My LHS is also on the crap-tastic side. I've been waiting for an engine for over 2 weeks now (should have come in 3-5 days), and when I call to see what's taking so long, the kid who works there has no clue, and the boss isn't coming back in till this Saturday. Sheesh. I bought my truck from them a while back, said 3 days, that finally came in after 2 weeks. Not to mention, prices are much higher ($73 for a CVEC Exhaust from LHS, its $44 on Tower).
The only reason I ordered the engine from them was because I had store credit to use up, but after that's gone, so is my business. Time to look for a new shop that is at least decent.

PS I've tried to get parts to fix my truck numerous times, not once have they ever had a part in stock. HPI parts shouldn't be so foreign to them.
PPS I can agree on the ignorance of the help at some shops too. When I went in to order the HPI .18SS motor, the owner looked at me with a blank stare and didn't know what I was talking about. He told me I must have read something wrong, and maybe HPI had a .18SS coming soon. I had him call the distributor, sure enough it was available. I wish Tower was a brick and mortar store by me, I'd be all over that place.