I agree with all the points made and that I think is my problem.

I went by my future club this weekend and hung out for a while. I spoke with some really nice guys. Eventually, they asked where I bought my stuff and I told them. One laughed and told me to grab a pen and write down "towerhobbies.com". The general opinion was that, while the LHS owner is a nice guy, his prices are way out of line. Also, I've gone in there a few times now and asked for help. While the guys in there try to help, its obvious they are not plane folks, and don't *really* know.

I think this decision is a very localized one. That is, it really depends on who your LHS is. In my case, I've got one true store that is owned by a family (others are franchises, or front ends for internet sites), and unfortunately, they aren't a plane family. As a result, my dollars are bound to land at the IHS (internet hobby stores).