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I hate the "wide board short wheelbase" trend. It's really hard to find an 8.5" deck with at least a 14.5" wheelbase in person for me, more so now with the DLX True Fit decks.
"just buy online!" For some reason I get super anxious when trying to buy stuff online; I'd rather buy in person.
Seems more like a problem with you specific shop than skating as a whole. 8.5 x 14.5 is a pretty standard size. Maybe use tactics to see what boards are what size and go to the shop with that info. Or ask if you can order boards through them.
I would say the same is true for me locally. The brands that shops stock like FA/Hockey, Sk8Mafia, Limo, PS Stix brands, some DLX brands, etc. all have shorter wheelbases leaving you with a few BBS generic shapes, Polar, and..... that's it really. All those brands either only or mostly have wheelbases of 14.25 or under.
Quick and incomplete list of brands that do 8.5 x 14.5 - 14.75:
5boro
Baker
Birdhouse
Black label
Chocolate
Deathwish
Foundation
Frog
Girl
Hopes
Magenta
Passport
Picture show
Polar
Quasi
Real
Sci-Fi
Theories
There
Traffic
Welcome
Yah and if you read what I wrote the brands I bolded above qualify as "generic BBS" since they share the same shapes. Quasi mostly does 14.25 in 8.5 and I said "locally" because my locals don't order their larger boards since they don't sell. My local also doesn't carry Traffic, Hopps, Welcome, Birdhouse, Black Label, 5boro, Magenta, or Theories. I forgot to list the Baker brands so good on that one. I don't think Crail does a popsicle in many drops that is over 14.44 (it's just 14.38 or lines up with that).
DLX does longer wheelbases, but rarely in 8.5. There has Chandler's shape and sometimes the full shapes so that gives you 1-2 decks to choose from.
I think the normal BBS lengths are fine. I've ridden the DLX 8.38x14.5 on Thunders and its great.