In reply to Richard.

Exactly ... this really shouldn't surprise anyone. Different stores in different locations have different operating costs. It costs more to pay employees, pay taxes, keep the lights on, etc. in big-city-California, for example, than it does in small-town-Midwest. Individual stores need to offset those costs by adjusting prices while taking into account local competition, supply chain, etc. It's not an evil plot, just he cost of doing business in diverse markets.