I hear you Shawn. It's a crying shame where the hobby has gone in the past 12 years. Toys R Us is missed heavily. Heck, if Smyths Toys wouldn't have bought all their stores here in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, I would be almost completely dependent on online dealers, too!
Yet, the U.S. have many specialists and stores that we can only dream of here in Europe. I'll try to cheer you up a little over the coming days and weeks. In fact I had a job offer last week. Jens from Legacy Arts asked me if I wanted to work for his cousin in Los Angeles.
Back in 2010 it was my biggest wish to move to the U.S., but my chances to get the Green Card are so low, that I stopped dreaming.
I'm surprised by the quantity and shape of the Star Wars figures on pegs at Smyths. If you go there frequently, chances are high to get those figures case fresh. If I bought my figures there for regular MRSP, I'd probably ask an employee when they usually restock and just get them right of the shipper before anyone else can touch them. Their employees are usually friendly if you ask them kindly.
It's good to see the Star Wars section expand again. The Jazwares X-Wing is the beginning of a new era or just the return of it. I wasn't expecting their Micro Galaxy Squadron line become available here in Germany. But I'm even happier now that it has.
I just got permission from the owner of a store in The Netherlands to share the pictures that I took at the beginning of August. If you still enjoy my store reports from Germany, I can add those pictures to a new thread. But I'm not sure if it's a good idea.
When you see pictures of that store, you'll either hate me or convince your family to move to the Netherlands with you.
They have some of the very best and most specialized stores all over Europe. I just love the Netherlands and many Dutch love to come to Germany as well.
One cannot have it all at one place I guess...