Last month, the city investigated and shut down a number of crafty smoke shops that sold loose tobacco that customers could roll themselves using in-store machines, stating that these "roll your own" cigarettes were skirting the city's notoriously high tax on cigarettes. But two stores being investigated—BB's Corner, in Brooklyn, and Nitecap Entertainment, a tobacco and porn/sex aid shop on Staten Island—are arguing that their businesses are no different from Build-A-Bear Workshop, the mall store where kids can create a customized cuddly "best friend" toy.
According to the Post, both stores argue in court documents that self-rolled cigarettes allow customers to choose "their own blend of tobacco," similar to how Build-A-Bear lets customers "choose the parts of the bear and participate in the manufacturing." Hear that, kids? Deciding between a light up fairy costume and a mariachi outfit for your new stuffed animal buddy is exactly like sticking pipe tobacco in a rolling paper! What fun!
BB's Corner and Nitecap Entertainment aren't the first to note the similarities between Build-A-Bear Workshop and self-rolled cigarette shops. Last year, when" roll-your-own" cigarette store City Smokes opened in Sheepshead Bay, local blog Brokelyn referred to it as a "Build-A-Bear for carcinogens." (City Smokes is also currently being targeted by the city for tax evasion).
Meanwhile, it doesn't look like the city's buying the Teddy Bear defense. "We have succeeded in closing every 'roll-your-own' shop we've encountered," Eric Proshansky, a lawyer for the city, told the Post. No word yet on whether you can book either store for your first grader's birthday party.
