Basically, the company had to pay for its own buyout when private equity firms KKL, Vornado, and Bain bought the company for $6.6 billion, mostly with loans.
Because the company then had to pay off those extreme loans, they were forced to sell off their assets and property, which they leased back from the very private equity firms that now owned them.
The same thing happened more recently with Red Lobster and JoAnn Fabrics.
the same happens to most mortgages, namely income goes to the lender and you get a house.
But, you get the equity, and you own the house when (if) you pay off the loan. Renters get nothing.
Renters get a roof over their head (and they should be grateful for that). /s