I live about 4 miles from the Grizzly store, and you are right-it is a treat to visit the show room. I remember when they started here, about 1984, I think (could be wrong). At that time, I remember them having only the 15" planer, a 6" jointer, and a drill press, I think. Maybe a TS too. The 1023 was their first cabinet saw, although they may have had their contractor's saw around that time too. The 1023 was a clone of the Unisaw.
I eventually bought the 15" planer, and later some other tools, though my shop is by no means exclusively Grizzly.
I know several of the show room guys, and they are all really helpful. I bought a 13" Rockwell/Invicta planer off CL, at a really good price because the drive roller chain had broken, and shattered the gear cover. The cover was no big deal to weld up, but I couldn't find the right chain, as it was metric. Finally took a sprocket into Grizzly, and one of the guys pulled the gear cover off so we could check my sprocket against their chain. Sure enough, it fit, so I was back in business.
Another time, I had bought a Grizzly 1.5 hp shaper off CL, but it didn't come with a manual. I needed the manual because I needed to switch over from 120v. to 240 v operation, which was by no means something I could do without guidance. So "Smitty" went back into the office and printed a copy of the manual for me. No charge.