15 Great Low-Cost FRANCHISES - advice on starting in franchising

Black Enterprise, Sept, 1999 by Gerda D. Gallop

15 Great Low-Cost Franchises

Company             Location                Type

American Leak       888 Research Dr.,       Detection of
Detection           Suite 100               leaks in sewer,
                    P.O. Box 1701           water, air
                    Palm Springs,           and gas lines
                    CA 92262
                    800-755-6697

Bonus Building      4950 Keller Springs,    Janitorial
Care                Suite 450
                    Dallas, TX 75001
                    972-931-1100

Coverall North      500 W. Cypress          Commercial
America Inc.        Creek Rd.               cleaning
d/b/a Coverall      Suite 580
Cleaning Concepts   Fort Lauderdale,
                    FL 33309
                    954-351-1110

Creative Colors     P.O. Box 552            Home-based
International       Oak Forest, IL 60452    mobile
                    800-933-2656            restoration
                                            service of
                                            leather, vinyl
                                            and plastic

Empire Business     336 Herds Hill Rd.      Business
Brokers Inc.        Buffalo, NY 14224       brokers
                    716-677-5229

The Fourth R        1715 Market St.,        Computer
                    Suite 103               training for
                    Kirkland, WA 98033      children and
                    800-821-8653            adults

Heel Quik! Inc.     1730 Cumberland         Shoe repair,
                    Point Dr.,              clothing
                    Suite 5                 alterations,
                    Marietta, GA 30067      monogramming,
                    770-951-9440            dry cleaning
                                            pick up and
                                            drop off, and
                                            key cutting

Lawn Doctor Inc.    142 State Route 34      Lawn care
                    Holmdel, NJ 07733
                    800-631-5660

Little              200 Main St., Third     Child enrichment
Scientists          Fl. Ansonia, CT 06401   education
                    203-732-3522

Maid to             7133 Rutherford Rd.,    Residential
Perfection          Suite 105               cleaning
                    Baltimore, MD 21244
                    800-648-6243

Merry Maid L.P.     860 Ridge Lake Blvd.    Residential and
                    Memphis, TN 38120       commercial
                    800-798-8000            cleaning

Padgett Business    160 Hawthorne Park      Accounting and
Services            Athens, 6A 30606        tax preparation
                    800-323-7292            for small
                                            businesses

Travel Network      560 Sylvan Ave.         Travel agency
                    Englewond Cliffs,
                    NJ 07632
                    201-567- 8500

U.S. Lawns          4777 Old Winter         Landscape
                    Garden Rd.              maintenance
                    Orlando, FL 32811
                    407-522-1630

Wingstop            1212 Northwest Hwy.     Quick-service
Restaurants         Garland, TX 75041       restaurant
Inc.                972-686-6500

                                  Domestic
                    Black-Owned   Franchise
Company                Units        Units

American Leak              4          297
Detection

Bonus Building            62          120
Care

Coverall North         1,654        4,546
America Inc.
d/b/a Coverall
Cleaning Concepts

Creative Colors            1           38
International

Empire Business            1           37
Brokers Inc.

The Fourth R               4          211

Heel Quik! Inc.            5          724

Lawn Doctor Inc.           8          380

Little                     1           16
Scientists

Maid to                    8          150
Perfection

Merry Maid L.P.           15          772

Padgett Business          17          319
Services

Travel Network            60          600

U.S. Lawns                 3           38

Wingstop                   1           10
Restaurants
Inc.

                                            Start-Up
Company                    Fee               Costs

American Leak       $49,500 & up        $68,000-$125,00
Detection

Bonus Building       $6,500              $1,000 
Care

Coverall North       $5,000-$32,200      $5,291-$35,920
America Inc.
d/b/a Coverall
Cleaning Concepts

Creative Colors     $19,500             $50,000 
International

Empire Business     $15,000              $9,900
Brokers Inc.

The Fourth R        $16,000             $19,000-$54,000

Heel Quik! Inc.      $2,500-$17,500      $6,000-$138,50

Lawn Doctor Inc.    None                $18,500

Little              $25,000             $30,000
Scientists

Maid to              $8,995             $28,000-$41,000
Perfection

Merry Maid L.P.     $21,500-Full Size   $26,750-$43,500
                    $17,500-Mid Size
                    $13,500-Small

Padgett Business    $34,500             $44,500
Services

Travel Network       $3,995-$29,900      $3,995-$50,000

U.S. Lawns          $29,000             $20,500-$39,000

Wingstop            $20,000             $40,000-$50,000
Restaurants