You guys are looking at this like the guy who runs across a free 100 gallon tank and thinks that is the cost involved with a sw fish tank. The tank is the cheapest part...
Think about it. The LFS I used to frequent had a 4-5 thousand dollar electric bill each month. A 1000 plus water bill, they had food costs, equipment costs, 2-4 people on payroll. Then the costs of inventory... Basically they had to clear $25,000 in sales per month to break even. assuming a 20% gross margin...
Retail success isn't based in quality of service and knowledge of a product. It is how good and cheap you can get your product in front of a customer... Because the average consumer makes decisions based on price. The trick is to create a customer base, of people who have enough $$ to be willing to pay a premium for service, that is incorporated in the price...