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10 Retail Franchise Businesses You May Never Have Considered

Written by: Candice Clem

Article Overview: Everyone knows the most popular retail establishments, and even the word retail often brings to mind days as a teenager, working in a chain store or a mall boutique. Mainstream retail stores are perfectly fine, but for those who want to start a more unique retail store, take a look at some of the retail businesses you may have never considered.

10 Retail Franchise Businesses You May Never Have Considered

The word retail can bring to mind a handful of things for the average American: Wal-Mart, Target, Macy’s, JC Penny, a favorite book shop, and maybe the handful of little mom-and-pops in the neighborhood. Entrepreneurs, however, are no ordinary Americans, and they know that there are plenty of other business opportunities available to anyone hoping to start a retail franchise. Often, there are still many business opportunities that remain overlooked, and often, these overlooked opportunities are some of the best. So take a moment to look at the retail franchises you might not have noticed before.
From an American perspective, Cartridge World seems like an up-and-comer in the retail world, but really, the company has been building a franchising force for the last 17 years. Since its start in Australia in 1991, this company has grown to the size of 1600 international stores, 500 of which are spreading across the United States, and all of that success has been built on one simple principle: printers need ink cartridges, and refilling them is much easier and cheaper than buying them new.

One market that is often overlooked is the mailbox shop, and a major player in the business is The Mailbox Stores. Technically, this business is not a franchise, because the buyer is given 100% control of the operation and has no royalties or fees to pay; however, he still gets all the initial planning and continuing business help that he needs to succeed at renting personal mail boxes and providing mailing services to his clients. The Mailbox Stores provide all the perks of a franchise with fewer responsibilities.

Another forgotten industry is mattresses. If we think about it, the overwhelming majority of America uses a mattress every single night. We spend an average of one third of our lives in ben, and for that reason, there is always a demand for mattresses. Franchising with America’s Mattress throws you into a retail market that will exist as long as human beings keep sleeping—which should be awhile.

Let’s not forget a retail hero that we all know and love, though we may not always think about it: the dollar store. Though you may never have been in a Dollar Stores by Allied Systems franchise, you have undoubtedly had the dollar store experience somewhere very similar. Business in this market keeps up very steadily, making this sometimes snubbed business truly profitable, even when that profit comes in one dollar at a time.

A big sector of retail is clothing, but not all clothing franchise opportunities are created equally. One option on the table for the franchisee with an eye for something different is flip-flops—yes, the footwear. If you’re looking for a specialty shop, it doesn’t get any more specialty than the Flip Flop Shop, where all they sell is sandals. The stock is relatively simple; the clientele is downright fun; and by design, the store is built to succeed in the average American mall. Another mall-targeting retail outlet is Hometown Threads; the name to trust when it comes to clothing personalization. Whether the customer is getting 200 hoodies embroidered with their company logo or getting a special image screen-printed on a baseball cap for his brother’s birthday, there is always work to do in a retail market that is increasingly leaning to personalized products.

One off-the-radar establishment is Pacific Power Batteries. Everyone uses batteries, yet most of us don’t even know how many different kinds there are, but Pacific Power Batteries does. They provide everything from batteries for your emergency flashlight, to equipment for solar panels, which means that anyone who has any kind of energy needs is a viable source of business.

Another good company that you’ve probably never seen is Baby Safe Homes, the name to call for childproofing safety equipment. This work from home business does all of its retail work out of a company vehicle, but the work is not just sales. The owner provides consultations, in-home safety analyses, product sales, and installation where necessary. It’s not just retail; it’s full service.

Finally, if you want something in the retail/service market, a salon is a great choice, and there are a number of great business opportunities here. None is more interesting than a men’s salon. Yes, you read that right, with your own American Male franchise, you can be one of the few operations in town that caters specifically to the beauty needs of local upscale men. It is a relaxed environment for franchisee, employees, and clients because that is precisely what the shop must be to address the needs of busy, and often stressed, guests. But if a women’s salon seems more in line with your personal retail goals, :10 Minute Manicure is a great option. Based on an original shop built in an airport, the concept is simple and perfect for a fast-paced world: get clients in, served, relaxed, and out in only 10 minutes. It seems like it could be a challenge for someone with no previous experience in salon life, but the business was begun by an attorney and 2 PR executives, so you can be certain that whatever your professional past, their systems are successful enough to see you through.

It’s amazing what can be found by simply taking the time to look past the businesses that you recognize. Virtually any retail small business franchise has a good outlook for success, but if you pick something that not everyone is doing, at least you’ll have more fun telling people what you do.

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Article Tags: 17 years, american perspective, cartridge world, favorite book, handful, human beings, ink cartridges, jc penny, macy, mailing services, mattresses, overwhelming majority, personal mail boxes, retail franchise, retail franchises, retail market, retail world, royalties, target, wal mart



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Re: Enticing Franchises - Top 9 List - All Franchise listed above are in millions of dollars. Do you have the list of Franchise in thousands
Re: Info for would be franchisers... - [quote="Sebastien":1d29sdv1]Like Franchise Times, Franchise Update is a very practical magazine. There is no blah blah, just straight facts that anyone in the franchise community can relate to. I just want to mention that all these magazines are NOT franchisee oriented. I mean these magazines are for franchise professionals. If you're looking to buy a franchise, you won't find much information in there. To answer your question, getting published in Franchise Times was fairly easy. I don't want to brag too much but I think I am known in the franchise industry. I was the marketing guy at Franchise.com for a few years before joining my new company, the World Franchising Network. So people know me and I have a very good relationship with Nancy Weingartner, the Managing Editor at Franchise Times. I was talking with her at the last Franchise Expo South in Miami and she mentioned she'd like me to be profiled. I was like "ok, sure!". I like this franchise executive profile thing in Franchise Times as it is rarely BS. People are usually really natural in there.[/quote:1d29sdv1] Thanks for the follow up Sebastien! And I can't say that I'm surprised that networking with the right people and managing your relationships with them properly are the keys to being published. I guess the old adage holds true of "it's not who you know, but who knows you" that's important.
how much for a franchise fee? - Dear Colleague There is no easy answer to this question. Things to consider: [list=] The sizeof the Franchise Clent base Expected Turnover Intellectual Property costs (recoup) Number of Franchises Number of employees Original Set up costs Franchise admin costs An example: A franchise that I was involved in setting was to a simple "lawn mowing/home repair" franchise. The Franchise included national/local advertising - preparation of client lists - general admin - central accounting etc The Franchise involved 300-500 clients - and an annual turnover of about $300,000 . The annual franchise fee was $30,000. Hope that this gives you some idea Take care Ian[/list]
Re: Franchise Surveys - Another good tool to researching a franchise is to speak with their existing franchisees. This contact information is included in most Franchise Disclosure Documents. In order to get a Franchise Disclosure Document or FDD as it is often referred to, you will have to complete a basic franchise application. The franchisor will then usually provide you with the FDD at that time. Included in that book of information is a list of the existing franchisees, the contract, the investment information etc... This information is required by Federal Law to be disclosed to your prior to making a purchase. So be sure to do your research and start with the Franchise Documents to get the initial information.


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