From what I can tell, the shop owner know, and are frustrated. True, many purchasers don't care if the beer is fresh or not. But whenever I make my enthusiasm for fresh beer known, I'm met with quiet embarrassment.
So I buy Yuengling, and other beers that I can find fresh. That's most of what I buy, and I always have Guinness and Yuengling on hand these days. But on the rare occasions when I start craving an APA or an IPA...well I'm SOL.