1851

&ldquo;The only career I&rsquo;ve ever had was with Lowes,&rdquo; said new Batteries Plus Bulbs franchisee Rich Epps. As of July 2019, Epps is a proud owner of seven Batteries Plus Bulbs stores throughout Manatee County, Florida. He started out at Lowes as a part-time clerk while finishing up his college degree. What began as a way to make some extra cash turned into a career for Epps, as he eventually found himself in a District Manager position in Columbia, South Carolina.&nbsp;

When Lowes asked Epps to relocate to southwest Florida, he took over managing territory from Tampa to Naples. While Epps loved his time with Lowes, he always wanted to go out and do something on his own. Epps left his position at Lowes and began to search for what was next in his career.

Epps wasn&rsquo;t necessarily looking to franchise, but franchising found him. &ldquo;When I left Lowes, I was looking at opportunities when I ran into Steve Cooper, a former Batteries Plus Bulbs owner,&rdquo; said Epps. &ldquo;I wanted to talk to him and learn the franchise business and he ended up offering me his stores to purchase.&rdquo;

Epps jumped at the <a href="http://batteriesplusfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=batteries-plus-bulbs-franchisee-finds-career-freedom-after-25-years-with-lowes-2711040" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">opportunity</a> and in April 2019 gradually began to acquire Cooper&rsquo;s stores.&nbsp;

Epps immediately felt comfortable with Batteries Plus Bulbs because the <a href="https://1851franchise.com/batteriesplus/5-reasons-to-buy-a-batteries-plus-bulbs-franchise-2710455" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">corporate business</a> model was very similar to what he had experienced with Lowes. &ldquo;As I went into researching the company I found that Batteries Plus Bulbs had a great support structure and I feel like that is important with any franchise,&rdquo; Epps said.

Another factor in Epps decision-making process was being able to stay in the Brandon, Florida area, a place that he and his family have called home for many years. As fate would have it, the Sunshine State is ideal for a business like Batteries Plus Bulbs.&nbsp;

&ldquo;I can&rsquo;t think of an area in the country that has a greater need for the products that we sell,&rdquo; said Epps. &ldquo;You see golf carts everywhere down here, and the heat means a lot of battery-powered electronics are very sensitive and need professional services close by.&rdquo;

Epps added that there is a real need for the <a href="http://batteriesplus.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=batteries-plus-bulbs-franchisee-finds-career-freedom-after-25-years-with-lowes-2711040" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">Batteries Plus Bulbs</a> brand&mdash;which offers device repair services, key fob programming and an extensive line of premium battery and bulb products with both commercial and retail applications&mdash; in the Florida market and he hopes to grow the flourishing business. After taking over ownership of all seven of Cooper&rsquo;s stores in July 2019, Epps is in the process of relocating one store to Lakewood Ranch, and is actively looking to open another store in Bradenton.&nbsp;

Epps felt his experience in the home improvement industry and support from the corporate team at Batteries Plus Bulbs is equipping him for success in the booming Florida market. &ldquo;This brand has withstood the test of time, surviving economic recessions and competition from Amazon. It really seems to have a business model that is sustainable,&rdquo; said Epps.&nbsp;

Batteries Plus Bulbs Chief Strategy Officer and VP of Franchise Development Jon Sica is excited to have Epps join the national community of franchise owners. &quot;Rich brings tremendous retail, customer service and multi-unit management expertise to our system. Combined with his local knowledge as a longtime Floridian, he&#39;s ideally positioned to continue growing in that market.&quot;&nbsp;

Batteries Plus Bulbs continues to welcome owners to its franchise across the country, and focuses a large part of corporate staff of direct franchisee support. &quot;During the 30-odd years we&#39;ve been a national brand, we have developed the tools and the business model needed to make owners successful,&quot; Sica said. &quot;When we can get a customer-focused operator like Rich in the system, the Sky&#39;s the limit.&quot;&nbsp;

The startup costs for a Batteries Plus Bulbs franchise range from $189,250 to $366,350. The franchise fee is $37,500. To learn more about franchising with Batteries Plus Bulbs, visit <a href="https://batteriesplusfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=batteries-plus-bulbs-franchisee-finds-career-freedom-after-25-years-with-lowes-2711040" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">https://batteriesplusfranchise.com/</a>.

 
 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Batteries Plus Bulbs Franchisee Finds Career Freedom After 25 Years with Lowes

1851 Franchise

Rich Epps worked his way up from part-time employee to district manager over two decades—now he’s starting a business of his own with Batteries Plus Bulbs. 


This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

batteries-plus-bulbs-franchisee-finds-career-freedom-after-25-years-with-lowes

Lawn Doctor

Happinest-Lawn-Doctor-Franchisee-Ralph-Valle-Profile-Jacksonville-FL-June-2025

From Near-Quit to 7 Figures: Success With Lawn Doctor in Jacksonville, Florida

lawn-doctor-franchise-success-jacksonville

Atomic Wings

Atomic Wings Debuts in Metro East With Fairview Heights Grand Opening

atomic-wings-debuts-in-metro-east-with-fairview-heights-grand-opening

Pet Wants

Pet Wants Shares Expert Tips on Cleaning Pet Gear Safely in the Dishwasher

pet-wants-shares-expert-tips-on-cleaning-pet-gear-safely-in-the-dishwasher

Griswold

Griswold in Andover, Minnesota, Connects Students and Seniors Through Pen Pal Program

griswold-in-andover-minnesota-connects-students-and-seniors-through-pen-pal-program

HomeTeam Inspection Service

Photo of HomeTeam Inspection Service franchisee Max Moarefdoust

Corporate Employee Turned Owner Illustrates the Power of the HomeTeam Model

max-moarefdoust-hometeam-success

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Chick-fil-A Tops Customer Satisfaction Rankings for 11th Year as Challenger Brands Gain Ground

chick-fil-a-tops-customer-satisfaction-rankings-for-11th-year-as-challenger-brands-gain-ground

Technomic Releases Annual Ranking of the Top 15 Fast-Food Chains in the U.S.

technomic-releases-annual-ranking-of-the-top-15-fast-food-chains-in-the-us

Rising Jobless Claims Could Signal Challenges — and Opportunities — for Franchising

rising-jobless-claims-affect-franchising

Hardee’s Lawsuit Highlights the Risk of Going Off-Model in Franchising

hardees-franchise-lawsuit-paradigm-investment-group

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores - Agg - 1851 Franchise

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores

hooters-franchise-model-company-owned-closures

How Vishal Juneja Turned a Family Tradition Into a Paris Baguette Franchise

How Vishal Juneja Turned a Family Tradition Into a Paris Baguette Franchise Built on Heart and Community

paris-baguette-franchise-rockaway-new-jersey-vishal-junjea

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Raj Pingili and Paris Baguette logo

How a Family Vacation Inspired Raj Pingili to Bring Paris Baguette to Towson, Maryland

how-a-family-vacation-inspired-raj-pingili-to-bring-paris-baguette-to-towson-maryland

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Juan & Whitney Fernandez & family, BIGGBY COFFEE logo

From Chiropractic to Coffee: These BIGGBY® COFFEE Franchisees Are Brewing Something New in Troy, Ohio 

biggby-coffee-franchise-coming-to-troy-ohio

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Sean Phelan & Caring Transitions logo

From Tech to Transitions: Why This Caring Transitions Franchisee Left the Corporate World To Help Families Navigate Life’s Hardest Moves

Batteries Plus Bulbs Franchisee Finds Career Freedom After 25 Years with Lowes

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS