New York City is home to many innovative trends and delights. But many Big Apple-based businesses have embraced the same concept: franchising. Here are a few businesses that are dreaming big and opening up their concepts to the public--and franchisees who want to get in on the ground floor.
MetroNaps
New Yorkers work hard and play hard, but even they need to recharge
in the middle of the day. MetroNaps homed in on that need and
introduced its first location in the center of all the action--the
Empire State Building. There sleeping pods lure consumers with a
20-minute nap. Founded in 2003 by Arshad Chowdhury and Christopher
Lindholst, the business announced franchising opportunities earlier
this year. As this concept catches on, nodding off in the middle of
the day may become the cool thing to do, rather than something to
hide.
Buttercup Bake Shop
People can never get enough of a good thing, and the Buttercup Bake
Shop is a perfect example. According to director of franchising
Larry Feierstein, the midtown Manhattan bakery featuring cupcakes,
cakes and other treats has become a destination point, with some
nonlocals even making a special stop in Manhattan just to grab a
cupcake. In 2003, founder Jennifer Appel decided it was time to
expand her business and determined it would be easier and less
costly to spread the brand through franchising. However, she is
resolved to keep it a destination point and has plans for careful
growth, initially focusing only on the New York City metro
area.
Fratelli Ravioli & Frats
Ices
With its wide selection of homemade pastas and sauces, founders
Raymond and Josephine Vivola have fed the Brooklyn community well
since they opened their Fratelli Ravioli restaurant and shop in
1978. Now their sons, Larry and Christian, have turned the
mom-and-pop venture into a phenomenon the entire East Coast can
enjoy. The brothers started franchising Fratelli Ravioli in 2000
after incessant requests from customers wanting to own their own
restaurants. Larry and Christian also launched Frats Ices in 2003,
featuring homemade ice cream and fried ravioli, which they're
working on franchising nationwide.
Beard Papa's
Beard Papa's might not ring a bell, but it's rapidly on its
way to becoming a household name. Originated in Osaka, Japan, this
cream-puff concept spread like wildfire in Asia and entered the
U.S. market in 2004. Its first stop? New York City. "The whole
concept is, if you can make it in New York, you can make it
anywhere," says Craig Takiguchi, executive vice president and
COO of Muginoho USA, the holding company for Beard Papa's.
"We wanted to put a stake in the ground, and New York was the
place to do it." Its grand entrance was successful, and now
the company is pushing cream puffs hard, with plans to have 25
franchises open in 10 states by summer 2006.
Lucille Roberts Fitness
Express
More than 35 years ago, Lucille Roberts introduced the first
women's-only fitness center. The concept was innovative and
new, but now, as society catches up, the vision is stronger than
ever. Just this year, a franchising concept--Lucille
Roberts Fitness Express--was created to fit the large gym
experience into a smaller, more neighborhood-like environment. The
brand has a lot of pull on the East Coast, which is where it will
expand initially.
This story appears in the December 2005 issue of Entrepreneur. Subscribe »
