My side gig which is not tech made more money than i ever did as a tech “worker”. That’s when i realised that we are living in a bubble. Step outside of it and you’ll be surprised at how much your mind’s being wasted by sitting on a chair all day chasing jira tickets like a drone (no insult intended). Our minds are designed to be analytical and organised. That’s precisely what can give you a massive competitive edge.

We like to discover, learn and master. Just as you learn a new technology in no time so can you learn how build a small business and be damn good at it.

Risk/reward/opportunity

The big tech giants are paying enough that most engineers don't consider the risk of opening their own business to be worth it.

Owning the shop provides intangibles like being your own boss, somewhat less sedentary lifestyle, more community interaction, etc. But the financial rewards are most likely no better than being a developer at a FANG.

That corner shop may have been started decades ago. The opportunity to buy it at a reasonable price has probably long past.

Ask the shop owner when they last had a vacation and a 401k with match.