I bought my first proper digital camera last year from my local branch of Wilkinsons. They couldn't have been more helpful. I hadn't a clue what I wanted or needed, being a total newbie, but with their help I decided on a Samsung S850 compact camera which has been (and continues to be) a superb purchase.
I went back to them when I had an unexpected windfall and decided to go for a DSLR. Again, the service and the technical help couldn't be faulted, particularly as I really didn't have much of a clue! I'm sure they cringed every time I walked through the door....!
I visited the store during my lunch hour for several days, trying out Nikon/Canon etc, until I made my final choice, and they didn't once lose patience with me! They actually listened to what I wanted to get from my photography, and pointed me towards the Oly that I eventually purchased. I could have spent several hundred pounds more than I did and they knew what I had available to spend, but at no point was I pressured into something just to make a sale. They made sure that I got what I needed, not what they wanted to sell to make commission.
Since then I've made a point of buying almost everything from them...camera bag, filters, memory cards, batteries etc. I know I could have got everything much cheaper on that nasty interweb thingie, but it's so reassuring to find a shop that really seems to care about their customers.
Local, friendly shops are few and far between these days...use them or lose them!
Janet