Where did you buy your first audio gear?

JC Penney's technically....1979, I had ordered an MCS receiver, cassette deck, turntable and speakers by mail order. System came in, receiver was broken. Took it back/return. Found out that Playback-The Electronic Playground in Danville, Illinois, was having a big sale. I went in and came home with a Project-One receiver, Pioneer cassette deck and Pioneer HPM-40 speakers. A Pioneer turntable came a little later on.

This started me down the road to this fine "hobby". Oh the money I could have saved had I just left it be at that. But then I would have missed out on a lot of fun and excitement! I certainly do miss a lot of the brick and mortar stores of the days then, Playback, Good Vibes, CMC, Graham's Electronics, even Radio Shack of the time. Nice memories! 

Rogersound Labs in Canoga Park, CA. I was a commercial real estate broker at the time and worked a deal to pay me a commission in stereo gear at cost from their high-end showroom - Upscale Audio. A pair of Acoustat 2+2 speakers, New York Audio Lab Moscode 600 hybrid tube amp (300w/channel), New York Audio Lab tube preamp (Minuet in A), Oracle MkII turntable, don't remember the arm but incuded a Koetsu Black cartridge. I don't think I've ever been more excited in my life. I had just moved from a condo into my first single family home - 1980. That system kept me very satisfied for more than 20 years. If anyone remembers that company, the original owners remain friends today. 

Remembering my first 'decent stereo', it was bought at a place in Montana called, 'LaBelles'. We really thought we had something there, and probably it was as good as anything in most places. Picked up a set of Wald speakers and a Marantz 1060 integrated amp. Think that I got a BSR 710X TT too.

@bigsecret - Wasn't there another stereo shop right next door? I think it was called Upscale Audio or some such. I bought a Sony 10-disc changer from Rogerssound for $725 in 1987 if memory serves. Still works today (with one laser replacement). You get what you pay for.

My family or college roommates always had stereo systems, but in my early twenties when I got my own place I was on my own. Got a Denon receiver and a Dual TT at Harvey's in New York City and a Nakamichi tape deck at Audio breakthroughs in Huntington on LI. I bought a pair of used Mirage speakers from a buddy and I was all set.

I started buying my audiophile gear at Sound by Singer by the mid 1980s.

My brother still uses that Denon receiver and it works and sounds great. Amazing stuff!