Can't remember the last time I actually step foot in a proper RC car shop but I think it was Apex about 3 years ago.
Apex/JE is my nearest model shop that sells anything useful and that is a 110 mile round trip for me. I just cannot justify £15-20 of fuel and three hours out of my Saturday. Everything is mail order (in the UK). That's ok if you know what you want and plan ahead a bit but it must be a nightmare if you are a begineer and want to talk to someone or can't afford to keep a stock of spares/tyres.
Still I reckon I have saved a fortune - I am sure I would regularly walk out with kits when I went into buy tyres if I had a local model shop
Rob