Step back for a moment and forget we're talking about Menard's items:
With the narrow exception of products deemed to be life necessities where there are laws in place to prevent gouging during times of shortages, war, natural disasters, anyone is free to ask any price they desire for any item they wish to sell.
If someone has something for sale for $100 that can be readily purchased elsewhere for $50, it is none of our business, other than to walk away, or perhaps give a counter offer, and then walk away.
If a buyer walks up to that same seller, sees the product priced at $100 and thinks, "wow, I want this, and I'm okay with the price," that, too, is none of our business. The buyer is happy, and the seller is happy. That does not make the seller a thief, nor does it make the buyer an idiot.
One thing I learned a very long time ago is that in business one must be dispassionate when it comes to negotiations and transactions. Granted, in the hobby world this can be difficult as this is a passion of ours.
Lastly, I have tried to apply the following to the train hobby (and hobbies in general) with which I am involved:
1. it does not matter what the other guy likes
2. it does not matter how he runs his trains
3. it does not matter how he modifies his trains
4. it does not matter how much he spends on his trains
5. it does not matter how much he tries to sell his trains for
6. it does not matter how one enjoys any hobby
By using the above "rules", I'm happy, and I'm also happy the next guy is happy who does things his way.
