Timespan matters. If businesses repeatedly don't do well, yes you get your 'fun' upper middle class variety, but the people trying to get a foothold and start b

Timespan matters. If businesses repeatedly don't do well, yes you get your 'fun' upper middle class variety, but the people trying to get a foothold and start businesses will fail and, with the lack of a real safety net, likely not open up further businesses. If that becomes the majority of small business owners in an area, wave goodbye to your 'fun' variety, small businesses, and hello to becoming Cleveland. I'm lucky that when my family came to America, it was still possible (and, more importantly, probable) to open a small business and build enough up to send your kids to college, expand your business, etc. Now, in order to be successful, you have to buy the property your shop is in too as a hedge against a downturn in business (more important in places with seasons when foot traffic declines), which reduces opportunity to entrepreneurs with fewer resources.