About 60 percent of Pizza Patrón customers and 45 percent of the franchisees are Latino. As a convenience to its mostly Latino customer base who often have have leftover pesos from Mexico, Pizza Patron will accept foreign currency in exchange for pizza. On an unrelated note, did you know that Patron tequila (which I love almost as much as Casa Noble) also co-founded Paul Mitchell, the haircare products company?

Yum! Brands (KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut) U.S. blended system-same-store sales increased 5%. Colony-based Pizza Inn pizza chain reported a 1.1% increase in same-store sales, or sales at stores open at least a year, during the first quarter 2006. For the 13 weeks ended March 28, 2006, sales for Panera‘s franchised and company-owned stores rose 9.1% and 8.9%, respectively. Systemwide bakery-café sales increased 9 percent for the 13 weeks ended March 28. Aaron Rents reports 13.7% increase in same store revenues. Brooke Franchise ( distributes insurance, financial and funeral services through a network of more than 560 franchise locations) saw same-store sales decrease about 2.5% for the year that ended Feb. 28, 2006 compared with the prior year. March retails sales growth for the Jean Coutu Group (PJC) Inc. rose 3.5% in Canada, 1.7% in the USA. PJC is the fourth largest drugstore chain in North America and the second largest in both the eastern United States and Canada. The Company and its combined network of 2,173 corporate and franchised drugstores (under the banners of Brooks and Eckerd Pharmacy, PJC Jean Coutu, PJC Clinique and PJC Sante Beaute) employ more than 60,000 people. Tim Hortons first quarter same-store sales increased 8.7% at restaurants in Canada and 9.8% in the United States. Wendy’s same-store sales decreased 4.8% at U.S. company stores and 5.2% at U.S. franchised restaurants. Baja Fresh Mexican Grill’s system same-store sales declined 3.6% to 3.8%. Sonic‘s 1st Q 2006 same-store sales growth of 4.7%, slightly above Sonic’s annual target long-term target range of 2% to 4% growth Sales are climbing at Mr. Jim’s Pizza following the launch of Mr. Jim’s new product, Nacho Stix, and the debut of a new branding and advertising campaign. Same-store sales increased for the first two periods of 2006, including a same-store …

So, you bought a franchise and it’s been successful for a few years and now you want to sell it.  The franchisor reserves some influence and financial discouragement.  The two biggest considerations given to the franchisor are: Right of first refusal – the franchisor can match your highest legitimate offer and buy your franchise Transfer fee – a fee you must pay to the franchisor for the privilege of transferring your licensing rights and obligations to another party Sample Transfer fees: FOOD: Pizza Factory: $12,000 Quizno’s: $5,000 Dominic’s of New York: $1,000 + 6% of sales price Submarina: $1,000 Cheeburger Cheeburger: $12,250 Pizza Patron: $5,000 The Dugout: $5,000 Arby’s: $13,500 Doc Green’s Gourmet Salad: negotiated at time of sale Jerq’zine:  $10,000 Original Hamburger Stand: $250 Sub Station II: $5,000 Steak-Out: $18,750 Fazoli’s: Reaonable attorney, accounting, training and other related costs OTHER: Bartercard: 10% of sales price Herman’s World of Sports: $12,500 Sears Carpet and Upholstery: $3,000 – $6,000 (depends on market size) Stone Mountain Carpet Mill Outlet: $2,500 Screenz:  $5,000 Tax Centers of America: $1,000 Sports Clips: $25,000 Fantastic Sams: $20,000 or 10% of sales price (whichever is greater) Hair Cuttery: $5,000 ($0 if franchisee for 5+ years) Fastframe: 5-10% of purchase price  

Developing a high margin specialty niche in a stagnant industry is usually a formula for success (see Panera Bread’s twist on fast food, Sports Clips and Snip Its on hair cutting, Starbucks on coffee, Applebee’s on chain restaurants). Foot Solutions is a new shoe retailer looking to capitalize customers who require more comfortable foot wear, namely sufferers of diabetes, obesity and arthritis. Concerns Foot Solution’s web site details the anticipated $200,000 investment to open a store. The company expects the franchisee to sink $65,000 in shoe inventory before opening, yikes! Foot Solutions requires you use only their vendors and approved products. And you must use their supply division to order opening orders, construction materials, fixtures and equipment. Of course, you should now be asking yourself, “How much more will I be paying if I was permitted to source the products myself?” Be sure to benchmark the average vendor and supply mark-up by asking the franchisor or franchisees for the actual price sheets. Part of the reason to buy a franchise is the ability to buy into an already strong brand name. It is unlikely that customers are already familiar with the Foot Solutions brand (though it is a descriptive trademark, so intuitively people will generally understand the business’s purpose). There is also the dynamic of how many Foot Solutions can a local market support. Is it one, three, five? Niche franchises are much more susceptible to competition so the protected territory is an important issue. There is a heightened liability risk. Franchisees receive training in foot pathology and physiology along with understanding the feet and related problems and symptoms. What if your sales person recommends a shoe that worsens a customers foot problem, or a customer relies on what they believe is your superior medical advice? Make sure you …

VERY OUT OF DATE.  Do a search instead.  This was manually updated March 21, 2006 Companies Mentioned in Posts (likely incomplete):Automotive 1-800 RADIATORS Oil Butler Lube N’ Go On-Site-Lube Business & Home Services 1-800-WATER-DAMAGE Bartercard Garagetek Help-U-Sell Home Instead Homewatch Caregivers My Girl Friday PropertyGuys.com Sears Carpet & Upholstery Tax Centers of America Cleaning & Maintenance none Computer & Internet (some are listed in “Retail”) Screenz Food and Restaurant Arby’s Auntie Anne’s Blimpies Cheeburger Cheeburger Chipotle Dippin’ Dots Dream Dinners Doc Green’s Gourmet Salad Dominic’s of New York The Dugout Durango Grill Fazoli’s Fire of Brazil Fogo de Chao Goldstar Chili Jamba Juice Jerq’zine Krispy Kream Lenny’s Sub Shops Mauwi Wauwi Original Hamburger Stand Panaderia Taza Papa John’s Pizza Factory Pizza Patron Pretzel Time Quiznos Red Rock Chili San Francisco Soup Co Shane’s Rib Shack Skyline Chili Smoothie King Smotthie Planet Soup Nazi Steak-out Subway Submarina Sub Station II Super Suppers The Soup Box Supercuts Suzanne’s Kitchen We’re Rolling Pretzel Company Wetzel’s Pretzels Z Pizza Zoup! Fresh Soup Co (List all sub franchises) Health & Fitness Curves Liberty Fitness Home Building & Repair Services See “Business and Home Services” above Personnel & Staffing none Pet Retail and Services Camp Bow Wow Doody Calls The Pet Pantry Wag My Tail Interquest Detection Canines Pets Are Inn Retail Franchises Ace Hardware AuctionDrop Battery Plus Best Cuts GNC Educational Outfitters Fantastic Sams Fastframe Foot Solutions Friendly Computers Geeks on Call GNC Hair Cuttery Herman’s World of Sports Imagine This Sold Orbit Drop Play It Again Sports QuikDrop Roosters Men’s Grooming Centers Screenz Snips Its Sports Clips Stone Mountain Carpet Mill Tom’s Foods We the People Categories: eBay drop offs (generally) Hair Travel & Hotel none Industry Lists & Research 2004 Same Store Sales Growth of QSRs (quick service restaurants) Royalty and Advertising …

Here is a list of funny business names that could end up in a neighborhood near you.