Start a AR Workshop Franchise in 2025

Franchise 500 Rank: N/R Not ranked last year

Initial investment: $134K - $230K

Units as of 2024: 95 32% over 3 years

AR Workshop was founded by Adria Ruff and Maureen Anders in 2016. The franchise offers do-it-yourself (DIY) art classes and retail in a studio or workshop. When Anders and Ruff first started AR Workshop, it was a platform to showcase their graphic design work. The business they started in Pineville, North Carolina, has expanded to all kinds of DIY projects with over 130 locations throughout the United States.

If you are passionate about owning a string of DIY products and growing your community, you may be the perfect candidate for this franchise.

Why You May Want to Start an AR Workshop Franchise

With a project for every skill level and age, AR Workshop champions the idea of a cohesive and community-driven environment. The AR Workshop brand also has a line of paints, stains, specialty projects, DIY kits to go, food and drinks, and more, capitalizing on more than one way to create business.

Additionally, AR Workshop has been ranked on Entrepreneur's Franchise 500. This ranking is based on an evaluation of more than 150 data points in the areas of costs and fees, size and growth, franchisee support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability.

What Might Make an AR Workshop franchise a Good Choice?

Opening an AR Workshop franchise may offer a more predictable outcome than investing in a completely new brand that may struggle to thrive in an already crowded and competitive DIY paint industry.

Additionally, AR Workshop collaborates with some of the biggest names in the DIY space, such as JOANN, KIND, Better Homes & Gardens, and more. Each collaboration may allow for brand growth and name recognition, further propelling the prominence of your location’s in the community.

As an AR Workshop franchisee, you will be responsible for the management and operations of your AR Workshop. The company may offer a fast startup process and various proven business models to jumpstart your progress.

How To Open an AR Workshop Franchise

When you begin the process of opening an AR Workshop franchise, you will get an initial or induction training bundle and continuous support throughout your business. You will receive multiple hours of both classroom and on-the-job training from the AR Workshop corporate team to ensure that you are best prepared to run your franchise.

To be part of the AR Workshop team, you should make sure you're financially ready for an initial investment made up of a franchise fee and other startup costs. In addition, you should be prepared for the existence of ongoing fees that will include advertising, royalty, and potential renewal fees.

Before making any financial commitment or signing an agreement, you must perform your due diligence and establish if this is the right opportunity for you. As part of your due diligence, you may want to speak to existing franchisees and ask the AR Workshop franchising team questions.

It also may be a good idea to speak with an attorney or financial advisor to ensure that you have the necessary financial resources to own and operate an AR Workshop franchise.

Soon, you may find yourself operating the newest AR Workshop franchise!

Company Overview

About AR Workshop

Industry	Recreation
Related Categories	DIY/Paint-&-Sip Studios, Miscellaneous Recreation Businesses, Miscellaneous Services
Founded	2016
Parent Company	AR Workshop Franchising LLC
Leadership	Maureen Anders, CEO & Cofounder
Corporate Address	315 Main St., #AA Pineville, NC 28134
Social	Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, TikTok

Business Overview

Franchising Since	2017 (8 years)
# of employees at HQ	12
Where seeking	This company is offering new franchises in the following US states: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming
# of Units	95 (as of 2024)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a AR Workshop franchise.

Financial Requirements & Ongoing Fees

Here's what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.

Initial Franchise Fee Definition: The initial fee paid to a franchisor to join their system What you need to know: Found in Item 5 of the FDD, this may be a flat fee, or may vary based on territory size, experience, or other factors.The franchise fee is an up-front (one-time) cost that a new franchisee pays to the franchisor. This fee is usually due at the signing of the franchise agreement and covers the right to use the franchisor's trademarks, name, and related business systems.	$35,000
Initial Investment Definition: The total amount necessary to begin operation of the franchise What you need to know: The initial investment includes the franchise fee, along with other startup expenses such as real estate, equipment, supplies, business licenses, and working capital. This is outlined in a chart in Item 7 of the FDD, showing a range of possible costs from low to high.	$134,312 - $229,708
Veteran Incentives Definition: A discount or other incentive offered to military veterans who buy a franchise with this company.	10% off first-unit franchise fee; 20% off second-unit franchise fee
Royalty Fee Definition: A ongoing fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis. What you need to know: Most franchisors require franchisees to pay an ongoing royalty fee, which is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD. This fee is typically a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales, but may also be a flat weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	6%
Ad Royalty Fee Definition: An going fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis to support advertising or marketing efforts. What you need to know: This may also be called advertising fee, marketing fee, brand fund fee, and more, but the basic purpose is the same-- to support promotion of the brand systemwide. As with the royalty fee, it is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD, and can be a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales or a weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	1%
Term of Agreement Definition: The length of time your franchise agreement will last. What you need to know: Franchise terms are typically anywhere from 5 to 20 years in length, but are sometimes instead dependent on factors such as the term of your lease. Once your term is up, you may have the option to renew your agreement, typically for a smaller fee than the original franchise fee.	10 years
Is franchise term renewable?	Yes

Financing Options

Some franchisors offer in-house financing, while others have relationships with third-party financing sources to which they refer qualified franchisees.

Third Party Financing	AR Workshop has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: franchise fee, startup costs, equipment, inventory, accounts receivable, payroll

Training & Support Offered

Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.

On-The-Job Training	12 hours
Classroom Training	28 hours
Ongoing Support	Newsletter Meetings & Conventions Grand Opening Online Support Security & Safety Procedures Lease Negotiation Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Support	Co-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social Media SEO Website Development Email Marketing Loyalty Program/App

Operations

Additional details about running this franchise.

Is absentee ownership allowed?	No
Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit? Definition: The business can be run from your home and/or a vehicle, and it is not necessary to have a retail facility, office space, or warehouse.	No
Can this franchise be run part time? Definition: This business can be run by the owner on a part-time basis (less than 40 hours per week) and/or as a side business; it is not necessary for the business to be open/run full-time.	No
# of employees required to run	8-12
Are exclusive territories available? Definition: An exclusive territory is a fixed area in which you are given the right to operate and in which no other units of the same franchise may be opened. What you need to know: Territory size may be based on factors such as radius, population size, zip codes, and more. Details can be found in Item 12 of the FDD.	Yes