Vapor Max opens Friday
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| Crystal Anton at Vapor Max. |
"Why don't you go into the business?" he asked.
That simple phrase sparked a whirlwind of activity, and at 10 a.m. Friday all their hard work pays off as she opens the doors to Bonners Ferry's newest business, Vapor Max, a small shop just across from the library at 6387 Kootenai Street.
Whether you want to quit smoking, you're looking for a safe alternative or you just like many available flavors, Vapor Max offers everything to do with E-cigarettes, from the cigarettes themselves to charges, to lanyards and cases to a variety of "juices" that give E-cigarettes their flavor, and, if you want it, their nicotine kick.
"There are both nicotine and non-nicotine juices," she said, "and if you're working to get off a craving for nicotine, the level can be adjusted to ease you off. A lot of people are concerned that nicotine is a deadly poison, but nearly everyone gets a little nicotine every day in many of the vegetables they eat."
Drinking a bottle of "juice," she said, is about the equivalent of eating five tomatoes.
There is a huge difference between E-cigarettes and the real things, she said. In fact, numerous studies have been conducted over a period of years, and few, if any, health issues have been found to be valid ... the "smoke" is nothing but water vapor, there are none of the carcinogens found in cigarettes and other tobacco products ... there is no inhalation of anything that has been combusted.
Still, in Idaho, you must be 18 or older to buy or use E-cigarettes.
A lot of people who quit smoking, even years ago, often find temptation to have "just one more," for a variety of reasons, and they're hooked right back into the same rut they worked so hard to escape.
E-cigarettes, Crystal said, offer a much safer alternative to a habit that never seems to go away.
And they're cheaper than cigarettes.
"Breathe better, spend less," is the motto at Vapor Max, where the prices on the "hardware" is comparable to or less than most other such shops, and the price of the "juice" is about half the cost.
Having tested and tried many products from a variety of manufacturers, she naturally placed the first call in exploring the possibility of opening her own shop to the manufacturer who earned her best reviews.
"I called 'Vapor Craze' and told them about our crazy idea," Crystal said, "and they were immediately supportive and excited to get going."
She offers Vapor Craze hardware and juice, as well as Joytech juice, though she's planning to mix and offer her own liquids.
The lanyards on display, including the one she wears, are made locally by Rachel Steele.
Crystal, a non-smoker, likes her E-cigarette for the flavors ... and because it tickles her, she said, to take a puff in a crowd and have someone say, "Wow! That smells good!"
In addition to selling E-cigarettes and accouterments, Crystal will fix or refill yours, no matter where you bought it. There's coffee, tea and cocoa, even a corner nook set aside as a play area for kids.
For those who've never tried an E-cigarette, there are testers to try, which allow you to vary the levels of both nicotine and vapor to find the E-cigarette that's just right for you.
And she's looking forward to helping people breathe easier and spend less.
"I welcome the browser, the curious," she said. "I don't care if it takes two hours to answer all your questions, my goal is to make sure all your questions are answered."
It's not all about sales, she said.
"At the end of the year, I except to still be open and have a lot more friends!"
Vapor Max will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, though she'll most often close between 4 and 5 p.m. to go welcome the kids home from school.
To find out more, stop in and say "hi!" or call (208) 597-2683.