• Roll Your Own Cigarette Biz Opens On Coney Island Ave


    by on Dec 2nd, 2011

    City Smokes, the latest in a New York City trend of “roll your own cigarette” stores, has opened at 2695 Coney Island Avenue, the former site of Easy Leasing.

    The store sells cheap cigarettes – $29.95 for a carton, according to a sign outside – but there’s a catch: you’ve got to roll them yourself.

    RYOC stores provide their own blends of tobacco, usually designed to emulate the flavors from the big brands, and provide machines, papers and filters for rolling. By doing this, they manage to sell their wares as loose tobacco, which has much lower tax rates than pre-rolled cigarettes. There are only a handful of such stores operating in the city, and this appears to be the only one in Brooklyn.

    But City Smokes is coming to town at a dubious time. Just last month, New York City filed a lawsuit against RYOC operators in Staten Island and Manhattan, claiming they’re illegally skirting tax laws and are effectively selling rolled cigarettes. If the City wins the case, City Smokes won’t have much of a business model.

    What do you think? Should these be taxed as rolled cigarettes, or as loose tobacco?

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    • Anonymous

      This is an amazing example of due diligence on the part of this business.  No doubt the brightest came together to write up their business plan.  I can almost bet anything that the relatives who loaned them money for this, no doubt, profitable venture, never had second thoughts about their safe investment.

      • yep

        Yes these people are very bright they get to sell a product that kills people, and don’t have to pay taxes that contribute to the health care costs. What’s even more amazing is they got an idiot like you to be happy for them that they aren’t paying taxes. But hey when someone gets sick I’m sure you’re more than happy to pay extra taxes elswhere to cover those health care costs.

        • number42

          Before you call anyone stupid… People smoking decreases health care costs, they don’t live as long. Take an economics class.

          • Yep

            I don’t know where you came up with that but it’s not true. And just because smokers don’t live as long doesn’t mean they don’t have a cost the system money. The Center for Disease Control  says smokers add $96 billion in costs. You can believe that number or not but smokers do get sick more often that is a fact and they probably do end up getting more health care treatment than a non smoker.  
            http://www.cdc.gov/features/TobaccoControlData/

    • Local Broker

      You forgot to mention that you are their best client.

      • NorffSydeConneCt

        you forgot to mention I left your teeth all over the floor buddy.

        • Local Broker

          What does that even mean? Thats some random shit to say. 

    • Gerald

      Idiots. You can buy a week’s worth of rolling tobacco, filters, and paper for less than $15 and you never have to leave the house to roll them. Forget about the business owner’s intelligence. I’m worried about the customers that actually come in there. How they are able to cross the street by themselves?

      Bets thing to do is just go to http://FinalCig.com and get yourself an ecig. Best thing you can do for your health and your wallet short of quitting cold turkey altogether.

      • Anonymous

        or you can use Patches.

      • nolastname

        I order from roll your own,3 business days later BINGO!! The cost is almost 1/3 of what the shops charge and it is delivered to your door,

    • Flatbush Depot

      “What do you think? Should these be taxed as rolled cigarettes, or as loose tobacco?”
      Whichever is more expensive to them, given the fact that smoking and tobacco are bad for your health.

      • number42

        Except thats not your or “their” concern, but that of the smoker.

    • Anonymous

      hmmm,i think it will do well for 2 or 3 months and then be done,u cant teach an old dog new tricks…if 12.00 a pack wont stop someone from smokeing there not gonna go this route for half the price,its not like it wasnt available in every store already next to the malboro’s…if he has TONS of cash for advertiseing and enough in the bank to cover 6 months rent he might last a year

    • http://www.njluxurymotors.com Arthur Borko

      If you ask me it’s a legit loophole. If people are willing to sit there and roll their own ciggs as long as they buy the tobacco loose then it’s legit. If customers are actually willing to pay for this gimmick and spend their time their rolling to avoid a few bucks in tax, then more power to them….

      The State should be more concerned with keeping people employed then milking every last small business for every tax dime possible when they can’t even spend the money they already have efficiently.

    • Tommym

      If they decide to sell materials for rolling tabacco and not offering that service inside the shop then the city technically can’t do sh-t.  Can they? 

    • RKramden

      I wish people would stop telling me how to live my life, or how to kill myself if I so choose.  If you never want to see another smoker, lobby your congressman to make smoking completely illegal. 

      Until then, stfu. I will smoke on the sidewalk. If you don’t like it, do what some people do and cross the street to avoid me.

      I’m sorry my second hand smoke is killing you as well, but I care about you about as much as you care about me.

      • annoyed

        nice. so if there was a pill to get lung cancer, you would gladly swallow that?  if not, why? same thing just a more direct path and you don’t have to deal with anyone else.  

        • Anonymous

          i used to be a smoker as well, let me explain something, the habit is really the Motion that your doing with your hand.  First thing that happened to me when i quit smoking i gained a bit of weight cause food actually Started TASTING Good!

          The Morning ciggy is awesome! you get a nice relaxed feeling… which sadly only lasts about 5 min.

          And when your out drinking and getting plastered with your buds, it’s just something you do in conversation..  

          Second hand smoke is a load of Crap btw… unless your literally  inhaling the smoke that comes out of the persons mouth… But if your walking outside and you Smell it, your not really getting any harm.  minus the ashtray smell.

          Kinda like if you ever heard a Pothead mentioning a Shouty or Shotgun, is when you exhale the blunt at the person, the way the other person would get high from all the smoke he’s inhaling via second hand.  

    • Barkingspider07

      Tobacco is tobacco – it is a nasty habit, it stinjs and it is dangerous.  It needs to be taxed aes a sin tax. 

      • Barkingspider07

        *stinks / as – even with the typos, it is a disgusting, filthy habit

        • Moonman201160

          It is a disgusting, filthy, expensive habit. If you are better off crumbling up cash and flushing it down the bowl than you are spending it on an addiction, you have one really bad habit. That being said, all of you critics can kiss my ass; my problem, my expense and I am tired of being taxed to death for something I enjoy. Wait until they figure out a way to tax something you enjoy! If it has happened yet, it’s only because they haven’t figured out a way to do it. Wait, they will get around to yours. And please, stop that “it’s no good for you,” auto response. I have been smoking for 45 years. I know it’s no good for me. When I look back on my life, the best most thrilling, enjoyable, fun, feel good experiences I have ever had, not a single one was any good for me. This should be really simple; leave me alone! All of the sudden, every non smoker feels obligated to tell smokers how bad smoking is. I love the people who wave their hands back and forth in front of their faces when they walk by a smoker while making the obligatory disgusted face. It didn’t seem to bother all these people before the media blitz. Please, leave me alone!   

    • Garybee9@gmail.com

      Business is decent, thanks to everyone for your support. The Daily News came in today to interview us. It will be in tomorrow mornings paper so check it out of you’re interested.

      • SouffSideKartel

        Do you sell tobacco to minors? You don’t have to worry I am not a cop. 

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    • nolastname

      Closed up shop.

    • Ninjaedurgirl

      New York is really grasping at straws attacking small business owners.

      This is a LEGAL loophole. If they want to close the loophole – Close it.

      But don’t just override the LAW and put innocent people’s finances in harm.

      And to the ignorant folks in this comment section… Pipe tobacco/Rolling tobacco is taxed. The manufacturers pay a tax. This shop owner, however, is obviously not a manufactorer, but a middle man.

      • guest

        These guys can take the city to court. There isn’t a law yet. They would be able to create a precedent. But no one wants to take on the city with its unlimited funds. If a big corporation go into the roll your own business, they could maybe take them on. Basically only the rich can challenge laws and operate in grey areas of the law. Regular people can’t.