Muscatine's The Smoke Shop opens up second uptown location

About a week and a half ago, Smokin’ Things, located at 2506 Park Ave Suite B, was able to open its doors. While things are still being set up and product is still being brought in, Ralphs already has high hopes for his newest expansion.

Although the Smoke Shop is no longer the only smoking/vaping-focused store in town, Ralphs still felt like he and his team were able to stand out thanks to several factors, including glass products made using local glass blowers such as Oxy Glass and Baby-Face Glass.

About four years ago, after he’d graduated high school, Tyler Ralphs opened the Smoke Shop, 211 East 2nd St., with his business partner and good friend Austin Brickholder.

Although Brickholder has since passed away, Ralphs and his employees have kept their downtown location running smoothly. With this success, it was decided that they would open a second location that was meant to help cater to their uptown customers. About a week and a half ago, Smokin’ Things, located at 2506 Park Ave., Suite B, was opened its doors. While things are still being set up and product is still being brought in, Ralphs already has high hopes for his expansion.

"It was a little bit of a struggle getting all the product and display cases in — it took almost a year to get set up — but it was worth the wait by the time it was done," he said. "We’re really looking forward to our expansion."

In addition to wanting to provide a closer location for those who may not be able to make it to downtown Muscatine as easily as others, Ralphs cited that another reason for this expansion was him feeling somewhat limited with just the downtown location, primarily because of not having a lot of room for store growth and having limited parking as well as a slower traffic flow.

Although the Smoke Shop is no longer the only smoking/vaping-focused store in town, Ralphs still felt like he and his team were able to stand out thanks to several factors, including their wide variety of products such as disposables, incense, lighters and glass products made using local glass blowers such as Oxy Glass and Baby-Face Glass.

Ralphs added that the store also sells nicotine alternatives and even sells products that could help a person get off vaping.

"We just try to have whatever option they’re looking for and give them the best route for that," he said.

Besides their wide selection of products, Ralphs also emphasized the focus of Smoke Shop and Smokin’ Things on providing value to its customers.

"With a lot of our products, we strive to get the lowest price we can on them. We also try to be more personable with our customers, to have really good customer service and to actually get them whatever they need," he continued.

For those who may be looking for something specific or who just want to see what these smoke shops have to offer, Ralphs assured that people should be able to find a similar inventory at either location, allowing customers to often find what they need without needing to make a second trip to the other side of town.

As for what he wants, Ralphs said he hopes to see his business grow with his newest expansion, allowing him to further establish a solid customer base.

"I just really like to have good customers and help them out; that's what makes me happy, and it's my goal, honestly," Ralphs said. "There are quite a few other shops in town now, so for what we are, we’re going to try and do the best we can and make ourselves stand apart."

The Smoke Shop is open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays while Smokin’ Things is open all week from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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