Kramer's Pipe & Tobacco

Established in 1949, Kramer's Pipe & Tobacco Shop continues the tradition of blending tobacco by hand and by the pound (not barrel blended) to the individual taste. Located just off Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, Hollywood "royalty" and loyal "regulars" have helped Kramer's to develop their most popular specialty blends. The mission to provide a unique product and individual service remains a proven commitment.

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Allen and Tina Kramer previously owned a tobacco shop on the North Side of Chicago on Bryn Mawr under the "El" Station.  With an offer from Gimp Snyder that they couldn't refuse, they sold the business at the beginning of World War II.  Al honed the craft of pipe and lighter repair working in a torpedo plant during the war.  Then in 1949, while vacationing in sunny California - they fell in love with the weather and decided to make California their new home.

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After much searching and research, they opened a new tobacco shop on Little Santa Monica Blvd. between Camden and Rodeo Drives, in Beverly Hills.  That was when Beverly Hills was still a "village."  Al built all the knotty pine fixtures in the shop, including a walk-in humidor - of which he was deservedly most proud.  They add to the charm of the shop to this day.

 

Through the years Al had offers to expand and open a second store and also to mass produce his private tobacco blends, but he chose not to go either of those routes.  He especially wanted each pound of his tobacco blends to have the correct proportions of the different base tobaccos, and he felt that he couldn't be sure that would be the case, if the blending was done on a mass scale. 

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Al and Tina ran their shop together until Al passed away in 1973.  Then Tina continued on until her passing in 1999.  Today their daughter Marsha and her husband, Jim Keller, continue the rare tradition, especially in Beverly Hills, of a small family owned and run business.

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