Agreed. So the new people will buy their bikes as Wal-Mart, and your LBS guy will complain about that. Even the hardcore, racer-bike-geek, greasy-fingernailed, been-working-in-bikeshops-for 20-years folks need to know how to listen to customers and make them feel comfortable. And not just newbies off the street customers, but (and especially) dedicated customers like you. You could have easily bought your tires elsewhere, and they'd be out $120. It's too bad, really. Alot of LBS still have a long way to go if they want to survive. Somehow some of them have a fear of selling out if they are nice to people, welcoming, sweep the floor every once in a while, and practice just a wee bit of common-sense business.
Yes, I used to work in several of them. Only one is still around; the others bit the dust a long time ago.
I guess this is a rant, too.