Readers had strong reactions. A few responses, edited for clarity and brevity:
💸 "I've been thinking about private equity a lot recently and wondering if we (Charlotte citizens/ elected folks) can do anything about it. I wonder how much of money spent at these places stays local and how mom and pops could possibly compete with such deep pockets." — Zach S.
🤷♂️ "Anyone who says PE, as it relates to the impact on small businesses, is either 100% good or 100% bad is dumb .... What the good ones do: Raise wages - pay people more in salary, and offer benefits that companies may not have been able to afford to previously." — Alec S.
🤔 "There are times that I will seek out a business because I've read about the owner and my values or interests align with theirs. Otherwise, no I don't think about the owner. Your article is making me think about the difficulties this brings to local small business owners." — Christine T.
🌇 "[T]hese days, it can be hard to know who really owns what and what's really a true local business versus a one-per-city chain designed to make you think it's local until you spend a weekend in Atlanta and go, wait, they have also have a shopping center with a Hawker's, Culinary Dropout, and Jeni's side by side." — Camille M.
🤳 "A chain is a chain is a chain. Charlotte just loves Insta." — Shannon R.
