Free Choice

Free Choice in Somerville, Victoria is your typical local tobacconist, stocking all the usual suspects you’d expect to find: cigarettes, rolling papers, and various smoking accessories. They keep pretty standard hours through the week, opening at 9am and closing around 6:15pm most days, with slightly later closing at 6:30pm on Thursdays and Fridays. On Sundays, they open a bit later at 9:30am but still close at 6pm, which is pretty convenient if you’re not an early riser.

Look, I’ve got to be straight with you about this one. While some visitors reckon they’ve got a decent selection and have mentioned good prices, the customer service seems to be a bit of a mixed bag. We’ve heard quite a few stories about less-than-stellar interactions with the staff. One bloke tried calling up with a simple question and got a pretty short response before being hung up on, which isn’t exactly what you’d call top-notch service. Though to be fair, there are a couple of people who’ve had positive experiences with the owner.

The shop accepts various payment methods including EFTPOS, card, and cash, so you won’t need to make a special trip to the ATM before heading in. It’s just your standard suburban tobacconist really – nothing particularly flash, but it serves its purpose if you’re in the area and need to grab your smokes or smoking supplies. Just maybe don’t expect the red carpet treatment when you walk in, if you know what I mean.

While some customers have praised the range of products available, others have had different experiences, so it might be worth popping in yourself to see if they’ve got what you’re after. At the very least, you’ll find all the basic tobacco products and accessories you’d expect from any local tobacconist.