ORIGINAL: Capt. Rich
im concidering a hobbytown usa franchise in my area. are there any owners out there with a heads up on this company and how they work with their franchise owners.
I just tried to look it up, and unfortunately, there is no info on what are the min requirements, etc. The only way to find out is to e-mail them
http://www.hobbytown.com/Franchise/
I do think there are certain min ordering and stocking requirements: For example, based on region, you might have to sock so many thousands of dollars on Traxxas parts and products for example, or in another region that is HPI biased, you would have to stock so many thousands of dollars of HPI products. Also, based on region, there might be certain distributor stipulations as well. You might have to only work with Joe Bloe distributor, for example, but are prohibited from using Jane Doe distributor (even though Jane Doe is much much closer and get the products to you much more quickly).
I have no idea about these details, these are only guesses as to what the restrictions and conditions might apply to you to enter the franchise contract. When you e-mail them, ask EVERYTHING: How much must you sell, how much must you order each month, what are the products you must stock up on in-store, minimum store insurance requirements, required training for managers and employees, what benefits the employees must have to be part fo teh franchise, etc.