ngrx Load data from server only if the store is empty

There are different ways of doing this. First of all you can keep a hasLoaded: boolean property in the state. Then you can check this before you make the service get call.

ngOnInit() {
  this.store.select(getHasLoaded)
    .take(1)
    .subscribe(hasLoaded => {
      if (!hasLoaded) this.store.dispatch(new countries.Load()); 
    }
}

Another option is to let your @Effect check the hasLoaded property:

@Effect()
  loadCollection$: Observable<Action> = this.actions$
    .ofType(countries.LOAD)
    .withLatestFrom(this.store.select(getHasLoaded)
    .filter(([ action, hasLoaded ]) => !hasLoaded) // only continue if hasLoaded is false 
    .switchMap(() =>
      this.countriesService
        .getCountries()
        .map((countriesList: Country[]) => {
          return new countries.LoadSuccess(countriesList);
        })
    .catch(error => of(new countries.LoadFail(error)))
);

For this to work you need to provide the store in your Effects constructor.