It is amazing that Amarillo continues to have higher gas prices than the rest of the country. Amarillo should be at the bottom of the gas price spectrum since one of the largest oil refineries is located just 40 miles north of town. I just got back from Chicago and Amarillo's gas prices are the same. How can this be? Amarillo has a much cheaper cost of living than Chicago. I believe I know the answer. There is one store in town that is bullying the other non-chain stores into submission. This bully is named Tootntotum.
I was told by one of the independent store owners that if they lower their gas prices, Tootntotum will lower their prices on all the other non-gas items in the stores that surround this competing store. This same store owner told me that profit on gas should never be greater than $. 05 per gallon but Amarillo's profit on gas is over $. 25 per gallon. Most of the time, gas in Amarillo is more expensive than the surrounding towns, even though the gas is shipped from Amarillo. Gas in Canyon (just minutes from Amarillo) is consistently $. 15 cheaper than Amarillo. This 80 chain store in Amarillo has purchased 5 separate competing stores in Amarillo and demolished them and sold the property to non competing businesses (I-40 & Bell, I-40 & Georgia, I-40 & Western, 45th and Coulter, Westgate Mall, 45th & Western).
Gas prices are high enough without having to pay this extra monopoly tax levied by this one man show. A HARD WORKING person that fills up a 15 gallon tank, once a week is paying an extra $3 per tank because Tootntotum controls our prices. I urge all Amarillo people to make a statement by looking for the cheapest gas prices in Amarillo and shop at the Mom and Pop stores instead of Tootntotum. If my car broke down in front of a Tootntotum, I would call a tow truck before giving Tootntotum any of my money.
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