Maybe. If I got some good word of mouth feedback from other audio buffs in the area I'd go talk to the local dealer. It would also depend on the vibe I got when walking into the dealer. Most of the time I've seen some of what Elizabeth details. That or the place just wanted a big $20,000+ HT build. If you just wanted to buy a couple of pieces of equipment they really wouldn't want to talk to you.
Would you trust a local dealer to help you put
together a modest system. (think $10k). Let's say you got tired of the whole "system building on my own thing." If you had a good local dealer, would you go take a chance on them and say "I want speakers, an amp and preamp (or integrated) that will sound good in a small to medium size family room." "I already have my sources." What's your take on this?