BRIARVILLE TOBACCO PIPE REPAIR & RESTORATION

BRIARVILLE – OUR STORY

Read Our Business Story & Learn Why We’re Here

“Find a Need And Fill It” is the hallmark of all successful businesses. Another hallmark is “Turn A Problem Into An Advantage.” In late 2012, Ric Farrah, the founder of Briarville Tobacco Pipe Repair and Restoration, turned to both to become the industry leader in pipe repair.

First, the problem. After selling the firm, Farrah lost his corporate position as Director of Recruiting at a medium-sized trucking company in Nashville, TN. The guy who bought the company had a nephew who needed a job. Now, without a gig, Farrah turned to his roots over the road and signed on as a driver with a temp company serving the trucking industry. While deciding what to do next, he vowed never to put his career in another man’s hand again. As the story unfolds, you’ll see a problem will often lead to an equal or more significant advantage.

In the 80s and 90s, the tobacco pipe industry was in a state of flux. Hand-rolled cigars were quickly gaining popularity. The corner brick-and-mortar pipe shops were disappearing or ceding valuable retail real estate to “sticks”. Where you could once easily visit your neighborhood shop for great conversation, supplies, and repairs, these social establishments quickly faded into a bygone era. The community, which would gather locally at the table or in overstuffed chairs in their locals for a bowl of their favorite tobacco and swap lies, were now congealing online – this time worldwide. The pipe industry was moving from brick and mortar to the Internet. The pipe enthusiasts didn’t go away. The retail tobacco shops just changed direction; ergo, the need.

In the early to mid-2000s, a sort of tobacco pipe renaissance took shape on YouTube. The YouTube Tobacco Pipe Collectors channel gained subscribers and grew as pipe enthusiasts showed off their collections. Independent pipe carvers had an audience in which to show off their wares. One of those pipe carvers was Nashville broadcaster, television weatherman, and Farrah’s brother-in-law, Joe Case, a woodworking hobbyist who turned to pipe making. Over time, Joe Case Pipes began gaining popularity on the channel, and pipe smokers began to feel more comfortable doing business online.

Farrah, a longtime pipe enthusiast and hobbyist needing a real job, and Case, looking for growth and increased credibility within the industry, collaborated and decided for a short time to throw in together and add a repair side to Joe Case Pipes to test the water. The cross-promotion proved very effective, and both companies’ reach expanded. The need was there. Fewer and fewer shops were doing pipe repairs. Most shops still around were sending off repairs to the few repair shops that served these dying brick-and-mortar stores. Farrah came up with the Briarville trademark “Pipe Repair as Close as Your Mailbox”. She hit the ‘Net doing YouTube videos, mostly a tad silly but offering helpful tips in DIY pipe maintenance and where to send their smokers needing more work. The concept took off beyond any expectations. The quality of work, customer service, and ease of business led to Briarville’s exploding growth and popularity.

The second generation of Briarville began in 2019 when Farrah retired and sold the concern to Rich Messineo. Rich, a retired pharmacist, joined the company in 2016 and rose to lead technician in three short years. Messineo graduated from Florida State University in 1987, finished his pharmacy degree at Florida A&M School of Pharmacy in 1990, and is no stranger to business. From 2003 – 2010 Messineo owned and operated Hungry Trout Cigars with three locations from Utah to Florida.

When Rich Messineo bought out Briarville, he used his chemistry knowledge to create three aftermarket products now available to the public. The first product, called “No Oxi Oil,” was developed to keep vulcanite from oxidizing, a problem that has plagued pipe smokers since the advent of vulcanite. The second product is the only natural product to remove oxidation from vulcanite efficiently and effectively. The third product is a pipe cleaner and sweetener, the same that is used in the Briarville shop daily. Since purchasing Briarville, Messineo added a third profit center to his brand of cigars. Teaming up a national wholesaler, all Briarville products are now available online at TobaccoPipes.com.

As Briarville nears its 10th anniversary, it is safe to say that the once figment of Farrah’s imagination has grown to become the industry leader. Briarville serves the global community with clients worldwide. There is no looking back. Expect Messineo to continue the exceptional growth and notoriety Briarville clients have enjoyed since the advent of Pipe Repair as Close as Your Mailbox TM.

This piece is dedicated to Joe Case’s memory. His kindness and support were instrumental in developing Briarville Tobacco Pipe Repair and Restoration.