STEP 4: OPENING A NEW FRANCHISE
The Franchise Award Process
We’ve developed a quick and easy process for getting your Learning Express store open, outlined below. Start the process now by filling out a Request for Information.
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Request Information
Fill out our short contact form, and someone from our franchise development department will reach out to you as soon as possible to discuss your interest in owning a Learning Express. After an introductory call, we’ll send you a link to our franchise application. I'm ready to request information now.
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Application and Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD)
The FDD contains critical information to assist you in understanding the Learning Express Toys franchise system. It consists of twenty-three items pertaining to the franchisor/franchisee relationship including our commitment to store support, information on franchise start-up costs, and ongoing fees.
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Discovery Day & Reservation Agreement
Discovery Day, held virtually via video conference, is a collection of meetings and discussions with the department heads and their teams who will work with you in opening, running and optimizing your business. If both parties want to move forward, you will send us a refundable $5,000 deposit as a reservation towards your franchise fee, and we will assist you with your site search.
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Secure a Location
Several key factors help us evaluate a retail space for Learning Express Toys. These include: local & regional demographics, proximity to other Learning Express Toys locations, center co-tenancy, competition, size & visibility of the premises, rent, and more. We will assist you in finding the right location and also help negotiate the right business terms. Your attorney will help you sort through and fully understand the final lease.
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Training, Buildout & Grand Opening!
Our week-long training course puts you through nearly every aspect of operating your new business, from hiring staff to ordering product. We recommend that everyone involved in running the store attends training, including a store manager, if you are hiring one.
You will work with Store Designer and Construction Coordinator to help define your space and fixture layout as well as communicate with architects and contractors, if necessary.
Your Grand Opening Manager will arrive on site three weeks before your Grand Opening. Over the first week or so, you will receive mountains of toys from our best-in-class vendors and learn how our systems track inventory and purchases. This is a great opportunity to leverage the Grand Opening Manager’s years of experience, so don’t be afraid to ask questions and learn from them!
We will guide you through every step of creating the perfect Grand Opening, including up-front marketing, staffing, scheduling events, and reporting. After all of the hard work you’ve done, this is a time to have some fun and interact with your new customers!