- April 23, 2024
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Shown at the ribbon cutting are owner John Siderius (with scissors), his wife, Michele, and store manager Robert Paccione (black shirt). Photo by Wayne Grant
Customer James Meadows demonstrates vaping.
There are a couple of packs of cigarettes on the back counter of South Shore Vapor, which opened a few months ago at 1548 Ocean Shore Blvd., Ormond-by-the-Sea.
They were left by people who decided to quit smoking and use vaping as a technique to quit the habit.
John Siderius, owner, said 90% of his customers are trying to get off cigarettes. The rest are known as hobbyists, those who enjoy trying the various flavors that are available.
He said vaping often has the wrong image. Hobbyists, who enjoy trying the various flavors, only make up 10 of the market.
Vaping is inhaling water vapor with an electronic, battery-operated device. There is no fire and it can have a variety of flavors. Nicotine can be added to the vapor blend, depending on the customer, and it is gradually reduced as the customer continues to “vape” and hopefully get off the cigarette habit.
Siderius said people bring their parents into the shop, because they have tried many other ways to get them to quit smoking and have not been successful.
Siderius opened his first vaping shop on the south shore of Long Island, also called South Shore Vapor. At their Ormond Beach Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting, Siderius said he grew up in Ormond-by-the-Sea, and still has family here, so, he decided to open a second shop here.
He decided to keep the name, South Shore, for his new shop here even though the area is known as the “north shore.”
His mother, who lives nearby, helps in the Ormond-by-the-Sea shop, and that “keeps her busy,” Siderius said. His dad died in February.
When checking out the area, Siderius noticed that all of the vapor shops were on the mainland.
“We cater to the folks in Ormond-by-the-Sea,” he said. “Some don’t like to go to the mainland.”
His business could face trouble in the future, though, depending on new government regulation. For example, Siderius may not be able to offer free samples to help people decide on a flavor. He encourages customers to visit casaa.org to support vaping. It’s the home site for Consumer Advocates for Smoke-Free Alternatives Association.
Manager Robert Paccione said he liked the aroma the first time he walked into a vaping shop. He now enjoys coming up flavors that people enjoy and helping them get off smoking.
He said people who don’t know anything about vaping can stop in the shop and they will provide an education on the process and set them up with a starter kit.
Visit Southshorevapor.net, find them on Facebook or call 265-4670.
