If you’ve ever taken a stroll into Leo’s Corner (more widely known as The C Store), you’ve probably been shocked by the prices of what’s there. With necessities like toothpaste and Advil costing upwards of eight times the price of what can be found down the road at Target is both insane and a little belittling. While it is a convenience store and they have the location to charge what they do, it doesn’t mean they should. College students already struggling with money shouldn’t be put in a position to be taken advantage of in the way that they are.
As a first year with tons of declining balance in my account due to the required all access meal plan, these prices aren’t as restrictive because it’s money I need to spend or it will essentially just get washed down the drain at the end of the school year. But for other students spending their own physical cash, it’s not quite as easy. Complaints of the prices at The C Store can be heard everywhere on campus, and here’s why.
Looking for a quick meal? Sandwiches at The C Store cost $8.16. You can walk across the street and buy a footlong from SuperAmerica for $4.99. You could also stroll over to Klas Center and get a Subway footlong ranging from $4.99 to $8.19 (and you’re getting way more food and fresher ingredients). Otherwise, you could purchase lunch meat, cheese and bread from Target for just over $10.00 and that will make you a week’s worth of sandwiches.
Have a headache? Better hope you bought some Advil at Target where the price breaks down to about $0.08 per pill, with a 100 pill bottle costing $7.99. If not, you’ll be spending almost $0.70 per pill, with a four-pack costing $2.59 (that’s almost nine times the price) at The C Store.
Having milk and cereal for breakfast? That’ll be $5.29 for the cereal and $1.99 for a half gallon of milk, unless of course you catch a ride to Target where it’ll be $2.69 for cereal and $1.99 for a whole gallon of milk (meaning yes, The C Store is charging the exact same price for half the product).
40 oz of peanut butter can be found for $2.99 (about $0.07 per oz) at Target while at The C store it’s $4.19 for 16 oz (about $0.26 per oz; almost three times the price). PB and Js might not be so cheap to make here on campus.
Lastly, want to brush your teeth? Not at these prices. $4.99 at The C Store, $1.67 at Target.
You get the point, so I rest my case. The C Store is expensive and preys on the fact that students are either trapped because they can’t get to a Target or are locked into this expensive and unnecessary meal plan with too much money in declining balance. So if you can, avoid that store. If you’re a first year like me, spend that declining balance like there’s no tomorrow and probably just don’t get all access next year.