I'm from Chicago and a few years ago I stopped by a pretty famous fixed gear related bike shop. It is known for its wheelbuilder who is arguably one of the best, definitely in the midwest. Anyhow, I used to live out in the burbs at the time and I was visiting some friends in the city so I decided to stop by the shop to look at the eye candy and pick up a Salsa stem, while I was in the area. Some messengers where there along with some fakengers(myself included). This bike shop is really known as the community bike shop for the community and it is located very near a rather poor area of the city. A few kids from the area rode up with their department store bought BMX bikes and one kid had a loose nut that he just needed to be tightened on his rear wheel. For anyone with a 15mm wrench, it's less than a few minute job. I would have done it myself but I drove there and left my tools in my fakenger bag at home. I still remember clearly as the 3 neighborhood kids, so shyly asked the shop's owner/operator if he could fix the wheel and he told them it would cost them 7~9 bucks. I can't remember the amount exactly but it was an amount that kids this young in that neighborhood couldn't imagine counting in their hands unless it was their birthday. I was stunned that he even quoted them a price and didn't just pull out the tool that he had in the apron he was wearing. The broken and rejected look on those kids faces was something for sure as they turned around and went out of the door in shame. As they were leaving, a father and his son not from the neighborhood came in with their matching Fuji roadbikes(Daddy's weekend tribike and his son's Junior racer) and were quickly taken care of. I was still shocked and just standing there. Angry at myself for believing in the "What a great guy and shop," that you read on the local blogs as well as when you meet local people. I got over it and left and when I went outside and I saw a young lady helping out the three kids and she fixed the wheel. It was really nice of her and it put a smile back on my face. This bike shop is so known for taking care of the community and the owner can't even take the time to do something nice for some poor kids in the neighborhood, but he moves like his feet are on fire when Richie Rich and his father stroll in . I stopped going to that shop after that. At that time and now, 90% of what I buy, I buy from bike shops. But I'm over the BS that you hear about supporting your local bike shop as if it's a charity or they are saving the world or something. I gladly pay more to nice people and for good service. What happened at that bike shop made me even madder after a few weeks later the same thing happened at my local suburban Performance bike and the mechanic who had a hundred bikes that he had to build up in an hour(exaggerating) took care of a kid with a loose nut, no charge and a lollipop(exaggerating). Good Service and Good People is what I want in my local businesses. Everything else, small business or not, take a hike.