I used to drive 3 hrs to a different state to go to the hydro shop. I have since found one that is about an hour away. There is only one employee other than the owner and they are both cool as hell. They know I have to drive a ways to get there so I usually get hooked up with an extra 15-20% off! I have also been given lots of products to sample and try out. They know I have many other places that I can shop for these items and are very appreciative of my business! The owner told me about the time a cop actually came into the store with an attitude saying that he knows all of this equipment is being sold to grow pot. The owner (being very knowledgeable) explained to him all the uses for their products and showed him all the vegetables/plants/flowers that they had growing inside. The only thing that the cop got out of his little visit was a receipt and the products that he had purchased for his wife!!! My shop gets a lot of business from schools and even a local convent goes there to buy supplies! (BTW I have never ran into a nun there, but it would be pretty funny)
With the length of my drive I don't believe that anyone is going to take the time to follow me home. I don't believe I would do much shopping at one in my own town... too much risk IMO. The shop is in a very nice complex on the end so I can just park off to the side instead of out front. They always box up my items or put larger things in black trash bags so its not so obvious whats going out the door. I always pay cash and have never had an issue so far. I just found out that they are also really great about buying used items/products. Going through all of my testing has left me with a lot of extra stuff I am just not going to use. My car is actually going to be more full on the trip there than it will be when I go to pick up my order this week!