I have been watching this thread with interest, living just outside of Chicago and having it seems just inherited a house in Tampa. I am curious of Audio stores around south Florida.
I also use to frequent Audio Consultants in Evanston back in the late 1980's and early 90's. I liked to check out their used gear shelf in the front of the store. But I would not call them a serious stereo store. They (at least at that time) used switch boxes and didn't set anything up properly. The Audio Consultants in Hinsdale is still this way. I remember the first time I heard a pair of Martin Logans at the store in Evanston. I thought they were the worst sounding speakers I had ever heard. Then I heard a properly set up pair at Saturdays Audio Exchange which also had a store in Evanston. What a huge difference when you moved them away from the wall.
I do agree that Chicago has a number of good stereo stores . We are very lucky in that way, I have gotten to hear a lot of different gear I wouldn't have had a chance to hear somewhere else.