Comment by banannaise

> If a PE firm can just unilaterally raise prices, then why didn't he mom n pop practices do the same?

Because they have a connection to their community, which means both (1) they're more vulnerable to backlash, and (2) they don't want to, because it would be taking directly from other members of their community.

Mom-and-pop shops tend to price based on what is fair. PE firms tend to price based on what is profit-maximizing.