As with everything, I imagine, different music stores have their own culture: it's like (if at all you remember) the opposing cultures of Werehouse Records and Tower Records. Werehouse was a bit more corporate and homogenized, while Tower was much more relaxed and hip.
To me, Zia Records feels more like the Towers of lore, with a bit more structure and a lot more personality. You walk in, and you could spend an easy hour just sifting around looking for bargains. Unlike Tower, the Zia staff isn't condescending just because they have tattoos and plugs, and you don't. Zia has respect AND nice bargains. I bought a CD at FYE in Fullerton, CA, drove to Arizona, and found it for half the price at Zia. That's a long drive for a used CD, I know. But I bought multiple!
If you're opposed to Amazon, if you're tired of FYE (who isn't?), then you can also shop Zia online.