Bahama Buck's Original Shaved Ice Company vs Emerald City Smoothie Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Bahama Buck's Original Shaved Ice Company vs Emerald City Smoothie including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
Bahama Buck's Original Shaved Ice Company Franchise
Emerald City Smoothie Franchise
Investment $233,326 - $770,532$75,250 - $286,900
Franchise Fee $29,500$15,000 - $25,000
Royalty Fee 6%6%
Advertising Fee 2%2%
Year Founded 19892005
Year Franchised 19932005
Term Of Agreement 10 years-
Term Of Agreement 10 years-
Renewal Fee $5K-


Business Experience Requirements
 
Bahama Buck's Original Shaved Ice Company Franchise
Emerald City Smoothie Franchise
Experience
  • General business experience
    		• -

    Financing Options
     
    Bahama Buck's Original Shaved Ice Company Franchise
    Emerald City Smoothie Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/Yes-/-
    Start-up Costs No/Yes-/-
    Equipment No/Yes-/-
    Inventory No/Yes-/-
    Receivables No/Yes-/-
    Payroll No/Yes-/-

    Training & Support
     
    Bahama Buck's Original Shaved Ice Company Franchise
    Emerald City Smoothie Franchise
    Training On-The-Job Training: 20 hours Classroom Training: 20 hours -
    Support Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Franchisee Intranet Platform * Use of the Emerald City Smoothie brand and all existing and new marketing materials * Assistance with real estate brokers, site selection, lease negotiation and construction based on best practices learned from over 30 store openings * A turn-key system that includes all architectural design, equipment, shelving, graphics, and signage at a reasonable cost * Extensive ECS Experience training for you and one staff member on drink making, developing a customer community, business management and marketing * Grand opening planning and support * "It's my store" customer involvement program * Peer-to-peer problem and solution sharing with other franchise owners * New drink introductions based on successful pilot programs at other franchises * Web presence for easy store location and product and service pre-selection * Periodic, high-return marketing strategies for pilot testing and implementation * Greater buying power for smoothie and health products as a member of our buying cooperative * Periodic visits to assist with general operations, employee training and to help you fine-tune the ECS experience * Analysis of store sales and performance versus system- wide benchmarks
    Marketing Co-op Advertising Ad Templates Social media Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app -
    Operations 0% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 15 - 25

    Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (67% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

    		-

    Expansion Plans
     
    Bahama Buck's Original Shaved Ice Company Franchise
    Emerald City Smoothie Franchise
    US Expansion Yes-
    Canada Expansion No-
    International Expansion No-

    Company Overviews

    About Bahama Buck's Original Shaved Ice Company

    In the Summer of 1990, Blake Buchanan opened the first Bahama Buck's. He started with one ice shaver and the hope of a college job that didn't involve mowing grass or flipping burgers. Constructing the original store by hand, he enlisted volunteer help from three generations of his family, staffed it with friends and college students and opened the doors. The tropical sensation caught on and with the help of his now partner, Eric Lee, and his wife, Kippi Buchanan, that summer job turned into a full time vocation. Blake has worked to keep the spirit of the original Bahama Buck's alive, making sure that each franchise is operated with the same enthusiasm of the first Buck's. His team strives to ensure that each flavor becomes a favorite and each visit is a great time - every time.

    The total investment necessary to begin operation of a Bahama Buck’s franchised business ranges from $303,700 to $957,838. This includes $144,000 to $223,000 that must be paid to the franchisor or their affiliate. If you elect to enter into a Multi-Store Amendment, you will pay the franchisor a development fee equal to 50% of the initial franchise fee for each additional Bahama Buck’s Store to be opened upon signing the Multi-Store Amendment (excluding your first store). This fee is not refundable, but is credited fully against the initial franchise fee for each store when the franchise agreement is executed for that store (except the first store).

    Seeking new franchise units in Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming


    About Emerald City Smoothie

    If you are looking for a significant franchise opportunity with a low cost of entry and a high upside potential, you may be a great candidate to be an Emerald City Smoothie franchise owner. We've also built our uniqueness beyond the product. We build customer loyalty everyday through: * A personal service philosophy that turns our employees into part of our customer's fitness-support team, which keeps customers coming back, according to the Parker LePla Emerald City Smoothie Customer Study * Supplements for any health goal from weight loss to bulking up * Smoothie recipes that won the "best of" smoothie category in a Seattle poll, featuring a unique blending process that creates a smooth, refreshing, but never-watery, taste * Branding and design that helps draw customers into your stores and makes selection of high-margin add-on products easy. Click here for a virtual tour of one of our world-class locations. * Marketing, training, site selection, and quality control services. Emerald City Smoothie also features all the benefits of franchising including our formula for operating to help avoid many mistakes commonly made by new business owners. Today, one out of every seven dollars spent by Americans for retail goods and services is spent in a franchised or independent product distribution business (source: IFA Franchise Opportunity Guide, p. 31, Fall/Winter 2004). Franchising generates an estimated $1.5 trillion in the U.S. economy annually (source: www.franchise.org/opportunities). The combination of the franchisor's expertise and your hard work create the potential for a strong business. With a franchise, you are in business for yourself, not by yourself!