This is the sort of service from a shop that actually sponsored the summer edition of that magazine last year!
I'm afraid it is just commercial considerations. Display space for magazines is limited and highly sought after. The bigger titles pay a lot of money to have theirs prominently displayed that is why you usually see niche interest magazines such as modelling on the lower shelves or even virtually tucked out of sight where it is difficult to see them. There are a lot more ladies who buy women's magazines than there are modellers who buy model magazines so we are well down in the pecking order to start with!
A small branch might only sell one or two copies of Model Boats or Marine Modelling each month but still has to take perhaps five of each. The unsold copies are pulped. At larger branches there is more demand so it is just about worth stocking them.
But there is a perfect solution! Just take out a subscription. This is normally much cheaper than buying the issues individually, you get it prior to the publication day delivered to your door and instead of around 50% of the cost going to the distributor it goes to the publisher instead which supports the financial viability of the magazine and its ability to commission the articles you want to read!
I know some people argue that they like to browse through the issues in the store to see if they are worth buying but in that case you just have to take pot luck as you are a promiscuous shopper! If you find that the majority of the issues each year have enough content to make you want to buy a copy then a subscription is a no brainer. This doesn't just apply to Model Boats or Marine Modelling but to lots of other special interest magazines as well. It is surprising just how many people don't do the maths and end up spending more than they really need to whilst supporting the profits of the distributors rather than the publishers who actually produce the magazines.
As most people know, I do quite a bit of work for Model Boats magazine and I can assure you that the economics of the publishing trade have been quite an eye opener. If you like the magazine, whichever one it is, then support it by subscribing because that way everyone wins.
Colin