<< but I didnt see any of those crazy mic specials everyone alsways talks about. Bah. >>
what, you think this is an every day occurrence?

the beauty of the "crazy deals" is that they happen once in a rare while, they're short-lived, and usually you have to luck into em.
i have to admit that i'm pretty addicted to the GC that's about 45 minutes from me. i've made pretty good friends with a couple knowledgable folks in drums, guitars and pro audio and they always take care of me. and most importantly, they never try to bullshit me.
sure it's "consumer gear" for the most part, but when you're talking drums, cables, cymbals, used guitars, new solid state amps, and all-around "regular stuff", i've found them to have a pretty decent selection and better than average prices. the "deals" usually happen once a year and usually during one of their major sales.
cheers,
wade