Start a Waxing the City Franchise in 2024

2024 Franchise 500 Rank: #486 Ranked #496 last year

Initial investment: $325K - $604K

Units as of 2024: 150 30.4% over 3 years

Waxing is a huge industry and it is not projected to go away any time soon. Waxing the City is a salon-style studio completely dedicated to body waxing. Waxing the City studios are all about superior training, customer service, and comfort.

Waxing the City was founded in 2003 and began franchising in 2010. It boasts over 100 U.S. franchises and is looking to continue to expand.

Clients may come back to their local Waxing the City for all their grooming needs. The company offers services for all skin types and waxing preferences. Some clients may ven create a subscription with the brands Club Orange to wax often.

Why You May Want to Open a Waxing the City Franchise

Waxing the City offers exclusive products that work hand in hand with their services. The sale of these products may give the franchisee a second revenue stream and allow customers to spread the word about the brand. One thing that may make this franchise stand out from the rest is the wax itself. Waxing the City uses wax that's custom-made in Spain and France. The wax is supposed to not only remove the hair, but also soothe and comfort the skin.

The staff at Waxing the City locations typically undergo constant instruction, education, and certification. To become certified, the staff receives multiple days of hands-on training. After that, they can opt for additional training with chances for advancement.

What Might Make a Waxing the City Franchise a Good Choice?

To be part of the Waxing the City team, you should make sure you’re financially ready for an initial investment made up of a franchise fee and other startup costs. You should also prepare yourself for ongoing fees that will include advertising, royalty, or renewal fees. Franchisees may also need to meet the company's set liquid capital requirements. Waxing the City may offer financing assistance through third-party financial lenders for franchisees who need it. Waxing the City has also updated its financing process for anyone who already has a studio and wants to expand with the Waxing the City brand name.

Waxing the City has been ranked in Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 multiple times in recent years. The ranking is based on an evaluation of more than 150 data points in the areas of costs and fees, size and growth, franchisee support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability.

How To Open a Waxing the City Franchise

If you want to open a studio, you can start by submitting a franchise request form. If you are seen as a good fit for the brand, a franchise representative may reach out to you. If you are chosen to open a Waxing the City franchise, you will likely have support all along the way.

Waxing the City will walk you through everything from picking a great location to designing an outstanding studio. Your franchise support should include a web-based franchise support center. This center may provide you with real-time news, an online operations manual, a training curriculum, and more. You can also use the center to participate in conference calls and educational webinars.

Company Overview

About Waxing the City

Industry	Personal-Care Businesses
Related Categories	Waxing, Miscellaneous Personal-Care Businesses, Miscellaneous Services, Salon & Spa Services
Founded	2003
Parent Company	Self Esteem Brands
Leadership	Chuck Runyon, CEO
Corporate Address	111 Weir Dr. Woodbury, MN 55125
Social	Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, TikTok

Business Overview

Franchising Since	2010 (14 years)
# of employees at HQ	431
Where seeking	This company is offering new franchises throughout the US.
# of Units	150 (as of 2024)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Waxing the City franchise.

Financial Requirements & Ongoing Fees

Here's what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.

Initial Franchise Fee Definition: The initial fee paid to a franchisor to join their system What you need to know: Found in Item 5 of the FDD, this may be a flat fee, or may vary based on territory size, experience, or other factors.The franchise fee is an up-front (one-time) cost that a new franchisee pays to the franchisor. This fee is usually due at the signing of the franchise agreement and covers the right to use the franchisor's trademarks, name, and related business systems.	$42,500
Initial Investment Definition: The total amount necessary to begin operation of the franchise What you need to know: The initial investment includes the franchise fee, along with other startup expenses such as real estate, equipment, supplies, business licenses, and working capital. This is outlined in a chart in Item 7 of the FDD, showing a range of possible costs from low to high.	$325,393 - $603,879
Net Worth Requirement Definition: The minimum net worth you must have in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company What you need to know: Net worth is the value of a person's assets minus liabilities. Assets include cash, stocks, retirement accounts, and real estate. Liabilities include items like mortgages, car payments, and credit card debt.	$350,000
Cash Requirement Definition: The minimum liquid capital you must have available in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company.	$150,000
Veteran Incentives Definition: A discount or other incentive offered to military veterans who buy a franchise with this company.	$4,250 off franchise fee
Royalty Fee Definition: A ongoing fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis. What you need to know: Most franchisors require franchisees to pay an ongoing royalty fee, which is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD. This fee is typically a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales, but may also be a flat weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	6%
Ad Royalty Fee Definition: An going fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis to support advertising or marketing efforts. What you need to know: This may also be called advertising fee, marketing fee, brand fund fee, and more, but the basic purpose is the same-- to support promotion of the brand systemwide. As with the royalty fee, it is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD, and can be a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales or a weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	2%
Term of Agreement Definition: The length of time your franchise agreement will last. What you need to know: Franchise terms are typically anywhere from 5 to 20 years in length, but are sometimes instead dependent on factors such as the term of your lease. Once your term is up, you may have the option to renew your agreement, typically for a smaller fee than the original franchise fee.	6 years
Is franchise term renewable?	Yes

Financing Options

Some franchisors offer in-house financing, while others have relationships with third-party financing sources to which they refer qualified franchisees.

Third Party Financing	Waxing the City has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: franchise fee, startup costs, equipment, inventory, accounts receivable, payroll

Training & Support Offered

Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.

On-The-Job Training	15-25 hours
Classroom Training	24 hours
Ongoing Support	Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings & Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security & Safety Procedures Lease Negotiation Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Support	Co-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social Media SEO Website Development Email Marketing Loyalty Program/App

Operations

Additional details about running this franchise.

Is absentee ownership allowed?	No
Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit? Definition: The business can be run from your home and/or a vehicle, and it is not necessary to have a retail facility, office space, or warehouse.	No
Can this franchise be run part time? Definition: This business can be run by the owner on a part-time basis (less than 40 hours per week) and/or as a side business; it is not necessary for the business to be open/run full-time.	No
# of employees required to run	4-8
Are exclusive territories available? Definition: An exclusive territory is a fixed area in which you are given the right to operate and in which no other units of the same franchise may be opened. What you need to know: Territory size may be based on factors such as radius, population size, zip codes, and more. Details can be found in Item 12 of the FDD.	Yes