High end stores closing do you really care

As with most things, Americans vote with their wallets. I nostalgically remember my early visits to audio shops, listening to the NAD system I eventially purchased, and also to the McIntosh room when the salesman let me hear just a bit of sonic nirvana, which I was sure I would never be able to afford. However, times change and I think there are now two broad generalizations of buyers, neither right or wrong;
.Com Buyer: An internet and magazine researcher, sometimes diy'er, willing to take reasonable risk on used and/or unheard equipment to maximize the sonic benefit achieved for the associated cost, and
Brick and Mortar Buyer: Would rather hear what they are buying, appreciate the sales help to synergize components and to set up the system, want a warranty on equipment, don't want to spend the time buying/selling and auditioning a lot of equipment, either because they don't have the time or because they have the money not to.
There are also combination buyers who do both, which is really only a problem when they audition at the B&M shops so they can then go purchase used on the internet. I think both styles are here to stay for the forseeable future, but unfortunately for many of the B&M stores the pie is not as large as it once was. I suspect the most profitable B&M stores are going to be located in major metropolitan areas where there are more buyers and the typical buyer has more money than time. My guess is we will see a continued trend toward "audio consultants" with by-appointment showrooms who are able to broker a variety of equipment, help clients synergize components to a given price point, then help with set up and future upgrades. For most everyone else there is either internet sales (new and used) and Best Buy/Circuit City.

Where was your first exposure to high-end audio? Where was the place when you first heard a hi-fi system that gave you goose bumps and made the hair on the back of your neck stand up? I am sure for many it was this place that started their passion for hi-fi and enriched their lives with music. For me, it was at a brick-n-mortar store that I heard a pair of Sonus Faber Extremas powered by vacuum tube Audio Research electronics 15 years ago. I still think about that store today and will always be greatful to them. For me, there is tremendous value in supporting my local dealer.

A harder question but on the same topic: What would you think manufacturers have done to contribute to this down turn of closing HE stores? Or are they helping to reverse that trend?
Most HE manufacturers go with the flow by creating more gear to cater not only 2-channel HE but also multi-channel crowd as the market trend dictates. Certainly some reputable HE manufacturers do not want to see their stuff sold on the internet but some would be careless.

the most effective way of minimizing dissatisfaction from an audio purchase is a home audition.

many "high end" stores do not allow this. visiting such stores and listening there still leaves a bisk risk that buying without a home audition will be a mistake.

when stores of this type close, there is not much loss.
when stores who permit home audition close, it is a loss.

I'll admit I'm not in marketing, but it's always struck me that the manufacturers are as much to blame as anybody for the plight of the B&M stores. If you don't live in a major metropolitan area, you can't possibly see and hear all the gear you might want to consider, and the manufacturer's enforce this tight, and ultimately small, dealer network.

I have no idea what the demographics of high-end audio buyers is - it makes sense that it's boomers, but boomers are also the ones who are currently at the age where one has discretionary money, so maybe when current 20-somethings are middle-aged, they will spend bigger $$ on audio. Even if they do, though, I don't think it will be in the model of high-markup, personalized attention B&M.

The model has to support a customer who has done their own research, doesn't want to pay all the overhead of a B&M store, but is willing to pay for "optional" things like the equipment being brand new, a warranty, a home audition, etc. If you're just going to sit in your B&M storefront and charge me full retail, I'm just not interested.