I like to think you get better kharma (but not necessarily more fish) buying from a local shop supporting folks that are living the dream even though it may be a few bucks more here and there. I'd probably blow the difference on something meaningless anyway, and the advice and knowledge of local shops, and the opportunity to schmooze is worth more to me.

It's gotta be real tough for the little guys with big box and etailers. Chances are money spent with them will also stay local too, as opposed to getting sent to corporate HQ and stockholders somewhere else, which I think is particularly important in rural destination areas, so I try to find one out in the boonies somewhere and buy from them if my local guys don't carry something and can't get it easily. (Though it's not like anyone's going to buy a bunch of new schools with my purchases.)

I also, as a personal choice, and no offense to any one intended, believe in fair trade. And, as it happens, I do volunteer work with a survivors of torture program at a local hospital, mostly with Tibetans that have had an "unpleasant" time in China which was a real eye opener, so I try and stay out of big boxes.

But then again I tend to make everything, including fishing, waaaaay more complicated than it needs to be. I guess it's a gift. (Yeah, that's it, it's a gift!)

Cheers,

peregrines