So What to Look for in an LFS?

I'm having disconcerting thoughts about my preferred LFS.  Why is this business my preferred LFS?

• They are within 2 miles of the house.
• The owners seem to be very knowledgeable, and that knowledge doesn't have to be dragged out of them.
• The business has just about any hardware a person would need.
• The business has been around for 17 years or so.
• On busy weekends, you can hear the customers talking him up by stating how far they come just to go to that store (most I've heard so far is 3 hours)
• The owners seem to like to spend time with the customers.

So far, most of my purchases have been pretty major.  First trip in was the tank and equipment... about a grand or so.  Owner was VERY helpful.  Great first impression.

Second purchase was 35 lbs of live rock and 7 fish, maybe something else, I forget.  This was about $200.  Lot's of tips from the owner on acclimation and where to go from here.

Third trip was another 15 lbs of rock, crabs, and the aqualite.  About a $500 day.  Before the purchase, he was very helpful.  After the purchase, the owners helped carry the purchases to the car since I hadn't yet learned not to take the boy if I'm going to get more than a single hand can carry.

Next trip in was in a rush to replace the heater that went out within 2 months.  I know he knows who I am just based upon the greetings I've received from him in the past.  This was my fastest trip in and out of the store.  Walked in, grabbed a heater, and went straight for the counter.  I had less than an hour to get home, install the heater, set an approximate temperature, then get to work.

I work in retail.  If I knew a customer as well as this guy knows my purchases, I personally would have wondered (and I'm the type that would ask) why another heater?  Didn't I just sell you a heater 6 weeks back?

Nothing, except "Debit or Credit".  Forty dollars spent.

Next was the big tank cleaning day and the return of the Damsels.  I picked up a 750 gph powerhead, a test kit, and 10 gallons of RO/DI water.  Tab was about $80.  Owners were lukewarm.  Maybe they had some things going on.  I've never run an LFS, so who knows?

I went in yesterday to grab 10 more gallons of RO/DI water since I misjudged the amount of water I needed to refill the tank after the big cleaning.  Tab was $10.  Owners were, dare I say, cold.  Maybe they were just really overloaded with business tasks.  They were both in the back dealing with the water system.

So what am I looking for in an LFS?

I think the most important thing is interest in how thing are going (if they are personally aware of my situation in the hobby).  I don't expect a part time employee to inquire how things are.  But I would expect the owner to - I mean we carried the tank and stand out together.  They helped load the live rock and aqualite.

I would especially expect inquiring interest since it's the subject of conversation that keeps me putting money in his register.  His register over all other registers in town.

I'm not asking for a "Hey, Norm!" moment, and I'm not accusing the owners of scaling their customer service (or even their mood) up or down with the dollar amount the customer is spending.  But I don't appreciate the times they seem dismissive.  Perhaps I'm being overly sensitive.  But perhaps not.  Perhaps I've crossed a line with the owners without knowing it and I'm the douche-bag.  Perhaps I am unrealistic to expect the level of customer care that i personally deliver to "strangers".  Perhaps the owners are human, too, and are suffering from a shitty home-life - maybe I walked in just after a huge fight (husband and wife team).

My recent interactions are funneling me towards exploring the remainder of mom-and-pop LFS's in town and also becoming serious about purchasing online.  A week ago I would have considered the previous sentence "cheating" on my LFS, as if we're in a relationship (which we kind of are).  But after yesterday, I'm ready to see what else is out there.