They are not going out of business, simply moving. My experiences at Sheldon's have generally been good, but I have mostly gone there in person knowing exactly what I wanted. I have seen and spoken with the owner and I concur that he is not the friendliest guy in the world, but I don't walk in his shoes, so who knows what's going on in his life. I have also heard that their return policy can be very strict, so buyers should buy carefully. There used to be a salesperson named Jason who I always thought was very knowledgable and helpful.

Another alternative in the bay area is Hobby Town in Concord. It's in the East Bay and may be a hike for those on the Penninsula, but I have so far found the sales staff to be friendly and knowledgable in the airplane area. There's also a Hobby Town in Fremont, I think, that I have not been to but apparently has a small airplane section, but they apparently have plans to expand it.

-Ed