Excellent point - I totally agree! (Other than the fact that I usually just build my own myself...)

But if you're not the type to throw together your own computers, then you should definitely purchase local if you can. But also ask the small company you are buying it from if they have any plans set up with other places to support your machine (If it comes with a warranty, and it definitely should. Don't buy a new computer from anyone unless it comes with a warranty!) in the event that the business closes down. [Then again, I've never heard of such a thing, anywhere, so it's probably a meanless effort to ask, but then again, you never know.]