I live in an metro area of over 2.4 million and here brick-and-mortar dealers have all but vanished. One that I regularly bought from sold out and morphed into a HT systems integrator. Two others went out of business entirely. All that's left is one excellent high-end dealer and a couple of mid-fi shops. Two of my last three purchases have been online. Sad. I worry about the survival of our hobby!

Audible Elegance in Cincinnati has provided me with excellent equipment & showroom demos for the last 20+ yrs. Also, their accessory/tweeking knowledge has greatly helped in achieving truly excellent sound from my purchases! Yes ... a good knowledgable dealer can make a HUGE difference in the betterment and enjoyment of our great hobby!

Wish I could go more - they're harder to find these days. We used to have a 7 or 8 in our downtown area - now there are just a few.

I go mostly to talk shop with the owner at my local stereo store, since I'm involved with audio myself.

When ever there is a need. No more no less.