Part 6/13:
Moreover, the charm and character of neighborhoods diminish as bustling local shops are replaced with soulless franchises. As local businesses shutter, community ties fray, leaving behind empty structures that neither serve the community nor generate revenue. The notorious “dark store theory” further illustrates this downside, wherein retailers argue their big box buildings should be assessed as nearly valueless vacant properties to exploit tax loopholes, effectively making these economically unviable locations burdensome liabilities for cities.