7 Valleys: The Concept

A Smokin’ Opportunity

More than 46 million U.S. adults smoke tobacco. That means nearly 1 in four adult Americans (25% of adult men and 20% of adult women) are smokers. The vast majority smoke heavily advertised and heavily taxed commercial brands that can contain any of 500 chemical additives. Since 1993, 7 Valleys Custom Blends has provided a growing legion of loyal customers an innovative alternative to the mass-produced products of Big Tobacco. They’ve helped to create a growing niche market by providing smokers with more and better choices and higher quality products at a significant cost savings.

More choices. Higher Quality. Lower cost

How can a retailer provide greater variety, superior quality and cost savings? The key to the 7 Valleys Cus-tom Blends shop is what’s called RYO (Roll-Your-Own) and MYO (Make-Your-Own) cigarettes. 7 Valleys stores provide what customers need to make their own cigarettes. Some 7 Valleys customers roll their own cigarettes by hand, but most use handy little gadgets (which 7 Valleys also sells) to inject loose tobacco into premade paper “tubes,” with filters already attached. The entire process takes a few seconds per cigarette, and many 7 Valleys customers roll their week’s worth of cigarettes at the kitchen table or while watching the other “tube.” For a little bit of time, they can create custom cigarettes to their own taste and specifications, at cost savings of up to 80% over commercially manufactured cigarettes

Custom-blended farm fresh tobacco
While cost-savings is a significant draw, the 7 Valleys Custom Blends brand is founded on a fanatical and enthusiastic dedication to providing a higher quality, more satisfying smoking experience tailored to individual preferences. The heart of the store is the bin display featuring 49 custom blends of farm-fresh tobacco, from the mild, slightly sweet taste of Blend 1 (an all-natural, chemical additive-free blend of Virginia tobaccos) to the sharper, exotic Turkish tobaccos of Blend 24, to the cool menthol taste of Blend 15 (a full flavor American blend, with a hint of menthol) to the many specialty tobaccos with all-natural flavors (such as Hazelnut, Black Cherry, Dark Chocolate, and Peach). A wide selection of popular pipe tobaccos, cigars, rolling papers, machines, and supplies round out the highly refined product line.

An emphasis on consumables
7 Valleys Custom Blends’ concept should not be confused with the typical mall-based smoke shop that deals with lower-margin items like men’s gifts, or newsstand-type shops that emphasize mass-produced products. Founder Mark Tucci has focused his store concept on “consumable” products that customers buy on a regular basis. He has also created a club-like, friendly store environment where knowledgeable team members provide a high degree of interaction with, and education of, its valued customers. Hence the company motto, posted in every store: “If you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you do smoke, smoke smart.”