It affects the fabric of every small town, but it also has an effect on our middle class economy. It's no longer possible for individual small-business owners to open a local neighborhood store that provides services and employment for the neighborhood. If you're not part of a big franchise operation then your small store doesn't have access to the wholesale distributors and you can't compete with the "big box" stores or with the Amazon-type of webstores. You can't even complete with the second tier discount stores like Big Lots or Family Dollar.
It leaves the small local retailers with 2 options, either close their doors or buy in with a big franchise of some kind. Once you've done that you do have some protections but you're also toeing their line and they get most of the profits. The retailer is basically working for the franchiser even though they're taking all the risks. A lot of people decide that it's hardly worth it.
There really is no free enterprise any more in the US, considering how difficult and expensive it is to start a business here. Retail is especially risky and fraught with barriers, unlike the times while I was groing up in the 1950's and 60's.
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