Thermal and/or NV.  Who are the good ones?  Any good ones that have a store front where one can try different products?  Any others one should avoid?

Site vendors include JRH as posted above and TNVC. Both have good reps. I’ve got stuff from both and been happy with the gear, service, pricing and didn’t need much follow up things were good no issues. There are other folks around you can pick up some names by reading threads.

Thermals can be used during the day and can be demoed in a store. The functionally of night time use can’t be explored cause most store fronts aren’t open at night. Trijicon and Nox are higher end thermal sights with good reps. $6K and up. I’ve had good luck with Bearing Optics thermals as a budget option $2K and up to get started. Killed some pigs and garden pests in complete darkness no issues with equipment . Bearing has a good following and quite a few threads on the NGV general forum. Both the listed vendors handle the mentioned items. ATN Pulsar and AGM tend to have some detractors and not a big fan base but got a family friend who wacks pigs with  inexpensive digital day night ATN scope with no problem.

Analog NVG goggles ( Gen 3 PVS-14s as an example of a basic device) for the most part will self destruct if used in daylight or in or around high light areas especially if handled by a novice user so you are probably unlikely to find any store front willing to demo analog NVGs without a rep standing there with you. Some indoor ranges can be darkened enough to run NVG courses in but that’s kinda uncommon.

You kinda got to figure out what you are looking to do or want to do then figure out what you can spend over what period of time and start going at it.

Both techs are absolutely game changers when it comes to preparedness/defense.

I appreciate the thoughtful replies, gentlemen.