I am really saddened to hear of this Brandon, I really enjoyed spending a little time in your store. I was planning on a trip up there in mid November, but I will see what I can do to make it there next weekend.
I completely agree with your stance on the hobby. I hesitate to even use the word 'hobby' to describe what is going on as too many are focused on the profit and not many are understanding the player or team. The art of set collecting is all but lost as well. The average collector does not have the clout anymore to be mentors to the next generation. It isn't flashy to have cards that are "boring" and "worthless". It was touched on in the other forum thread, the new generation is drawn to the hype, to the grade, and to the flash.
I echo the sentiment that the others have mentioned. I cannot wait for those that think they can get rich off of breaks and other thrill-induced hype that inflate the average cost of cards to the point that I cannot find a cheap Brewer card, are driven from our environment. Let them chase the next big thing. I hear Jell-O molds and beer steins are making a comeback. Let me trade or buy as many of the 1990 Donruss Yount cards that I can find without them sending me to the poorhouse.
I am one of the members that helps within the site. I work closely with the IRs and can answer most questions. Please send me a message if there is anything I can assist with. If I don't know, I can certainly try to figure it out or direct you to a resource.