The Long View

Exploring how ownership transitions shape people, communities, and what comes next.

The Case for Community Ownership: What Happens When Main Street Businesses Change Hands
Annie Clymer Annie Clymer

The Case for Community Ownership: What Happens When Main Street Businesses Change Hands

Baby Boomers own millions of small businesses across America. Over the next decade, an enormous wave of these businesses will change ownership as their founders retire. Who buys them will determine whether wealth stays local or leaves, whether jobs are protected or eliminated, and whether communities thrive or hollow out. The question isn't whether Main Street businesses will change hands, but who will own them next, and what that will mean for the communities they serve.

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