Still, it's better than buying in a chain. The local store owner can decide whether to buy from Costco or not, can decide which products he carries etc., while

Still, it's better than buying in a chain. The local store owner can decide whether to buy from Costco or not, can decide which products he carries etc., while for example a 7/11-like franchise operator is basically a glorified manager - a puppet of his corporate overlords, which control every aspect of the store for him, fine him if the products are placed on shelves in the wrong order etc.