If anyone realized just how tiny a markup a hobby shop owner has to work with (15-20%) especially when they are more or less forced to match mail-order prices, one would understand why there aren't many shops still around. If the public did understand, no one in his right mind would open up a hobby shop, that is unless he was a millionaire doing it for the benefit of the two clubs in the area. If someone does, they would do it as hobby and not expect to make enough money to pay his bills. The one or two 30 member flying clubs may be his only customers whose members expect him to carry everything they find in RCM, M.A.N., etc. If he doesn't then they complain and buy mail-order.

For example, the shop owner is expected to make a living, decent or otherwise, $6.00 on a $80 Sig LT-40 kit. He may only sell a couple a year. So, expect hobby shops to continue to disappear and everyone having to drive further and further to find one.
Then there is the fact that urban sprawl will eat up flying sites, thereby causing more hobby shops to either go out of business, or not carry any money losing RC aeromodeling products and opt exclusively for the money making RC car market.

Take care,
CCR
http://www.kites.org/rc_instructors