Blog
Tips, guides, and insights from East Side Cigars & Smoke Shop.
The Best Smoke Shop in New York: Why Locals Choose East Side Cigars & Smoke Shop
What Makes a Great Smoke Shop? Not all smoke shops are created equal, and if you've been to more than a couple, you already know that. Some feel welcoming t...
The Art of the Smoke Break: Ritual, Routine, and Relaxation
More Than Just a Habit Ask anyone who takes a smoke break why they do it, and you'll rarely get a one-word answer. Sure, there's the obvious draw — the ...
Understanding Vape Juice: PG, VG, Nicotine Levels, and Flavors Explained
What Is Vape Juice Made Of? Vape juice — also called e-liquid or e-juice — is simpler than most people think. At its core, every bottle contains just a few ingr...
The Most Popular Vape Brands in 2016: What's Worth Buying
The Most Popular Vape Brands in 2016: What's Worth Buying With dozens of vape brands fighting for shelf space and screen time, it can be genuinely hard to t...
How to Clean and Maintain Your Vape Device
How to Clean and Maintain Your Vape Device A well-maintained vape device performs better, lasts longer, and delivers a noticeably cleaner flavor with every hit....
A First-Timer's Guide to Visiting a Smoke Shop
It's Less Intimidating Than You Think Here's the thing nobody tells you about walking into a smoke shop for the first time: every single person who work...
Vape Laws by State: What's Legal, What's Restricted, and What to Know
Vape Laws by State: What's Legal, What's Restricted, and What to Know If you've ever tried to look up vape laws and walked away more confused than w...
How to Choose the Right Nicotine Strength for You
Why Nicotine Strength Matters More Than Flavor Walk into any smoke shop and ask a new vaper what they're most excited about, and they'll almost always s...
From Casual Smoker to Connoisseur: Building Your Collection
Everyone Starts Somewhere Nobody walks into a smoke shop for the first time and knows exactly what they're looking at. The seasoned cigar collector who can ...
Functional Mushrooms and Adaptogens: What's on the Shelf at Your Smoke Shop
Why Are Mushrooms in a Smoke Shop? If you walked into a smoke shop five years ago, you'd have found tobacco products, glass pipes, vape gear, and maybe some...
Dab Rigs vs. Vape Pens vs. Edibles: How to Consume Concentrates
Concentrates Are Everywhere — But How Do You Use Them? Concentrates have gone from a niche corner of the market to one of the fastest-growing product categories...
More Than a Store: How East Side Cigars & Smoke Shop Connects with New York
A Smoke Shop Is More Than Its Products When people think about smoke shops, they usually think about the things on the shelves — the vape devices, the glass, th...
Disposable Vapes vs. Refillable Devices: Which Is Right for You?
The Two Worlds of Vaping Walk into any smoke shop in New York today and you'll notice the vape section essentially splits into two camps: disposable vapes a...
Staff Picks: What Our Team Is Smoking, Vaping, and Recommending This Month
Why Staff Picks Matter Anybody can read product descriptions off a website. What you can't get from a screen is an honest recommendation from someone who...
Hookah 101: Everything Beginners Need to Know Before Their First Session
Hookah 101: Everything Beginners Need to Know Before Their First Session If you've ever walked past a hookah lounge or seen a group of friends gathered arou...
Vaping vs. Smoking: What You Actually Need to Know in 2016
The Question Everyone Asks If you walk into East Side Cigars & Smoke Shop and ask us the most common question we hear, it's this one: "Is vaping ac...
How to Read a CBD Label: COA, Potency, and What to Actually Trust
Why CBD Labels Can Be Misleading The CBD market has grown incredibly fast, and unfortunately, regulation hasn't always kept pace. That means labels can vary...
RAW vs. Elements vs. Zig-Zag: Rolling Paper Brand Showdown
The Paper You Choose Changes the Experience It's easy to think of rolling papers as a commodity — grab whatever's cheapest and get on with it. But anyon...
What to Look for in a Smoke Shop Near You
The Google Search: "Smoke Shop Near Me" Returns a Lot of Results You've typed it into your phone at least once — "smoke shop near me" — ...
Supporting Local Smoke Shops vs. Buying Online: Why It Matters
The Convenience Trap: Why Online Isn't Always Better We get it — online shopping is easy. You're on the couch, you tap a few buttons, and something show...
How Social Media Is Changing Smoke Shop Culture
The Smoke Shop Goes Digital Ten years ago, finding a good smoke shop meant asking a friend or driving around until you spotted a sign. Product discovery happene...
Elf Bar vs. Lost Mary vs. Geek Bar: Disposable Vape Showdown
The Big Three of Disposable Vapes The disposable vape market in 2016 is enormous, but when you walk into most smoke shops — including East Side Cigars & Smo...
How to Travel with Vape, Tobacco, and CBD Products
How to Travel with Vape, Tobacco, and CBD Products Whether you're heading out for a weekend getaway or a cross-country business trip, figuring out what you ...
New Arrivals at East Side Cigars & Smoke Shop: What's Fresh on Our Shelves
We're Always Bringing in Something New One of the things that keeps our regulars coming back to East Side Cigars & Smoke Shop is the simple fact that th...