Nutty,
I was at AE a few months ago and it looked bad. Half full, rooms nearly empty, etc. That now makes sense as they were obviously paring down their lineup due to the reduction of sq. footage.
I've bought several items from AE in the past, from Linn, CAL, Vandersteen, etc. Last time I was there I did not see a single item that interested me. Hopefully they will consolidate on a few quality brands that offer good value and will have enough sales volume to keep them going.
Have you been to Hanson Audio up in Dayton? It's a seriously nice place. Great facility. Pretty good selection too. Worth a trip if you are in the market for new/retail high end. I've even bought some used stuff from them.