There are three B&M stores here that I go to all the time. They're all independent businesses, and yeah their stuff is more expensive than online. But I look at it this way…do I want places to stay open, so that if I run out of juice I can drive 15 minutes down the street and buy some, instead of ordering and waiting? If so, then I should support them by sometimes paying the mark up, keeping in mind that they have to pay rent/staff/keep the lights on. I paid 50 bucks for my first iStick, because I wanted it in my hand NOW. The other two, I got from e-ciggity and paid 30 bucks apiece for.
I do really understand the frustration about stores opening whenever they feel like it, though. Our B&M vape shops here aren't like that…but lots of other places are, especially downtown. I don't honestly know how they can pay that rent and then never be open. Just a few months ago, I found a new cool shop downtown on Facebook, kind of a mixed bag thrift store/local goods emporium that seemed really AWESOME. I went on a Tuesday in the middle of the day, paid to park downtown, walked to the shop…and even though the posted hours said they should be open, they were closed. Tried it again a few days later, after calling and being told that they were open all day. Paid to park, walked to the store…note on the door "Sorry, had to close early!" I figured, well, maybe it's just the owner working there, maybe they had a family emergency, I'll try it one more time. Third time I went, posted hours claimed the place was supposed to be open, door was locked, no note, no nothing. I posted to their facebook page that I would really love to come there and spend money, but I couldn't seem to catch them open even though I was visiting during posted open hours. Never heard a word back. Surprise, surprise, the place closed a month later. Several other shops in the same area have been open for years with that kind of "eh, we'll open and close when we feel like it" attitude. I have no idea how they make it, except that they must be tax write-offs or laundering money or some rich chick's diversion. If I were you, I would at least give the shop a heads up on Facebook that you tried to go there and were told they'd be open and they weren't. It is possible that whoever owns the place had no idea that whatever employee was supposed to be working locked the door to go out to lunch for two hours or something.
