Find an alternative
Taking your money elsewhere?
Leaving is easy. Finding somewhere that answers to different owners takes work, because private equity rollups usually keep the original local name. The alternative down the street may belong to the same kind of buyer.
PE ownership checker
This checker currently searches our PE ownership index only. A “no record” result does not establish that a business is independent or free of other corporate or institutional ownership — it means we have no record of private equity ownership specifically.
Alternatives to a specific brand
Pick a brand and a city. You will get what we know about the owner, how to recognize an independent in that sector, and any alternatives readers have suggested.
What this tool does not do: rank businesses, verify service quality, or guarantee that a suggestion is independently owned. Reader suggestions are reviewed by an editor before publishing and are labeled if they appear in our PE database. Ownership changes constantly; verify before you commit to anything expensive.