Yes it appears the days of the hobby shop is numbered, expect to see more toys and cars on the shelves as the owners try to survive in an environment were it's dog eat dog. the profits seem to be divided by the manufacture and distributors that force the store owners to purchase things that don't sell so they sit on the shelves and collect dust. I believe the the shops survival will depend on a collaboration were the distributor buys back items that don't sell in six months or so and replaces these items with items of equal value to the store.
I long for the days when the hobby shop was the place to be, the smell alone was calming, the employees knew what they were talking about, and what you needed was on the shelves, advice and a feeling of belonging prevailed.
Yes, time has brought on changes but the future as I see it is gloomy, Greed, indifference, and a me, me, me I want it now attitude while texting as your fellow models are ignored by you (and vice versa) seems to isolate us all. It feels like we are being conquered by the the divide method only to look up from your computers and realize we ain't in Kansas anymore and all alone. not that it would be known where Kansas is on the map anyway.