I just had a chat with the owner of my favorite LFS. He indicated, in no uncertain terms, that the industry as a whole is in dire straits
. It seems that several of the wholesale operators are having a very difficult time due to economic slowing and high fuel cost. He stated that stock in several large wholsalers has dropped as much as 70% in the last year. In addition he is being forced, by monetary concerns, to relocate and did not appear very confident he would find a new location. Anyone else running into the same thing? Do those of you with a close connection to the import and distribution side of the hobby have concerns about the future? I would hate to see things change to the point that the LFS is a distant memory and we are only left with giant chain stores.