Start a Mainstream Boutique Franchise in 2025

Franchise 500 Rank: N/R Not ranked last year

Initial investment: $161K - $306K

Units as of 2021: 82 3.8% over 3 years

Mainstream Boutique is a high-fashion, smart-cost retail and franchise concept offering uniquely designed clothing, accessories, and giftware in several states around the U.S.

The founder of the brand is former Los Angeles-based garment buyer, merchandiser, and planner Marie DeNicola. She turned her back on the corporate scene to follow her husband to Minnesota and launched her very first shop in 1991. Inspired by a 1995 Oprah guesting, DeNicola opened her business to franchisees in 1998. There are now over 70 Mainstream Boutique locations spread out across the United States.

If you love fashion, people, and doing business, a Mainstream Boutique franchise could be the perfect launching pad to the life of your dreams. Besides its innovative yet practical designs, the brand is also known for its genuine goal to expand.

Why You May Want to Start a Mainstream Boutique Franchise

Opening a Mainstream Boutique may come with several benefits. This may include access to the brand’s seasoned buying team and its exclusive product line, “Mac and Me.” Thanks to the franchise’s extensive vendor and supplier partnerships, you may also get buying power that allows you to run your business to the best of your ability.

Mainstream Boutique has been in business for over three decades. With its reliable infrastructure and business model, many franchisees bank on its staying power in the marketplace. They may even leverage it for their location's growth.

What Might Make a Mainstream Boutique Franchise a Good Choice?

Mainstream Boutique typically offers franchisees three-tiered advertising, marketing support, SEO, and web development.

To be part of the Mainstream Boutique 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 prepare yourself for ongoing fees that will include advertising, royalty, and potential renewal fees.

Are you considering financing? The franchisor’s relationships with many third-party sources may be able to help you cover certain startup costs, including the franchise fee, startup costs, equipment, inventory, and payroll.

How to Open a Mainstream Boutique Franchise

To get started with Mainstream Boutique, do your market research. You should make sure you have access to the target audience in your location and that your area isn't too saturated. If you like what you find, the company may invite you to company headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota for discovery day. Here you will usually meet with the franchise support director and the rest of the team.

This may be a time to learn more about the company and decide if it's an opportunity you’re looking for. You may also find it beneficial to speak to existing franchisees and members of the Mainstream Boutique team about their experiences.

You may qualify to open a Mainstream Boutique franchise, and you can get started with an initial investment. They'll be with you all the way until you are ready to operate your franchise with confidence. With a Mainstream Boutique franchise, you can help celebrate the women of the world through fashion.

Company Overview

About Mainstream Boutique

Industry	Retail
Related Categories	Apparel & Accessories
Founded	1991
Parent Company	Mainstream Fashions Franchising Inc.
Leadership	Corey DeNicola, CEO
Corporate Address	7900 International Dr., #515 Minneapolis, MN 55425
Social	Facebook, Instagram

Business Overview

Franchising Since	1998 (27 years)
# of employees at HQ	21
Where seeking	This company is offering new franchises in the following US states: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming
# of Units	82 (as of 2021)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Mainstream Boutique 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.	$40,000
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.	$160,800 - $306,350
Net Worth Requirement Definition: The minimum net worth you must have in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company What you need to know: Net worth is the value of a person's assets minus liabilities. Assets include cash, stocks, retirement accounts, and real estate. Liabilities include items like mortgages, car payments, and credit card debt.	$100,000
Veteran Incentives Definition: A discount or other incentive offered to military veterans who buy a franchise with this company.	10% off 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.	7.5%
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.	0.5%
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	Mainstream Boutique 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	10 hours
Classroom Training	38 hours
Ongoing Support	Purchasing Co-ops 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 Regional Advertising Social Media SEO Website Development Email Marketing Loyalty Program/App

Operations

Additional details about running this franchise.

Is absentee ownership allowed?	Yes
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
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