Mark Mele, CDO of Paris Baguette, discusses how the worldwide bakery franchise prioritizes handy places with excessive visibility when in search of cafe areas.
With a franchise idea as large as Paris Baguette — the cafe chain with 4,000 items open across the globe — the pipeline can construct up quick. As we proceed to see a lot curiosity in our franchise idea, we have labored laborious to make sure every location is ready as much as supply homeowners a stream of success that is as regular because the batches of recent bakery items they produce. An enormous a part of that equation? Actual property and development. We at present have over 130 recently-signed franchise homeowners in our actual property and development pipeline.
So, what are some ideas and tips for finest navigating the advanced actual property course of? Right here is how we do it at Paris Baguette.
1. Discovering current places
Oftentimes, the most effective location has already been found by another person, which implies it is going to come to you as a second-generation web site. As soon as a franchise settlement is executed, Paris Baguette works with native and nationwide actual property brokerage companies to slender down appropriate websites and approve them. The subsequent step is to current the choices for the placement to the brand new franchisee, who will overview them earlier than selecting one, sending out a letter of intent and present process lease negotiations. Almost 80% of the time, we find yourself going with an current facility.
In different situations, we’ll select a location in a brand new buying plaza that’s being constructed, and as soon as in a blue moon we could have just a few agreements which can be for freestanding new development buildings.
Whereas a model new web site can sound thrilling, the most suitable choice, a minimum of for an idea like ours, is normally discovering an current location to suit your wants. No matter which course we go, the complete technique of discovering a web site takes a mean of 80 days.
2. Adapting to the best ground plan
Every franchise idea could have completely different necessities relating to house, however it’s vital to do the correct due diligence and decide the optimum ground plan for that individual web site.
Primarily based on our enterprise mannequin, for instance, we search for websites between 3,000 and three,500 sq. toes which can be both inline areas or finish caps of a lifestyle-focused buying heart. This normally means focused plazas that supply comfort and simple accessibility, with big-box retail anchors which can be busy all hours of the day.
However after the house is recognized utilizing these necessities, the model will do an extra “take a look at match”, retrofitting the prevailing ground plan and maximizing to get probably the most environment friendly use of house for a brand new Paris Baguette.
As a part of this technique, we not too long ago rolled out a 3.0 design that every one new places are constructed with to raised streamline this course of. The three.0 design consists of upgraded furnishings, fixtures, flooring, ceilings, lighting, millwork, refrigeration and freezer items. The seating is new, and there are a number of upgrades to each the inside and exterior (in locations with outside seating). It is extra fashionable, up-to-date and really French and European-inspired with the colours and wooden tones.
Whereas you will need to have a normal template of what a web site ought to appear like, it’s also important that manufacturers proceed to adapt and tweak their ground plans as a way to get probably the most out of an area.
3. Retaining to the development timeline
After the positioning has been accredited and the ground plans are laid out, it is time to get constructing. It is vital to make sure that there’s a laborious development timeline in place so nothing falls by the cracks.
Following our take a look at match, for instance, we’ll make architectural drawings and have contractors bid on the mission. The development course of, coaching workers at our coaching heart and bringing in all of the stock and gear can usually take three to 4 months, after which the bakery café is able to open its doorways. All in all, it normally takes about 9 months from the time the franchise proprietor indicators the settlement to when they’re serving glad company.
General, franchisors should be ready to supply nonstop help to franchisees for the whole lot of the pre-opening course of, in addition to into opening and past. Actual property and development is a key a part of this course of and needs to be dealt with accordingly.
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