Well, we stopped at Blue Ridge Mountain Sports in Virginia Beach last night.
It's obvious the sales associates don't work for commission. I'm not sure they cared if they made a sale at all.
The store was empty except the 2 associates, we walked in and headed for the backpack wall. After about 3 minutes I asked for help. I told the girl I was a newbie hiker and needed my first backpack. I also told her we had made a side-trip to stop there on our way home to NC from Delaware. There were about 20 or so big backpacks on the wall and more smaller ones on another display. She told me they would have a better selection in a couple of weeks and I should come back then. She said they were having a sidewalk sale/gear swap the first week of April and that she was selling her backpack then. I asked her to measure me so I'd have some idea what size I needed and she told me the device she had to measure me was for only one brand and it wouldn't be good for any other. I gave up on the backpack.
I stepped over to the sleeping bags and told her I have one, but it's an extra long, down one and I want a smaller one. She asked how I was storing mine and gave me some pointers, but that was about it. I asked which ones they had were down and she told me not many people around there used down. She said I'd be just as well off to buy a compression sack. I gave up on the sleeping bag.
The same sort of thing happened when I asked about the water filters and some stuff sacks and compression sacks. It was like pulling teeth trying to talk to her. And the guy that was working there never came out of the cash register area.
I know I'm a frumpy-looking, silver-haired, overweight, obvious newbie hiker, BUT I had $500 in my hand and was ready to spend it.
Looks like I'm going to have to make a LONG drive to REI.