoking accessories. There were three employees in the shop, none of whom even bothered to acknowledge our presence (they were too interested in watching TV, apparently.) They just sat there, eyes fixed to the screen, as we moved past them to examine the wares and check out the humidor. The humidor is dirty and dingy, and needs a deep clean and a facelift. But - they have a solid number of cigars and a nice spread of styles, shapes, and sizes. Humidity-wise, the humidor was moister than most which is good. I found a few smokes I liked and brought them up to the front, and was promptly checked out. You have to tally up your purchases on a piece of paper, which is kinda old-school and fun, and bring it to the counter to check. In the end - nice selection, good if you're in the area and need a stick, but don't expect the customer service to be anything of note. Contrary to what "Stephen M" says about "losers whining" about service, I expect at least a tiny minimum of service from employees, at least a "hello" when I walk in the door. read more

Very friendly and patient. Helped me pick out some pipe tobaccos and gave me a free ounce of a house blend. A much better experience than the tobacco snob-a-torium that is nearby. While I was there a regular was short on cash and John just told her to pay up on the next trip. Will return often. read more

The funny thing is that I almost never (maybe never) write reviews for places that aren't food related. I had to write a review for here because I've never had such accommodating and friendly service at a tobacco store. Usually tobacconists are snotty and salty (e.g., Georgetown tobacco). The man behind the counter here gave me a full lesson on pipe tobacco, which I knew nothing about. He was very patient although it was pretty late into the night and he actually seemed like he enjoyed what he was doing. Unfortunately, since I'm not local, it's unlikely I'll be back for a while. Nevertheless, I'd recommend these guys to anyone visiting or living in the area read more

The Mister and I have been customers of John Crouch for more than five years. We've never gotten a kind word, helpful hint or proactive gesture from the staff there. In fact, they usually look pretty pissed off we interrupted their iPad browsing or dinner delivered from Bugsy's. We keep coming back because they fit a niche in Old Town and they actually know how to store cigars. In a competitive market, they would never stay in business with such surly attitudes and nonexisistant customer service. But where else can you get a quality cigar selection for a Saturday evening walk down King Street to the water? We'll be back. read more

So turned off by the lack of professionalism of the manager who worked there, my friend and I didn't have the opportunity to even get a good sense of the quality of the products available. When entering the store, my friend mentioned that she was looking for a gift and asked if there was anything recommend for someone who enjoyed cigars, however unfortunately she had little knowledge of their smoking preferences. The man said to us from his chair, "I'm really trying not to get up." That was his answer. No inclination to assist us, and actually seemed irritated by our presence. When we walked to the back room, hesitantly trying to pick something, he poked his head through the door (at this time he had remarkably managed to get out of his chair) and answered a few questions ambiguously, though did little to hide his irritation. We chose two cigars at random, paid, and left. I wish I could comment on the wide variety of merchandise or the exceptional quality of the products, but when you are treated like a inconvienence from the moment you walk in the door, you don't have the opportunity to make the assessment. P.s. I am certain that the man was the acting manager because I found him on LinkedIn. Disappointing. read more

I've been smoking cigars on and off for 20 years. I've been to cigar stores in Virginia, DC, Maryland, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Florida. While this store is convenient for smokers who are in the Old Town Alexandria area, they are far from nice or price friendly. Pros 1. My office is located near Old Town so I come here off and on when I need a quick cigar that's not in my box. If you're in the Old Town area this is a convenient place to go but I wouldn't buy more than you smoke here. Cons I hate to give cigar stores negative feedback, but the staff here needs to change some things. That is even if they care...which they probably don't. 1. The staff's attitude is horrible. They don't even acknowledge you when you walk in. I understand they have many folks who walk in, but give me a break with the snotty attitude. Honestly, if I didn't know better I'd assume they thought they were better than you by you coming to their store. 2. Regardless of what other reviewers have posted here, the cigar prices are not low. You can go to The Cigar Palace off Eisenhower and get cigars 10% to 20% cheaper. That store also has a larger selection and very friendly staff. I don't knock Crouch for having higher prices because they have higher rent for being in Old Town and on King Street. But, if you're looking for good prices this is not the place to go. 3. They don't even take the effort to price their cigars. They make you write down the prices and give it to them at the register. I know it takes time to place stickers on each cigar or box, but come on now...that's just plain lazy. Overall While this is an overall decent cigar store, the negative staff members really turn people off to this place. I don't even think they know how much business they LOSE because of their poor customer service. I'm a member of the private Rex Lounge down the block from here and I've heard dozens of people complain about the staff in this store. It's a little sad because this location could be a bigger hit than it is if it was better run. If you're looking to stock up on cigars head over to The Cigar Palace or buy them online. If you're looking for convenience around Old Town then this is the place to be. read more

Don't go here, the people do not need your business and would rather you leave them alone. Furthermore, their humidor is far too humid, making their cigars unfit for smoking immediately. I've since visited three times, spending over 15 minutes each time collecting cigars to buy, and each time the workers didn't acknowledge my presence until I approached the counter to pay. This last time I tried to start a small conversation, intending to offer my feedback about the humidor, but man didn't respond to my conversation starter. He said one word the entire time: $23.50. Time to drop my previously glowing review from five to two stars. Let's help them out and give them some quiet time to relax in their store alone. read more

Good cigar selection and they leave you alone. They didn't really say anything to me until I was ready to check out, not even "hello". That's okay though since I was able to walk around and look at what they have to offer without being bothered every 10 seconds. They have a good selection and a large humidor, just don't expect to really be acknowledged in here. Prices are okay too. read more

I recently spent the day in Alexandria, VA with my family. We recently moved from Chicago and have been looking for those staples to make the NOVA/DC area our home. We found a coffee shop, breakfast place, etc. but a good cigar/tobacco store was still on the list. Don't get me wrong, I am not a heavy smoker, but I enjoy the occasional cigar. However, lately, I have been in the market for a pipe, and haven't been able to find a store that can help me in the selection of not only the pipe, but the tobacco and the "method" of smoking a pipe. I entered John Crouch and was immediately greeted by the two gentlemen minding the store. We began talking about pipe smoking and both were a wealth of knowledge about what to look for in a pipe, what the experience is like, the differences in the tobacco, they gave me the run down of the entire "hobby." Needless to say, I walked out of the store with a new pipe, BUT, with that purchase, John Crouch threw in all of the tools and my first bag of tobacco for FREE. I walked out with at least $80 worth of pipe smoking gear, for simply the price of the pipe. As I was leaving, they even let me fill the pipe, showed me how to light it and sent me on my way. This place is great, nice and knowledgeable employees, good selection of cigars and pipe tobacco. I will definitely be recommending these guys and making it a staple in my cigar/pipe tobacco buying habits. Highly recommended. read more

Awful service. Staff sits in the front, smoking cigarettes and seem put out to even take your money. The cigar selection is not unique enough to merit putting up with awful service. The area has so many other great cigar shops, I cannot see going out of my way to shop here. read more

I shop here 3-5 times a week, minimum. The staff, especially John P. and Zach, are the main reasons I continue to come here after years and years. They are true assets to patrons and are eager to help customer. They really know their stuff! read more

Scottish store, but good selection of bulk and tinned tobaccos and pipes, not to mention the cigar humidor. I stop in every time I'm in Alexandria just to see what "sample" packs of tobacco they have to get for about $2 a piece. Their tins and bulk are inexpensive as well. Puff puff. read more

I'm not a big smoker, and I'm even less into cigars. But every now and then I crave a pack of Nat Sherman's and John Crouch's is the only place in NoVa that I know sells them. It's a cool little shop near the waterfront, they have a collection of empty cigar boxes for $2-$5 (for some reason I've always wanted one - weird like that). It's a great place to go for a unique gift... read more

I have visited this place a couple of times now and I was very disappointed. They claim to have a large selection of premium cigars, but all they have is a large amount of empty boxes. To top that off, the few cigars they have are in poor shape. The last sticks I did buy there fell apart as soon as i tried to light them. I can't say for certain, but I think they are selling seconds as if they were the real deal. read more

If you want a world class cigar go here! Wonderful selection. Also has a nice selection of Scottish heritage items...CDs, clan badges/clothes etc. read more

Great place to learn about pipes and break one in! I had a good experience buying my first pipe and a variety of pipe tobaccos...being a huge cigar aficianado, this was an unfamiliar step but a fun one. Always a nice Cigar assortment, obviously not internet prices but the more Cigar Shoppes - The Better - God Bless America! Things that would take this store to the next level - a much needed update...the walls/flooring/displays/lighting should all be remodeled - looking a little sad / dingey. Definitely understand the comments about some experiences with service - that's not their forte except for the real skinny guy who smiles, loves his pipes and seems to ponder his words quite a bit - he's truly the best! Bottom Line - if this store was managed a little better it would do a lot more business and find itself with many more repeat customers! read more

Whenever I travel, I make an effort to check if there's a pipe shop or tobacconist in town, as they are quite rare these days and I want to do my part in making sure they stick around. I was excited to see that there was an old tobacco shop in Old Town that seemed to have a good selection of pipes and tobacco, and so made a special trip just to check the place out. Man, what a disappointment. My cheery 'Hello' upon entering the shop was met with stony silence and avoidance of eye contact. A few moments after I arrived, two men came in and started chatting with the shop keeper. They sat in two chairs directly in front of the glass pipe display case and lit up cigarettes, preventing me from looking at them. I went over to browse the tinned tobaccos and the shop keeper said I could go behind the counter to get a better look. All of the tins were very overpriced. A 50g Tin of Frog Morton, which should cost about $10-12 was $20, more than what I'd pay at Nat Sherman on Fifth Ave in Manhattan. I know it's not cheap to have a shop on King Street, but that is excessive. I noticed there were a few tins with the John Crouch logo and name on them, so I asked the guy behind the counter if they blend the tobacco themselves. His gruff answer was: "Those things? We've always had them. I've never tried them. Don't know nothing about them." So, you don't know anything about your store's own line of signature tobaccos? The ones that have your store's name on them and your logo on the label? That's really very sad. Next, I wandered back to the display case to look at the pipes, as I was on vacation and was hoping to buy one as a souvenir. The two guys in front of the case carried on with their conversation, ignoring me, until I asked them if they'd make some space for me to look at the case. They moved, but made it clear I was being a nuisance. They might as well have not bothered, because the pipes were awful. The case was filled with mostly basket pipes or very low-end pipes (I'm talking pipes with plastic stems), all priced at over $100 and not organized in any way. There were a few beautiful Petersons, but those were all $300+. Basket pipes usually cost around $30-$40, tops. My hopes for a new pipe dashed, I decided to check out the bulk pipe tobacco in the jars, wanting to buy something to make my excursion worthwhile. The pricing on these was much more reasonable, but when I opened one of the jars to take a whiff of a blend, I noticed how sticky. grimy and dust-covered the jars were, making me wonder how old the contents might be. Reluctantly, I decided not to risk buying stale tobacco. I spent another few minutes looking around the rest of the store, and then left, without another word spoken. The location is great, they've got enough space to have a great shop, and with the increased interest in pipes the hobby is enjoying these days, they could really do something special, but it seems they can't be bothered. Truly, a shame. read more

I've had a range of service here, but more good than bad. My theory is that they treat new customer's coldly because they often get clueless tourists or something. It's not a place you can judge by one visit. They have an unusually good selection of pipe and cigar accessories, including stuff I don't see on major retail websites. Their pipe selection is OK, certainly good enough to pick out a first pipe or an occasional extra. read more

This is by far THE worst shop in Old Town I've ever been in. Not even just worst tobacco shop, but worst store in general. If the dust and mold covering the humidifiers in the humidor don't scare you enough to run away, the depressed staff will. Disorganized, sloppy, gross, overpriced, unwelcoming. This place should be ashamed to hang "tobacconist" on it's name. There are plenty of better options in the local area, like John B. Hayes and Old Virginia Tobacco Co. read more

Very nice tobacco shop and i get cigar boxes for art projects there and the manager carter is very nice.

This place being a "tobacconist," we expected decent service. The man helping us was very unhappy and uninviting, and made us feel like we were an unwanted customer. We did nothing to receive this service, offering a chipper "Hello" and trying to engage in cheerful talk of how wonderful the RYO (roll your own) tobacco he was bagging for us is. Not only that, but the tobacco is way over priced. The reason we even went is because tobacco in Virginia is ALWAYS cheaper than in DC. Not here. Dunhills are $10 a pack, and an ounce of RYO is $8.50 opposed to $5-6 for the exact product elsewhere. Next time we will make the extra trip to go all the way to Fair Oaks Mall and provide our support to a real tobacconist that cares about his customers. I highly recommend John B. Hayes, in Winchester or Fair Oaks Mall. Never had an experience less than pleasant at either location. read more

Just wandered across this place by accident. Being an experienced cigar smoker I don't need any hand holding in the humidor. I appreciate being left alone and discovered some very hard to find cigars at reasonable prices. I was surprised at the selection and picked up a LFD former cigar of the year that I have not seen in a shop in over 2 years. read more

I love this place. It is small and the guys inside are funny because they are so laid back. But the place has a great selection. The cigar room is in the back. I usually get cloves when I am in Old Town for dinner and walking around. I saw a few reviews that talk about the unprofessionalism, but don't get bothered. It is a laid back smoke shop. the inside is nice and clean. it is stocked well too. read more

Great location in the lower half of Kings street beside of the bars. The staff is way too laid back but sort of helpful. The selection is really good for a small humidor. You have to write down the price then walk it up to the from desk which isn't that inconvenient unless you have a hand full of cigars and just out of the ordinary. Prices are a little higher than I'm use to but not outrageous. read more

This is the best selection of cigars in the area & all the losers whining about the service need to get over it. "Oh no, there were guys talking about sports when I went in & they didn't pander to me." It's a cigar store. There's a bunch of guys that smoke & talk about sports. If they weren't doing that, I'd be worried. Also, their pipe selection puts anything else in NOVA to shame. read more