On 4/12/2020 10:09 AM, jbeattie wrote:

snip

I have, however, spent oodles of money on bikes, components, tools, parts etc. from real bricks-and-mortar shops including Western Bikeworks, River City, Universal Cycles and Bike Gallery and Bike Tires Direct.

No such shops in the Bay Area. I bought my Burley trailer from Bike
Gallery during a business trip up to Intel in Hillsboro. I did order a
part for my Dahon folder from Andrew Muzi, after trying to buy it at
five different local store without success.

One reason Amazon and other online stores are taking business from the
LBS is that it's often so exasperating to find what you need at a local
shop. They'll often offer to order it for you from QBP or J&B, but that
means yet another trip to the shop to pick it up, and many shops have
"bankers hours." I know people ragged on Performance Bike, but at least
you could go there after work, ditto for REI. I used to go to Chain
Reaction in Los Altos and they were pretty knowledgeable, at least if
Steve Jacubowsky was in the store. That store closed two years ago due
to rent increases──the space is still empty and unleased.