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Imagine Fort Myers-based Chico's wants to open another store in a fast-growing area, not far from one of its existing stores and right in the trade area of a weaker competitor. Or imagine the owner of a McDonald's franchise wanting to do the same.

Each case, of course, would require the investment of startup capital. And each opening, in essence, would be a risk and a bet that the owners of these stores have the know-how and skills to make them profitable. It's their risk.

Now look at these scenarios from the customer's standpoint. Heretofore, in each area where these stores is planned consumers have purchased their women's clothing from existing women's clothiers and, say, hamburgers from Burger Kings and Wendy's. So if you asked the consumers in this area whether they would want a Chico's or McDonald's, if they thought about it logically, they would say “yes.”