Have you ever noticed your favorite local businesses suddenly changing—new branding, different staff, or a drop in quality? It might not be a coincidence.

Private equity firms and big investors are quietly buying up small businesses, rolling them into large corporate groups, and stripping them of their local roots. What was once a family-owned shop or a community-driven service is now just another cog in a profit-driven machine.

This isn’t just happening to big-name brands—it’s happening to the mom-and-pop businesses we rely on every day. And once they’re gone, they rarely come back.

Have you seen this happen in your area? What businesses have you noticed being quietly taken over? Let’s talk about how we can keep small businesses truly local.