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Culver's
The first Culver's opened on July 18, 1984 in Sauk City, Wisconsin, and paved the way for a truly unique quick-service restaurant. Craig Culver, his wife, Lea, and his parents, George and Ruth, set a heightened standard for quality and freshness. The Culver family believes that the "owner/operator" concept is the cornerstone for success. In a sense, the idea was for one entrepreneurial family - the Culver's - to help spawn many more individual entrepreneurs, each of whom would have ownership in and operate his or her own independent restaurant. Thanks to the Culver's vision, there are over 330 Culver's restaurants in 17 states.
Franchisor Background
Year Established:
1984
Franchising Since:
1988
IFA Member
Operating Units:
Franchised Units:
435
98%
Company-Owned Units:
9
2%
______
_____
Total Operating Units:
444
100%
Geographic Distribution:
U.S.:
422
100%
In 15 States
Canada:
0
0%
In 0 Canadian Provinces
International:
0
0%
In 0 Foreign Countries
______
_____
Total:
422
100%
North America:
States/Provinces with the largest number of operating units:
Density
Units
1. Wisconsin
112
2. Illinois
70
3. Minnesota
45
Registered in Following Registration States:
Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin
Financial Requirements
Investment:
Minimum Net Worth:
$700K
Cash Investment:
$300-500K
Total Investment:
$600K-3M
Average Total Investment:
$1800K
Fees:
Initial Franchise Fee:
$55K
Average Franchise Fee:
$55K
On-Going Royalty:
4%
Average Royalty:
4%
Advertising Fee:
2%
Average Number of Employees:
18 Full-time, 52 Part-time
Space Needs (in square footage):
3,700-5,300
Preferred Sites:
Free-standing Building
Other Sites:
Encourage Conversions?
Yes
Earnings Claims Provided?
Yes
Listed in the SBA Registry?
No
Support and Training
International Franchise Association:
Yes
Canadian Franchise Association:
No
Franchisee Association/Member:
No
Size of Corporate Staff:
98
Site Selection Assistance?
Yes
Lease Negotiation Assistance?
No
Financial Assistance?
No
Marketing Support:
Co-Op Advertising:
No
National Advertising:
No
Regional Advertising:
Yes
Local Advertising:
Yes
Marketing Materials:
Ad Slicks, Catalogs, Coupons/rebates, Direct Mailers, Promotional Items, Radio Ads, Site Signs, Television Ads, Videos
Additional Services:
Grand Opening, In-house Marketing, Marketing Research, Press Releases