Have you considered that no one wants to open a local shop in the first place? Chains are the only people in the position to take on the huge huge risk of openi

Have you considered that no one wants to open a local shop in the first place? Chains are the only people in the position to take on the huge huge risk of opening a store. As a store owner, you have exposure to wage laws, property values, foot traffic, etc. I would personally argue that you would have to irrational to open a mom-and-pop store in this day and age.