Borders closing: Another one bites the dust

Taco Bell. Boston Market. Krispy Kremes.

Now Borders, too.

Can someone please explain to me why this happens over and over:

1. I hear about/visit some awesome chain in the US. I wish we had it here.
2. I hear it’s coming to Oz! (It still takes several years…)
3. It comes! (Everyone’s excited because they’ve heard of it on TV/movies).
4. It does massive business (for years). People line up around the block.
5. Despite no apparent slackening of demand, it suddenly closes down, owners claiming there was a lack of interest (!?).

Now Borders I can understand somewhat, as of course now everyone’s going e-book or buying online to avoid the hideous triple-the-price mark-ups we’ve been forced to pay all these years to buy a book in an Australian bookstore (Australian publishing industry’s fault, I’ve heard – good riddance to their little monopoly, if so).

But Krispy Kremes? People still line up to buy them (at like $3 for one donut). How could this possibly be not profitable enough? Did their initial business plan depend on every man, woman and child in Australia buying at least two donuts for every meal, 365 days a year? Is there some exclusive license-to-bring-US-chains-to-Australia that’s owned by complete dimwits?