Merlin 200000 Mile Shops vs Christian Brothers Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Merlin 200000 Mile Shops vs Christian Brothers including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
Merlin 200000 Mile Shops Franchise
Christian Brothers Franchise
Investment $183,600 - $315,900$454,250 - $582,400
Franchise Fee $26,000 - $30,000$135,000
Royalty Fee 4.9-6.9%Varies
Advertising Fee -$10K/yr.
Year Founded 19751962
Year Franchised 19751996
Term Of Agreement 20 years-
Term Of Agreement 20 years-
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements
 
Merlin 200000 Mile Shops Franchise
Christian Brothers Franchise
Experience
  • Industry experience
  • General business experience
  • Marketing skills
  • Management experience; customer service
    		• Management and leadership background

    Financing Options
     
    Merlin 200000 Mile Shops Franchise
    Christian Brothers Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/Yes-/Yes
    Start-up Costs No/Yes-/Yes
    Equipment No/Yes-/Yes
    Inventory No/Yes-/Yes
    Receivables No/No-/Yes
    Payroll No/No-/Yes

    Training & Support
     
    Merlin 200000 Mile Shops Franchise
    Christian Brothers Franchise
    Training -Ongoing training and marketing support from the Home office On-The-Job Training: 115 hours Classroom Training: 204 hours
    Support Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperativesOngoing marketing support from the Home office which includes: Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform
    Marketing Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, Regional advertisingCo-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social media SEO Website development Email marketing
    Operations 8% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 5

    Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

    		Number of Employees Required to Run: 8

    Expansion Plans
     
    Merlin 200000 Mile Shops Franchise
    Christian Brothers Franchise
    US Expansion YesYes
    Canada Expansion No-
    International Expansion No-

    Company Overviews

    About Merlin 200000 Mile Shops

    Merlin is an upscale "under the car" service opportunity which specializes in exhaust, brakes, ride control, suspension & steering, and oil/lubrication services. As a full service business format franchise, Merlin's provides a 90% turnkey state-of-the-art facility, comprehensive training, aggressive marketing programs, and ongoing support.

    About Christian Brothers

    Our roots go back to 1982 in Houston, Texas, when Mark Carr founded Christian Brothers Automotive with a mission to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). When we began our franchise program in 1996, this principle carried forward as the guiding light for all our franchisees. Today, there are over 160 Christian Brothers locations across 24 states and many more coming soon. 
    We are proud to say that each of our franchisees operates their business with the deep-seated knowledge that if we treat each other right, we’ll have happy customers - and that’s how we’ll succeed financially. In our 24+ years of franchising we’ve never closed a location and are proud to continue that legacy in years to come.

    Veteran Incentives  10% off franchise fee
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    In Franchise Business Reviews' Top 200.
    #261 in Franchise 500 for 2020.