| Author |
Message |
Michael Davidson (Cabrio_fan)
Junior Member
Username: Cabrio_fan
Post Number: 83
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 01, 2003 - 1:00 am: | |
I used to work for Starbucks (corporate offices) in Seattle. It always ~amazed~ me that every single store was corporate owned. Zero franchises. A few partnerships (Host Marriott/airports kiosks/etc) but all of the other 2000+ retail locations were corporate properties. I was in their IT department and I can attest to the amount of DATA that 2000+ stores can generate on a daily basis. Wow-wee.
One of the departments I supported was the Retail Store Development department. They said that they were constantly receiving inquiries from the public regarding franchise opportunities. No franchises ever came of it to my knowledge however. |
Jeff (Jeff_m)
Junior Member
Username: Jeff_m
Post Number: 249
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - 9:05 pm: | |
Yeah Eric,
That fortunately and unfortunately would be me!Thanx for the props! |
Jim Schad (Jim_schad)
Intermediate Member
Username: Jim_schad
Post Number: 1909
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - 6:59 pm: | |
Yeah Greg, Aspen. Mark and Danny Patterson and another partner they brought in named Carter Moore in San Diego. They sold them to Chart House Enterprises and then franchised them then bought them all back or were in the process last I heard. Mark was basically a ski bum enjoying life in Aspen. |
Bill Sawyer (Wsawyer)
Member
Username: Wsawyer
Post Number: 942
Registered: 2-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - 6:08 pm: | |
As mentioned earlier, location is everything. Subway is a mature franchise, and guys like DJ who have been in it a while have all the prime A or B locations. You can't expect to make as much with a C or D location as the guys who got there first. |
Erik (Teenferrarifan)
Member
Username: Teenferrarifan
Post Number: 338
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - 5:03 pm: | |
Jeff are you the founder of Mr. smoothie? That is the best place ever. Great products.
Erik |
Jeff (Jeff_m)
Junior Member
Username: Jeff_m
Post Number: 248
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - 4:20 pm: | |
John, having owned 25 Mr.Smoothie locations before we started franchising I would say you could safely own 2 locations that you kinda float between but if you were planning on owning and just talking on the phone with your managers every once in a while, forget it. First of all,it is an all cash business and customer service is everything. I pretty much count on our revenue in a corporate store to be about 65% of what it would be as an owner operated store. Every once in a while you get great people but you will pay for them and it is rare. As far as Subway in particular, they are about the easiest food service to run and a great concept to own. Remember though, location is the key. |
Greg (Greg512tr)
Junior Member
Username: Greg512tr
Post Number: 223
Registered: 2-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - 4:15 pm: | |
PE 101, she is a friend of mine. English accent. Its right next door so I thought you might have met. Aspen is so great but the summers are too short for me. |
Doug meredith (Dougm)
Member
Username: Dougm
Post Number: 364
Registered: 2-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - 4:11 pm: | |
What shop? It was '91&'92 and my life consisted of ski, women, work and beer(but no necessarily in that order)so my memory is pretty vague. |
Greg (Greg512tr)
Junior Member
Username: Greg512tr
Post Number: 222
Registered: 2-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - 2:54 pm: | |
Doug-Did you know Abigale next door to you? |
Doug meredith (Dougm)
Member
Username: Dougm
Post Number: 363
Registered: 2-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - 2:06 pm: | |
I used to work at Paradise Bakery in Aspen and Snowmass in the early 90's after college. If I remember correctly, the brothers that started it, Mark and ?, sold it as a franchise in the late 80's. Each one later purchased back a store or 2. Mark bought back the Aspen and Snowmass locations. He worked there on occasion just to pass the time. |
Greg (Greg512tr)
Junior Member
Username: Greg512tr
Post Number: 221
Registered: 2-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - 1:37 pm: | |
Jim-Do you mean the Paradise Bakery that is in Aspen? |
Jim Schad (Jim_schad)
Intermediate Member
Username: Jim_schad
Post Number: 1905
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - 7:16 am: | |
I know the guys who started Paradise Bakery. They lived in other states and had 7 of them in Texas they ran absentee. However, they had an MBA as thier field rep in Texas. Basically he was an area manager who got a % and salary for keeping the stores staffed and operating. They were pretty much absentee from day to day, but about once a month they flew in to have a pow wow meeting and set goals etc. |
djmonk (Davem)
Member
Username: Davem
Post Number: 433
Registered: 1-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - 7:02 am: | |
Hi John. Ive been a Subway franchisee for 16 years now. I would not recommends owning these absentee. Though i know some do. Finding qualified managers is one of the most challenging aspects. Harder still if the manager you require needs to have more experience an knowledge than yourself. Restaurants are very touchy feely hands on type biz. Location is everything as always.
Maybe some of the people you know John who are hands off started first as active owners, then with experience moved on..?
John feel free to email me for more specifics. [email protected] |
Bruce Wellington (Bws88tr)
Advanced Member
Username: Bws88tr
Post Number: 3048
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - 6:11 am: | |
JOHN
DAVE MONK ( DJMONK) FROM CONN..OWNS SEVERAL HERE...HES A GREAT GUY AND I KNOW HIM PERSONALLY
IM SURE HE WOULD BE NICE ENOUGH TO HELP YOU..
LOOK FOR HIM DJMONK
REGARDS,
BRUCE |
david charles (Supraboytt)
Junior Member
Username: Supraboytt
Post Number: 97
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - 12:39 am: | |
there is a guy here who owns a couple of subways- he was nice enough to offer me some advice as well a while back
while we ar on the subjext anyone own a dunkin donuts or looking to partner in one/
I have one hell of an idea |
John (Cohiba_man)
Member
Username: Cohiba_man
Post Number: 293
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, September 29, 2003 - 10:52 pm: | |
I was just wondering how hands-off you can really be with a Subway franchise? Can I just put up the money and hire a skilled manager? What do I have to do personally to get it running? I ask because I meet a lot of real estate investors and entreprenuers that have a couple Subway (or other hands-off) franchises in their portfolio which are almost passive and make a very good amount of money...anyone have any experience to share with me? |