My LHS is just like this. The owner is active in our club, and I think actually started it many years ago. He has his workshop in the back of the store, where we have our club meetings, he has a nice set up. I run into the problem, of him only being able to get brand X, when I want Z. I want to support him as much as I can as do others in the club, but most of the time his prices are so high and if we want lets say-Great Planes, Top-flight, Futaba,etc we have to go through mail order or a different part of the state. He only deals with Sig, and Horizon. He can't order enough for ,"great planes", and it's sad really. I would hate to see the shop go, so we do our best and try to buy from him. But where do you draw the line? I mean, I'll pay his prices most of the time, because I factor in shipping and handling, and it evens out. But if I want the "kit" I really want, he does not have it, so do I buy his old sig kit, or something else he has? Or do I buy what I want, and have him say, we are going to put him out of business?????
I love having a LHS, heck where I live, he's the only Hobby Shop around, unless I want to drive 150 miles, (isn't Montana great?). I also love to have the RC hangout spot, to shoot the S....t. It's hard when it comes to LHS 's like this.