Sunday, March 30, 2008

Are School Unforms A Good Arizona Franchising Opportunity?

Yet another Arizona School has taken the plunge in adopting a school uniform policy. Mesa Junior High tried to adopt the mandatory uniforms measure three times in the past four years in an effort to curb teen crime and behavior problems. School board members have finally approved the measure which will require these Arizona students to begin wearing uniforms next school year. According to this article, Mesa Junior Principal Cathy McDaniel wrote to the board, "We believe this will decrease our number of behavior referrals, particularly dress code and gang activity." We wonder if this could be a good franchising opportunity for Arizona mom and pop small businesses. According to this article, "entrepreneurs Brian and Jamey Elrod started franchising their school uniform stores five years ago, they have gotten pretty good at it." The husband and wife team have decided to take their business success to the next level "by offering small, mom-and-pop operations the chance to buy into Educational Outfitters." If the school uniform trend continues in Arizona, this may be potential franchising opportunity here. (Though currently, " Only five neighborhood elementary schools out of 58 require them: Longfellow, Lowell, Lincoln, Holmes and Eisenhower. ") Brian and Jamey Elrod's franchising company, Educational Outfitters Franchising LLC, just completed its first conversion franchise in Louisville, Ky. "The cost to convert a store will vary, but Mr. Elrod said the average amount would be about $25,000 total, including the franchise fee and other things like signs and updating computer systems." John and Wanda Clark own a school uniform franchise in Chattanooga, TN. They opened a second franchise last year "this time taking the concept into what Mr. Clark said was a new and fast-growing market, Huntsville, Ala. Mr. Clark, who worked in the textile and apparel industries before he and his wife opened their Educational Outfitters store on Gunbarrel Road, said the couple has found great success with the franchise."

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