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Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Icebox/Soupbox vs 16 Handles including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.
Start-Up Costs and Fees |
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Investment | $69,500 - $174,500 | $274,500 - $735,000 |
Franchise Fee | $14,000 - $20,000 | $30,000 |
Royalty Fee | 4% | 6% |
Advertising Fee | - | 2% |
Year Founded | 1995 | 2008 |
Year Franchised | 1998 | 2010 |
Term Of Agreement | 10 years | 10 years |
Term Of Agreement | 10 years | 10 years |
Renewal Fee | Negotiable | 10% of the then franchise fee |
Business Experience Requirements |
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Experience | Experienced business people, franchisees, and multi-unit operators | |
Financing Options |
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In-House/3rd Party | In-House/3rd Party | |
Franchise Fees | No/No | No/Yes |
Start-up Costs | No/No | No/Yes |
Equipment | No/No | No/Yes |
Inventory | No/No | No/Yes |
Receivables | No/No | -/- |
Payroll | No/No | -/- |
Training & Support |
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Training | - | 2 Weeks of training at one of our corporate training stores in NYC 1 Week of on site training support by one of our Operations Specialists |
Support | Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives | As a 16 Handles franchise owner, you will receive full support services every step of the way. Through informative, on-site visits and a comprehensive, confidential operations manual, you will be assisted in all the critical areas, including but not limited to: site selection, building design, initial equipment purchases, hiring, management, food ordering and marketing. And you will have ongoing support from our experienced corporate team to guide you through building your business, controlling your costs and running your business efficiently all the way from post-deposit through grand opening and beyond. |
Marketing | Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, Regional advertising | - |
Operations |
0% of all franchisees own more than one unit Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 10 Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators) | A Franchise Business Consultant will be assigned to your store to assist with all business operations |
Expansion Plans |
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US Expansion | - | Yes |
Canada Expansion | No | - |
International Expansion | Yes | Yes |
Before opening his first store, Jamie Taerbaum stood outside a Baskin-Robbins store to figure out how many customers an ice cream store could expect at different times of day, on different days of the week, and in different weather conditions. Armed with this research, the young business school graduate opened the original Icebox/Soupbox store in 1995 in Chicago.
In the spring and summer, Icebox operates as a retailer of Icyfruit, a mixture of fruit juice, sugar, water and chunks of fruit that comes in 20 flavors. Throughout the fall and winter, it becomes a Soupbox store, offering a wide variety of soups.