Texas-based Concept Sees Green Future as Nation’s Newest B2B Interiorscape Franchise
Building off the emerging popularity of green architecture, Green Life Interiors, a Texas-based interiorscape business that has been providing interior plant design and foliage maintenance for workplace and other environments for the past 27 years, announced today it has partnered with one of the country’s most renowned names in franchising to transform it from a “blooming” concept into a nationwide franchise.
A franchising veteran looks to build Tasti D-Lite into a self-serve slam dunk
In 2002, as chairman and CEO of San Diego-based Mailboxes, Etc. (MBE), franchising guru Jim Amos designed the sale of that 5,000-unit retail postal business to shipping giant UPS. Amos says friend and fellow Semper Fi Fred Smith, founder of FedEx, weighed MBE’s purchase before rival UPS Store pulled the trigger on the deal.
The former International Franchise Association chairman then formed investment company Eagle Alliance Partners with daughter Heather Rose and Memphis-based businessman Gary Prosterman (whose hotel development partners include Smith and Super Bowl MVP Peyton Manning). On a tip from Memphis investment firm Morgan Keegan that religious publisher Thomas Nelson might be coming on the market, Amos began frequenting the Nashville area.
ActionCoach franchise, the business coaching and training franchise company founded in 1993 by entrepreneur and author Brad Sugars, today announced that it has been named first on the list of management and coaching consulting companies by the Central Pennsylvania Business Journal.
“We’re very proud that we have been recognized in this way,” said Don Schin, Master Franchisee for ActionCoach in Pennsylvania. “It’s come as a result of some very hard work, effort and great teamwork from a group of talented individuals that have allowed us to deliver far more than many firms in the region.”
Local Entrepreneur Joddi Thomley Opens Her First of Many Taco Del Mar Restaurants in Tennessee on June 2.
Knoxville is about to taste what delicious quick casual Mexican food is all about. Taco Del Mar, the independent West Coast chain met a big fan in Knoxville entrepreneur Joddi Thomley earlier this year, so much that she took on the territory as its Master Developer to bring the franchise restaurants throughout eastern Tennessee. This Saturday she opens her first location at 2010 Cumberland Ave, bringing Taco Del Mar’s wholesome lineup to the masses.
“We’re delighted to bring a completely new dining concept to Knoxville; Taco Del Mar is a restaurant that people here are going to love at first bite,” Thomley said. “I was impressed with the quality, taste and freshness of the food, and from the franchising side how streamlined the restaurant is to run.”
Business is booming in California, and FASTSIGNS® sign and graphics centers are making a concentrated push into the “Golden State.” Since 2005, ten FASTSIGNS franchise centers have opened or are preparing to open in California within the next few months. Additionally, FASTSIGNS has plans to sell another 3 franchises in California in 2007.
The FASTSIGNS franchise is not new to California—with 42 individually-owned and operated centers already in the state. “We have established a presence in Southern California since 1988,” said Bill McPherson, vice president of domestic franchise development for FASTSIGNS International, Inc. “We’ve re-discovered a stronger market interest in more diverse areas of the northern part of the state and increased inquiries into franchise ownership is being expressed by former corporate employees who have an interest to move on to the next stage in life and run their own business.”
Quiznos, one of the nation’s fastest-growing quick service franchise restaurant chains, today announced the appointment of Rusty Spinney as Senior Vice President and Principal Accounting Officer.
In this newly created position, Mr. Spinney is responsible for leading all aspects of the Colorado-based sandwich chain’s accounting and control functions. Spinney was previously Director of Technical Accounting and Global Control with Molson Coors, where he was responsible for global technical accounting, Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, and financial policy implementation. He recently spent three years in the U.K. helping Coors integrate the Bass Brewers Limited acquisition. Spinney also worked with PricewaterhouseCoopers for several years as an auditor.
<img src=”http://www.franchisebrief.com/franchise_banners/firkin-pubs-franchise.gif” alt=”firkin pub franchise” />The Firkin Group of Pubs franchise continues to lead the pack as the fastest growing English pub chains in North America announcing the opening of thirteen new pubs by close of 2007. With the new locations, Firkin will double the number of pubs in the United States, growing from eight to 21 in just one year. The chain will open two new locations in Morgantown, WV and Tucson, AZ in the next 30 days.
“People all across the United States are falling in love with pubs again because of our expansion efforts,” says Larry Isaacs, Firkin Director of Marketing. “Our goal is to put the relaxed, comfortable British pub atmosphere on the map here.”
National auto parts distributor, 1-800 Radiator, recently announced the opening of their sixth Tennessee outlet. The warehouse, located in Chattanooga, is owned and operated by two former employees of 1-800 Radiator, Clay Cochran and Chris Arrants. Cochran’s parents, Dan and Cathy Cochran, are working partners with Arrants and Cochran, making it a true family operation. The Cochrans and Arrants have added Marcus Kaiser to their team to strengthen their knowledge of the community and help them provide personalized customer service in the community.
The standard automotive radiator lasts only seven years before needing to be replaced. 1-800 Radiator caters specifically to this segment of the automotive industry by providing the auto repair shops and do-it-yourselfers that install these parts with radiators delivered directly to the doors of their businesses or homes. Often, these radiators are delivered within a couple hours of the order being placed. In addition, each part comes with the company’s signature lifetime parts and labor warranty, a guarantee supported by over 150 1-800 Radiator warehouses across the nation.
A 92-year-old McDonald’s restaurant owner helped crews demolish her own restaurant on Wednesday.
“I’m going to get on that bulldozer and help demolish it. …My age is not going to hold me back,” said Estelle Musico. “I’ve always been a hands-on person at McDonald’s.”
Musico’s Plaza Drive franchise in the West Hills area of Johnstown is coming down to make way for her new McDonald’s restaurant.
Musico owns six area McDonald’s restaurants and has construction projects scheduled for several other locations.
Move over, Sanford and Son. A new junk operation has come to town. But this one uses online booking for pickups, and drivers use Web-enabled phones to schedule their routes.
1-800-Got-Junk? has opened its first New Mexico operation. The national junk removal franchise company offers a way for customers to get rid of all their accumulated and unwanted stuff, from yard waste to electronic gadgets.
Ed and Barb Putnoki are the state’s first franchisees for the company, which is based in Vancouver, British Columbia and has 320 franchises worldwide (most of them in the U.S.). The Canadian ex-pats moved here from Scottsdale, Ariz., where they first saw the big blue and green 1-800-Got-Junk? trucks.
Commercial Landscaping Franchise Deemed As Top Potential Lucrative Venture For Those Seeking Franchise Opportunities.
U.S. Lawns, the organization that provides commercial landscape services in over 30 states with more than 170 franchised offices, today announced that it has been picked by the editors of “Success Magazine” as one of the “Top Ten Franchises of 2007.” The company, along with nine others, has been singled out due to its potential to be a lucrative venture for those who want to be their own bosses, but with the added support that comes with a franchise.
“We are thrilled to be named one of Success Magazine’s ‘Top Ten Franchises,’” said Paul Wolbert, Vice President of U.S. Lawns. “It is a testament to the quality work done by everyone in our organization, and especially our franchise family.”
Lucky for one entrepreneur, the founder of the stuff-and-outfit your own plush animal phenomenon known as Build-A-Bear Workshop never got far on her idea to pursue a build-a-car concept.
Since 1997, when she opened the first Build-A-Bear franchise workshop in St. Louis, that founder, Maxine Clark, has been besieged with people full of do-it-yourself ideas (make your own books and decorate your shoes, to name a couple.) A few years ago, Ms. Clark herself wrote up a build-a-car business plan, but said she was too busy with bears to do much else than put it on her to-do list. The bears are now available in 300 stores worldwide.
Select Franchises across the U.S., Puerto Rico and Guam Participate
Play N Trade Franchise, Inc., one of the fastest-growing franchises worldwide, today announced the launch of its “Games for Grades” promotion designed to encourage responsible video game playing and provide financial support for local schools by franchises* across the U.S., Puerto Rico and Guam.
We pride ourselves on being good corporate citizens and building strong, positive relationships within the community and this program demonstrates our commitment,” said Yuvi Shmul, CEO of Play N Trade. “The ‘Games for Grades’ promotion encourages students to do well in their studies and enables participating Play N Trade stores to make donations that will assist their local schools in continuing to provide high-quality educational programs.”
Murphy Business & Financial Corporation, the premier business brokerage firm in the U.S., announces the launch of its national franchise program.
After building a successful business brokerage firm with 30 offices in Florida, President and CEO Roger Murphy has applied his business model nationally by franchising its methodology. Tom Miller, a 25-year veteran of franchising and a recognized authority on franchising in the business brokerage community, is one of Murphy’s partners and leads the national expansion program.
“Franchise owners can expect a higher success rate than most other entrepreneurs experience, and business-related franchises are among the top five active franchise concepts,” says Murphy. “Careers as business brokers offer great potential for success with a relatively low investment. When paired with our proven business and marketing processes, we believe this franchising opportunity is well suited for executives, professionals and other individuals with strong management and business acumen.”
Local businessman Tom Gebhardt has opened a Honolulu franchise of Mr. Appliance, a national chain that repairs all major brands of residential and commercial appliances.
Gebhardt previously owned Able Appliance Service Company in Honolulu. He is also served 10 years in the United States Navy as a boilerman.
“I’m excited to be a part of the Mr. Appliance franchise system because they make customer service their top priority,” Gebhardt said. “I look at their system and how professionally it is run, and I believe it will make my business successful.”
The Great American Food Chain, Inc. announced today that the Jacksonville, Florida area developer for Kokopelli Fresh Mexican Grill has executed its second franchise agreement under terms of its area developer agreement.
The newest store will be located at Hodges Point Plaza at the intersection of Hodges and Beach in Jacksonville, Florida and will be the second of five restaurant units that are scheduled to open in the Jacksonville area.
Edward Sigmond, President of The Great American Food Chain, was quoted as saying, “Our Florida franchisees are taking an aggressive approach at developing the Jacksonville market. This second unit will be located in what we all firmly believe to be an excellent development anchored by a Wal-Mart Super Center. The restaurant will have superior exposure to the high traffic flow on Hodges Blvd with exposure via two Pylon signs visible from Beach Blvd.”
The local owners of the New Horizons Computer Learning Centers franchise in San Antonio and Austin have bought out the New Horizons franchise in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.
Financial terms of the acquisition was not disclosed. All three operations are franchises of Anaheim, Calif.-based New Horizons Computer Learning Centers Inc. (Pink Sheets: NEWH), a company that provides computer and information technology classes worldwide.
By acquiring the New Horizons franchise in the Dallas area, business partners Derek K. Wright, Robert A. Dupree and Scott A. Hardin now own the largest independent provider of information technology training in the Metroplex.
Ageless Remedies Brings Med-Spas to Mainstream America, Removes Celebrity Stigma
The first U.S. medical spa franchise to combine skin care procedures with retail product apothecaries has caught the eye of a professional franchise management/investment team, who are helping the founders put their unique concept on the map with a franchise expansion model – taking it to mainstream America and finally removing the “luxury, celebrity status” that med-spas have traditionally held in the marketplace.
Dermacare Laser & Skin Care Clinics, the only physician-based laser aesthetic skin-care franchise in the nation, held its first annual international convention on May 18 at the FireSky Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona. The inaugural event drew physician franchisees from around the country.
The sessions provided a unique opportunity to discuss the business aspects of Dermacare including marketing, product development, new opportunities, trends and successes. Representatives from Dermacare’s business partners, such as Cutera, Axia Medical Solutions and SageFire presented educational sessions and product demonstrations.
Franchisees advise seeking a match to past experience, future goals.
Each year thousands of Orange County residents retire, quit their jobs or are laid off. In their search for something to occupy their time or earn a living, many of them will consider starting or buying a business.
The Southern California Franchise Showcase this Friday and Saturday in Garden Grove is designed to assist that consideration.
In addition to an exhibit hall full of franchisors and business experts offering their pitches and advice, many people who already own franchises will be on hand to tell how they handled their searches. (I’ll be there Saturday as author of “What No One Ever Tells You About Franchising.”)
