&gt;No matter their importance to their community, they can’t stay if they can’t pay<p>&gt;Investors make money, franchises notch a new location, and the neighborhood suffers a significant death.<p>What are these businesses that are so great to the community yet don&#x27;t make any money? If everyone&#x27;s taking their business to franchises it&#x27;s because they (the customers) prefer them and franchises provider a better service.<p>Seems like the author just longs for independent stores and the like simply because he dislikes corporate culture, and would rather pay more to avoid it.