the first place having a reputation of being "expensive"...over the last few years, I've been in several circumstances where I've noticed just how subjective that word is. Once was when I was in a
very economically depressed area, in what was passing as a "mall" (that was down to about 6 stores), in a store that was selling items at a
deep discount. If you were local, I'd say thing selling cheaper than they do in the Marc's aisle, or maybe Gabe's. There was a couple in the store who decided $5 for a new set of sheets was "too expensive". Nearby, an employee was talking about wanting to go to Five Guys for a burger but it was "very" expensive. Which, yeah, compared to McDonald's, Five Guys IS expensive, but compared to a 5 star restaurant in downtown Cleveland, it's a bargain.
And then of course now I have ladies come in to Chico's, grab a pair of $99 jeans and a $70 top and enthuse at how INexpensive our clothes are. Which again, compared to Old Navy? Not so much. Compared to the other super upscale boutiques in that town? Definitely.
ETA: One more example...last summer, I was debating a solo trip to the shores of Delaware. I was looking at restaurants in the various beach towns there and balking at how "expensive" they were...and then I found that at some point, when I wasn't paying attention, the prices at the chain restaurants around here--places like Olive Garden, TGIFriday's, etc.--had all gone up and really, those "expensive" restaurants in Delaware weren't charging any more than our local chains. AND the Delaware restaurants were mom and pop places, so the money would go to a good "cause".
