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A Foundation of Solid Experience
The first English Butler store was opened in 1984 in Saint John, New Brunswick. Storeowner, Bill Randell recognized a market trend for unique home environments. Building the store around a traditional theme, they had a hit!
Over the next few years, new stores were opened in Atlantic Canada and a decision was then made to enter the Ontario a market with a combination of corporate and franchise partners.
Today, English Butler includes more than 20 stores operating in 5 provinces. Lead by Bill Randell, the company is dedicated to the strength of the English Butler brand, and to the success of the franchise partners endeavors. They have built a team of experts to support the franchise stores -- from site selection and lease negotiations to operations and on-going sales promotions and marketing.
Compare the Difference.
When comparing franchise opportunities, there are a number of factors to consider. The following are a few of the more important ones.
Business Category
What products do you have an affinity for? English Butler stores specialize in gifts, collectibles, and home decorating accessories. Although inventories may vary somewhat from store to store, the basics are consistent throughout the English Butler family of stores. Our corporate buying and merchandising experts assist with selecting your initial store inventory, setting-up consumer friendly displays, training you to manage inventory levels throughout the year, and notifying you of new product opportunities. If you love traditional giftware, this may be the store for you.
Business Format
When you become an English Butler franchise partner, you're not just getting the use of a familiar trademark and logo. You're getting a complete business system that has been tested and used successfully throughout our chain. Successful franchise applicants enjoy the benefits of this business format from the start -- beginning with the franchise application and financial arrangements, continuing through store lease evaluation and construction of the new store, and wrapping up with state-of-the-art computerized business information systems.
Networking
With our growing network of 20+ stores located in 5 provinces, English Butler franchise partners have an abundance of networking resources within the franchise family and beyond. Communication among storeowners and managers is encouraged. Between regular communication with personnel at head office, buyers, storeowner gatherings, getting together at major gift shows and idea sharing in general, English Butler franchise partners enjoy the benefits of a family of resources.
The Power of Expectations
English Butler stores have demonstrated an impressive record of growth. That growth did not happen by accident. Shoppers who frequent our stores commonly state that the stores exceeded their expectations for product, service and value. At English Butler, our mission includes working together with our franchise partners to become mutually strong and successful. That means that when it comes to franchise owner support, "good" will never be good enough. For English Butler personnel, exceeding expectations is what we are all about, too.
Great Sites for New Stores
English Butler has identified a number of shopping centers and power centres as having potential for store sites. The majority of these are dominant in their particular market. In addition, there are occasions when existing stores become available for re-purchase. If you do not see your city or market area of interest, please call or drop us an .
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Where are we going?
English Butler operates from sound business planning, with short and long-term goal setting. In addition to working with each franchise partner to set sales goals for the immediate year, we recognize the benefit of building a strong brand name. Brand strength grows with the addition of each new store location.
Existing English Butler stores range in size from 2,000 to 5,000 square feet. For stores opening in 2008, the investment range is projected at $250,000 - $350,000 with a minimum cash requirement of 30% investment. Because of the English Butler history with the chartered banks, most franchisees are eligible for expedited loan processing.
How About Your Own English Butler Store?
For more information or to see if you qualify for an English Butler franchise, contact Nick Assad at the address given below. A preliminary application is included on this website. Once you have completed an application, you may be interested in visiting our home offices or make arrangements to visit a store near you. Here, you can meet members of the support team and learn more about the brand and franchise programs. We call this "Discover Day" -- a day to get acquainted.
Training
Having a great business system is one thing. Getting the most out of it comes with education and experience. That's why every English Butler franchise partner receives on-going training in all areas of business. This training begins with an in-store program before construction of your store commences. Two weeks prior to store opening, franchise partners receive on site training where you'll receive one-on-one training from the experts. Your store's success is our primary objective.
Market Research
What is a store without great products to offer? We continually monitor market trends and keep our stores informed about sources to meet new market demands. English Butler and its network of stores share information about market trends and opportunities. With the growth of our franchise network English Butler stores can take advantage of volume discounts, exclusive product offerings and direct importing.
Field Support
Because retail sales is an ever-changing profession, we encourage our stores to take advantage of current trends and proven systems. Franchise stores have access to our staff of operational experts who train on visual merchandising, pricing strategies, customer service, computerized information systems, employee motivation, and much more.
It Begins with Tradition
If you've enjoyed a visit to an English Butler store, you have an idea of what gifts, collectibles, and home decor is all about. Add to that a desire for freedom - the independence to make decisions, to run your own retail business. Now you're headed toward the English Butler vision! We think you'll soon agree that English Butler offers the most unique store program available. If you can appreciate the benefits of owning a store that captures the charm of traditional gifts and home decor and infuses it with the efficiency that today's business environment demands, an English Butler store may be for you.
Selecting a Store Location
At English Butler we know how important location is to the success of our stores. Nothing sums it up better than that old yet true saying, "Location! Location! Location!" Since much of the daily business of English Butler stores is impulse shopping, this adage is particularly important to us.
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