This isn’t a sob story, exactly, but rather an illustration of the commercial logic shaping American cities. As far as landlords are concerned, restaurant chains and large retailers are safer bets than mom-and-pop stores, Perez says. The same thinking goes for banks lending to property buyers, who will generally extend better terms when a chain business such as a Gap or a Walgreens is on the lease.
Radical Localism: The Localism Resource 