Unfortunately, the guy who runs our local shop is one of those that looks at you like an idiot if you ask pretty much any question and barks out short answers if you get any answer at all.
Also, he got into a whizzing contest a couple of years ago with the large local brew club that's been around since the 80's when they started giving out cash prizes at events instead of gift certificates to his store, so he took his toys and went and started his own brewclub. And then sent out an email to the entire mailing list announcing the new club, only to then send an "oops, my bad, didn't mean to send this to this list." Yeah, sure you didn't buddy.
His prices are high, the shop is dirty, and to top it off, when I was in there last week getting what I hope will be my last grain orders from him, all the hops are now sitting in the back on shelves NOT in temperature control. I will say that I am sure it is not fun as a small business owner trying to compete with the internet, and I would happily give him the bulk of my business if he just didn't have such a nasty attitude about the whole thing. However, he does, so I'm buying a mill, have already been buying hops in bulk, and am fixing to try to arrange for a couple of group grain buys around here through a local brewery. If you can't compete in price and inventory, you better be able to compete in customer service and attitude, or you don't deserve my money.