Ahh so many memories, great thread idea.
One that springs to mind is Toys R Us in Basildon, Essex. Not a small little local but that place was like a dream come true when I was 8 years old. Video games, toys, boardgames and tons of Lego.
I'd spend ages looking at the video games, the box art, reading the back of the boxes and imagining playing them all.
At the time they would have a picture behind plastic of the front and back of the game box and you would take the little paper ticket to the till, pay and then have to go and wait at some weird little kiosk for someone to come and give you the actual game. I probably only bought half a dozen games for my NES but the ritual of the collection and my excitement for a new game was amazing.
I couldn't wait to open the game box and read through the guide/instructions in the car on the way home, this was promptly followed by crushing disappointment when I played the game and was usually utterly useless at it like with Mega Man or Zelda 2...