Very true Baz, a lot of local record shops here are closing down or thinking about going online sales only which is a pity as i know of at least one local dealer who has hundreds of boxes that he bought in the 70/80/90's and only sorts when he needs to replenish his stock, you can pick up some crackers if you go at the right time and he always prices them extremely fairly. I think he is realising he can make more money online
I suppose my earliest influence was a tape my friend gave me (Del Capri's, Supremes, Dobie Gray etc) that his uncle had done.
When i started DJing at our local event, one of the other DJ's was my friends uncle. Strange but true.