Aggresive Acquisitions

I'm not understanding why GXL is paying grossly more than most pet store owners would ever dream of selling their businesses for. I'm in the industry and hear along the grapevine that they are about to buy 3 more stores in WA and they are paying exorbitant prices for them. A corporate will generally not operate a store like a 'good' owner operator so it will never produce the same returns. I would have thought they could open a new store much cheaper.