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Preface: I am not a dealer employee, nor an audio industry professional.
I have noticed that there has been some fast and loose about a non-Illinois/non-Chicagoland dealer being a "Chicago dealer." Territorial dominion as a "Chicago representative" has even been conferred by a manufacturer's representative, with my ears as my witness, at a recent major show. Now we have a "Chicago event" from this dealer.
Let's be honest. until this dealer opens a store in Chicago, this dealer is in fact 3 hours and 51 minutes (by Google Maps) driving time, and 241 miles distance, from the Windy City.
This dealer, generously, has offered an open house in Chicago. For this we should be thankful. However, I urge caution to confer the title of "Chicago dealer," or "Chicago representative" to an out-of-state dealer. In fairness, Stereophile has not made this declaration here; others have made it.
We don't say that a "Dallas dealer" is a "Houston dealer" or vice versa. The distance is almost equivalent. A dealer may do a show in Chicago. But make no mistake, you will be in your car for almost 4 hours to visit this "Chicago-area representative."