Fastenal adopted a similar strategy, at least in my city. They're a great resource and I used to buy from them quite happily until one day a sign on the door saying basically ...we're an industrial supplier, if you're not commercial don't bother coming in... .
Hmm, okay, so I opened an on-line account. Two boxes of set screws was going to cost me over a hundred dollars with shipping. Ok, I get the idea. See ya.
-frank