Zoom Room Dog Training
Preferred Sq. Footage: 2,800-3,200 s.f.
12-Month Anticipated Openings: 20-30
This socially engaging dog training gym franchise will open in new states for the brand such as Nevada, Illinois, New York, Kentucky, Oregon, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Tennessee and Kansas over the next two years. Zoom Room looks for units in regional malls, strip malls, shopping centers, and non-traditional standalone buildings or industrial spaces in metropolitan cities near upscale grocers. Markets should have a large number of educated millennials. In addition to dog training, Zoom Room also offers other events such as dog birthday parties and doggy disco gatherings.
Guthrie’s
Preferred Sq. Footage: 500-2,000 s.f.
12-Month Anticipated Openings: 10-15
Guthrie’s, which has a strong presence in Ohio, as well as throughout the Southeast, signed a franchise agreement in December for 50 units in Western states — Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, Colorado and New Mexico — with an option for 50 more. Guthrie’s seeks space in regional shopping centers and freestanding pads for its drive-thru/walk-up units. Guthrie’s is famous for its hand-breaded chicken fingers, served in a bucket, in a box with fries and toast, or in sandwich form.
Rowan
Preferred Sq. Footage: 676-1,500 s.f.
12-Month Anticipated Openings: 10-15
Rowan, which is already a household name thanks to its piercing kiosks in select Target stores, will continue opening more traditional brick-and-mortar units this year in Indianapolis, Boulder, Colo., Dallas, Houston, Omaha, Neb., Birmingham, Mich., Chicago and New York City. The brand prefers urban retail street-front sites in trendy districts or units in tourist-heavy regional shopping centers or lifestyle centers, preferably near a college. The piercing shop is popular with tweens, teens and 20- to 35-year-olds.
Bouldering Project
Preferred Sq. Footage: 18,000-40,000 s.f.
12-Month Anticipated Openings: 2-6
This indoor rock-climbing brand will be eyeing expansion via both new units and acquisitions. Semi-industrial spaces, warehouse units, lifestyle centers, regional centers and the ground floor of mixed-use buildings in urban environments will be preferred. Look for up-and-coming markets throughout the Northeast, the Southeast, the Southwest and the West to be targeted, with potential growth into Columbus, Ohio, Atlanta, Boise, Idaho, Phoenix, Nashville, Tenn., and Winston-Salem, N.C.
Burrow
Preferred Sq. Footage: 5,000-7,500 s.f.
12-Month Anticipated Openings: 5
This digitally native furniture brand, known for its easily assembled couches, will be opening a new showroom in Chicago by year’s end. Potential areas eyed for growth include Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth, Washington, D.C., Phoenix and Miami. Look for busy retail street-front sites with heavy foot traffic to be sought out, including revamped industrial warehouse spaces in densely populated urban neighborhoods with a large percentage of 25- to 45-year-olds.
