For some reason the B&M stores near me seem to be a little more aligned with on-line pricing. Def not twice as much but certaiinly a premium is paid in store.
From what I see the main traffic is new people and the benefit is good customer service. If you don't have that , you won't survive long. Once the noobies get over the learning curve, know what they like, know what they want, I'm sure they migrate to more on line service. As long as you have the new guys coming in I think you can do alright.
And, I have to say, I do enjoy going in and seeing and holding the gear. On occasion I will buy something on the spot even if it means paying 20-30% more (a rough average). The key is do I enjoy being there? Do I walk away happy?
I bought my first RDA for $16 at a B&M, something I now know I can get on-line for $10-$12. But, I saw it, touched it, learned how to use it and watched how to rebuild it. It was fun. And I went home and dripped some fresh juice I had taste tested. It was great.