The role of independent LFS’s has and continues to evolve in this rapidly advancing hobby. Owning a 37 year old LFS, I am forced to face all things online: forums, trustworthy product reviews, great blogs, ridiculously cheap pricing, and super sexy WYSIWYG. I must embrace these and other changes as fighting them is futile. What I will not embrace however is the constant demonization of LFS’s by so many hardcore hobbyists, online vendors, and especially manufacturers. I’m still relevant, WE are still relevant. You need us, our contributions, and our point of view in this exciting, challenging, and sometimes maddening, obsessive hobby that drives us all.