[hellodevnull]

>No matter their importance to their community, they can’t stay if they can’t pay

>Investors make money, franchises notch a new location, and the neighborhood suffers a significant death.

What are these businesses that are so great to the community yet don't make any money? If everyone's taking their business to franchises it's because they (the customers) prefer them and franchises provider a better service.

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.