Premium Cigar Association: Give us a little background on BriarWorks. How did it start?
Pete Prevost: BriarWorks was started in Nashville in 2013 by fellow pipe maker Todd Johnson and myself. We wanted to combine the look, quality and feel of high-grade handmade pipes with the affordability and repeatability that you get with factory production. They are started on a machine and finished by hand by a skilled pipemaker.
What are your thoughts on the state of pipe smoking and the pipe tobacco sector?
Pipe smoking certainly isn’t as common as it was many decades ago, but there is a strong loyal group of hobbyists who appreciate pipes as their preferred mode of tobacco consumption. Pipe tobacco is probably still the most affordable way to use tobacco, although pipe collecting can certainly turn it into a high-cost hobby quickly. Haha.
What’s new at BriarWorks? What do you have coming up in the future?
We just introduced a line of churchwarden pipes in five stem options. We have been wanting to do this for a long time. On the horizon, we have our 6th annual Muletown Pipe Show at our factory coming up in March. If you want to experience a large sampling of our unique pipe community, I highly recommend checking it out.
What are your top three movies and why?
I love all sorts of movie genres, but I do love a good comedy. Three of my favorites are Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, What About Bob?, and Nacho Libre. Sorry, that’s four because I couldn’t decide. I probably quote one of those movies on a daily basis.
Describe your ideal weekend.
My ideal weekend would definitely include some lazy couch time, attending or playing a concert, and hanging with my family.
Bonus:What’s the top thing on your bucket list? How close are you to achieving it?
Since we are on the subject of pipes, I would say traveling to Copenhagen and spending time in the workshops of legendary Danish carvers would be very high on that list. If I could find the time and money to plan the trip, I feel like I could make this happen. Gotta get some invitations first!
This story first appeared in PCA The Magazine, Volume 4, 2025. To receive a copy of this magazine, you must be a current PCA member. Join or renew today at premiumcigars.org/membership.