All, I'd like to go test my next espresso machine on site before purchase. I'm thinking Rocket R58 or similar. Is there a retail store in the southeast US where I take some coffee and try it out before purchase? Or do I have to go to Seattle or Portland? Not a real hardship. But it'd be nice to drive there rather than fly. Thanks for your assistance.
ms

You can come to my house in Orlando and play on my Rocket Cellini. Not exactly the same as the R58 but similar form factor and operation.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I can't see it being super common for shops to allow hands on with various. The liability reasons alone (what if you burn yourself steaming? Damage the machine?) make it seems like a non-starter in the litigious world we live in.

From Seattle Coffee Gear "We have retail stores in Lynnwood, Bellevue and Portland. We ship nationally and can expertly assist you over the phone in selecting the machine that is right for you, but we also have all our models setup in our retail stores! Each machine is ready to brew, so if you're in the area, you can stop by and experience side-by-side comparison of taste and functionality."

So while it's not common to have machines ready to try out, it is done.