As the Woodcraft blogger, I have been asked about the stores and Woodcraft in general. Most often, “Why do the stores do different things or sometimes carry different items?”
The answer is Woodcraft stores are franchises; independently owned and operated by local folks in your community. When you make a purchase from a Woodcraft retail store, you are purchasing from a local person who lives where you live; your neighbor!
That’s usually followed by, “Why be a franchisee and own a store, what’s the advantage?”
Listen to these current Woodcraft Franchise owners, and why they became a part of the Woodcraft family,
According to Gary Lombard, vice president of retail/franchise development, “A Woodcraft Franchise allows you to go into business for yourself, but you are not in business by yourself. Woodcraft has developed a proven system, and that is what franchising is all about, leveraging what has already been proven, what has been learned, and putting it into one concise package. Prior to Woodcraft franchising its first store, we operated 28 corporate stores in various locations around the country. All that experience and expertise on how to operate a Woodcraft store is the foundation for the Woodcraft system.”
Owners and employees are woodworkers, just like you. They’ve turned a hobby into a business of their own, only they are not alone. The advantage to being part of a franchise operation is the corporation can leverage the over 80 stores nationwide to make smarter deals, while the stores can independently tend to the local flavor and loyal customer’s needs. That’s a big benefit to you, the customer.
There have been occasions when a woodworker has stated, “I wish I had a store like this, and “I’ve got some great ideas.” Well here is another resource for making that wish come true.
There are also other benefits to the stores where corporate provides resources, so stores can put their efforts toward customer service. Most recently is the partnering with BoeFly, an online marketplace that streamlines commercial transactions. BoeFly helps connect franchisees with lenders so that their loan package meets specific lending criteria. It helps prospective franchisees connect with the capital they need to open their businesses. “Woodcraft actively tries to support our franchisees, so in turn our franchisees can concentrate on the customer, and we see BoeFly as an efficient tool to do so,” said Gary Lombard. This will help your local store stay strong in light of recent economic issues. That’s good for Woodcraft, the store, your community and you, the customer.
The biggest question we all get asked, “How do I get a store near me?”
Easy, we need someone who wants to be their own boss, own their own business, enjoys woodworking, sharing the craft, and most importantly, someone who is interested in providing the best possible customer support. If you believe we need a franchisee/owner in your market area or are interested in owning a Woodcraft store go to http://www.woodcraftfranchise.com/. Information and assistance is available through planning, training, site selection, design and décor of the store, and much more. Click HERE for additional information. Franchise information links and pages are also found on the right side panel of the blog page.
You will be pleasingly surprised at how much woodworking talent exists in your area. Come enjoy the exciting experience with Woodcraft!
