Does anybody have, or know where I can pick up, a few cheap cigar-type boxes (wood or cardboard,
doesn't matter) in Northern VA?

I haven't tried the tobacco store in Dulles Mall yet, as I try to avoid the mall like the plague (trying
to get Mrs. & Ms. Tanker out w/o causing major bank acct damage is a bitch!), but I might
have to.

I have a forensic entomology (think "CSI" -type evidence collection) class coming up, and we're
supposed to have a few boxes to use for display purposes, for the critters that we collect. The
professor was like, "If you get decent boxes, you can save them for later reference use." I'm
thinking, "Yeah, I can SO see me keeping that in the house......" NOT! (I.E. -
they are trashcan bait after class is over.)

Google comes up w/ a few billion crafty-type uses for them, but no sources other than humidors
for the smokers, and that's not what I need.

Any leads appreciated.

There is a smoke shop up around F ST and 7th NW that might have a few boxes.  Goig to the mall may be easier.  Fair Oaks Mall is usually pretty dead during the week.  

I can't name a specific store on NOVA, there are tons. Most cigar shops give them out for free if you buy a pack of smokes, or charge a $1-2 fee.

Also a smoke shop in Rosslyn right where Wilson splits as it's going up the hill.

It's bigger than you standard mall shop

There's gotta be some cigar smokers in your area who'd give you a couple.  I have two boxes I found somewhere that you're welcome to, but the postage would be more than the boxes are worth.

C'mon, someone help this guy out!

Sounds like a cool class, BTW.

Check the craft stores; ask for cardboard school boxes.  I picked up some plain white ones a few years ago from a craft company for 50 cents each.

If you have time to order them, try Oriental Trading.com and search for "school boxes".

ETA - Walmart usually has the cardboard school boxes for less than $1.  I don't know if they have any without designs though.

Look at the Tupperware knock-off's they have at Wal-Mart - really cheap and can be used for other things.

Quoted: Look at the Tupperware knock-off's they have at Wal-Mart - really cheap and can be used for other things.

Swung by the cigarshop at Dulles mall around lunchtime and found a few. "Just a couple of empty
boxes? What do you use them for?"

I told him that they were for my forensic entomology class, which got a blank look. "Watch CSI?"
"Sure."
"Okay - think evidence collection. After we collect the critters, I have to make a display."

"ReallY!?!"

"Yep, and I was just looking for a couple of cheap boxes. The prof said that if we found some good
boxes, we could save them for later reference, but that'll never happen in my house, so after class,
they're dumpster bait."

Mrs. Tanker was standing in the doorway and overheard that part "Damn right on that!"

The guy just grinned and said "That's different. You can have `em." SCHWEET!