I have an excellent relationship with my LBS- like I said, they've been coaching me on wheelbuilding- so I think it is definitely a possibility for you to do the same.

I try to buy as much stuff as I can there; I find that the extra premium of their prices over online prices are more than offset by the value of having someone to help me out with my projects and borrow tools from. They haven't charged me for minor work (cassette removal, truing, stuff like that) in months. In fact they usually just let me go to the workbench and do it myself. The fact that I helped them make ends meet last month by referring someone to them who bought a fairly high-end recumbent doesn't hurt either. If your favorite LBS has business cards, get some from them and pass them out to people who show an interest in bikes.

As for USAZorro- I guess that's the difference between old school and beginner maybe....