I got it now. I had to highlight as I read. FriendlyMan, paragraphs make for a LOT easier reading.
To your question, Yes, I relate. Not in talking to the owner to try to relieve his apathy, but on the shape of the humidor.
There's a shop over near Cuyahoga Falls with a great big walk-in and the shelves are covered with boxes. Literally, boxes. All are empty but a handful with maybe one or two cigars.
There were a couple guys manning the counter and they were too busy to bother with me, not that they had anything to sell. It was cool in a Twilight Zone kinda way. I have no idea how they keep the lights on, but they were still in business at that time.
I saw the same kind of thing at Grove City Outlet in PA., just not to the same level. They threw old boxes away, so there were about 10 boxes of cigars in a walk-in that'd hold at least 1000.