Re: You cant have it both ways
Yes, they had a small shop in Westcliff when it first started. Run by the husband and wife team who started the whole thing. Was a great shop for electronic hobbyists like me, with knowledgeable staff and a huge stock of bits and pieces. Stayed like that for years then started expanding and opening new stores. At some point it lost its 'hobbyist' focus and became a toy-shop.
They still have a store in Westcliff, almost opposite the original first shop, but it's much bigger and rarely seems to have any of the components I want in stock when I visit.