Years ago (back in 2001 to be precise) I actually lived in the Bracey Virginia area. When I lived there, there was a damn fine tobacco shop in Bracey. Not only did they have the best price in the area on cigarette cartons, but they also carried a fine lineup of cigars. The shop was run by a very nice elderly gentleman, and he used to sell me my Perdomo and Diego cigars, as well as the occasional Romeo E Julieta. I loved that little shop, and when I saw a billboard for a tobacco and vape shop up the road from the truck stop, I assumed it was this shop that I used to frequent. On the downside, I learned that he passed away about a year ago. On the upside, the vape shop is just one driveway up from his prior location, so it is easy walking distance from Simmons Truck Stop in Bracey. On the up upside, they also have closer parking. So in honor of this good man who helped we truckers smoke fine cigars, let's look into these new folks who are trying to help us vape good products.

Simmons Truck Stop in Bracey Virginia sits just east of Interstate 85 at exit 4, so if you're traveling north on I85 you will exit and turn right. Traveling south, you will exit and turn left. From the truck stop it is approximately 4/10ths of a mile to the vape shop. This is, of course, your best option if you are planning to stop and take your break. If, however, you are simply stopping for a quick run to the vape shop, you can proceed past the truck stop. Drive past the Sunoco gas station and you will see the vape shop on the right. See photos below to see what their sign looks like. Just pass the vape shop (next driveway on the right) you will see a drop yard with a bunch of shipping containers in it. The owners of the vape shop informed me that the owner of this property has given them permission to tell truckers that they can park there while they shop in their store. He only asks that you back into a spot, and not block any trailers or driveways on this property while doing so.

The Leaf Tobacco and Vapes

3450 State Rte 903, Bracey, VA 23919
(434) 636-5444
Hours: Mon-Fri 8am to 7pm
Saturday 9am to 5pm
Sunday Closed

Now, I'm well aware that some drivers have an aversion to vape shops that also sell tobacco. I'm also aware that many combo shops carry one or two brands with a very limited selection of vape stuff, and what they do carry is not generally things that vapers  are looking for. So allow me to start off by explaining how this shop is run. It is clearly divided into two different shops. When you walk in, you are in the tobacco shop. You then go down a hallway to get to the vape shop. They do offer your standard tobacco shop vapes like Blu and Vuse for example, but those are in the tobacco shop, not the vape shop. The vape shop is actual vape gear that vapers are going to be interested in. Here is what they have to offer.

E-Liquid:

1. Air Factory
2. One Hit Wonder
3. Charlie's Chalk Dust
4. Banana Butt
5. Bazooka Sour Straws
6. Chill
7. Cloud Nine
8. Jam Monster
9. Crossroads Vape Co. (18 mg)
10. EC blend
11. Micro Brew Vapor
12. Hi Drip
13. Marina Vape
14. Juice Guys
15. Keep It 100
16. Liquid State
17. Naked 100
18. Milkman
19. SVRF
20. Zabba
21. Mod Milk
22. No Hype
23. Vapetasia

As you can see, they have a very decent selection of brands of e-liquids to choose from. When it comes to devices, the list is a lot shorter. There is an obvious lack of high end gear and a shortage of offerings of rebuildable atomizers. They clearly cater more to the beginner to intermediate level vaper as opposed to the enthusiast and builders. Since the beginners to intermediate vapers are the largest portion of the market, this is a solid approach. Furthermore, I was impressed with their selection among the brands they carried. In other words, you could have 20 different Smok mods on the shelf, but you're really only offering one device in 20 different shapes or colors. These guys managed to compile a very nice selection from the brands listed, avoiding such redundancies so that they could offer a wider selection of products even with limited display space. Here are the brands they had to choose from.

Hardware:

1. Smok
2. Aspire
3. Sense
4. Uwell
5. Vaporesso
6. Joyetech
7. Sigelei
8. VooPoo
9. Geek Vape
10. Tesla
11. Coil Master
12. Jet
13. Nitecore
14. Efest  

If you're traveling down I85 in Virginia, you should definitely swing by The Leaf Tobacco and Vapes in Bracy Va. and give them a shot. They have a nice selection, a very friendly staff, and convenient truck parking close by. They carry a wide selection of juices, and coils for most of your modern tanks. They are definitely worth stopping in for a look.

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