[bobthepanda]

Chain stores are like car dealerships; you don't actually need them to sell branded products, they're just a middleman that makes it easier if you don't care about that type of stuff.

The rise of Amazon, and the rise of brands that 100% own the physical display of their wares and don't use Amazon (e.g., Warby Parker), are putting the middlemen out of business. Unless you offer some customer service experience that is hard to duplicate (independent bookstores and their curation, Sephora with its makeup gurus, etc.) your middleman store is going to have a rough time.