Why Are So Many Iconic Brands Suddenly Dying? One Word: Greed

Why Are So Many Iconic Brands Suddenly Dying? One Word: Greed

Party City. TGI Fridays. Joann Fabrics.

Household names—now bankruptcy headlines.

What do they all have in common?

Private equity.

Here’s how it works (and why it’s a scam):

Private equity firms buy up businesses—often ones that are still doing just fine.

They claim they’ll "turn them around."

But instead, they load the company with massive debt through a tactic called a leveraged buyout.

Translation: they buy the company, but make the company itself pay for it.

Take Joann’s.

Healthy business—until private equity bought it.

They saddled it with $400 million in debt, drained it of cash, cut corners, and watched it collapse.

All while the private equity execs walked away with bonuses, fees, and tax write-offs.

This isn’t a bug.

This is the business model.

It happened to Toys R Us.

It happened to Sears.

It’s happening right now to dozens more.

And it’s 100% legal.

So next time you see a beloved brand go under,

don’t blame the economy.

Blame the billionaires who bought it just to bleed it dry.

Corporate America isn’t dying of natural causes.

It’s being murdered for profit.