Franchisor Stories
Franchise Opportunity Deep Dive: Big Frog offers a creative, community-focused retail model with strong margins, low overhead and proven success in the custom apparel industry.
Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More offers a unique retail franchise opportunity specializing in custom apparel with a focus on ultra-fast direct-to-garment printing, no minimum orders and exceptional customer service.
About the Brand
Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More was founded in 2008 in Clearwater, Florida. The company was co-founded by Tina Bacon-DeFrece, Ph.D., with the goal of making custom apparel accessible, fast and fun for everyone. Today, Big Frog operates over 75 locations across the United States and Canada, with a goal of reaching 125 stores by 2028.
Mission: To provide a personalized and consultative retail experience for custom apparel with local ownership and community engagement.
Vision: To become the leading provider of custom apparel solutions through fun, efficient and community-oriented stores.
Unique Selling Points (USPs)
Why Franchise With Big Frog?
Available Territories
Big Frog is actively expanding across the U.S., with high-priority markets in Florida, Arizona and Virginia.
See a full list at https://bigfrogfranchise.com/territories/.
Investment Overview
Initial Costs: The estimated initial investment required to begin operation of a Big Frog franchise ranges from $163,987 to $323,110. The 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) breaks these costs down as follows:
| Type of Expenditure | Min | Max |
| Initial Franchise Fee, Standard | $60,000 | $60,000 |
| Training Travel Expenses | $2,000 | $5,000 |
| Lease Deposits and Store Build Out, Standard Location | $15,000 | $50,000 |
| Equipment, Furniture & Fixtures for Standard Franchise | $14,787 | $112,350 |
| Computer System & Software | $7,200 | $12,760 |
| Signs, Standard Location | $4,500 | $13,000 |
| Office Supplies | $1,500 | $4,000 |
| Insurance | $1,500 | $3,000 |
| Professional Fees | $1,500 | $3,000 |
| Franchise Opening Costs, including Utility Deposits | $1,000 | $2,000 |
| Opening Inventory, Standard Location | $5,000 | $6,000 |
| Promotional & Advertising (3 Months) | $10,000 | $10,000 |
| Additional Funds (3 Months) | $40,000 | $42,000 |
Initial Franchise Fee: The franchise fee is $60,000, due upon signing the franchise agreement. Discounts may be available for veterans and minority franchisees through Big Frog’s diversity initiatives.
Ongoing Fees: According to the 2025 FDD, Big Frog franchisees are responsible for the following ongoing payments and fees:
| Type of Fee | Amount |
| Continuing Royalty Fee | First 6 months: 6% of gross sales After 6 months: Greater of 6% of gross sales or $1,200/month |
| Brand Fund Contribution | 1.5% of the previous month’s gross sales |
ROI Potential:
Big Frog provides Item 19 performance data for franchised stores operating throughout 2024. Here’s a snapshot of performance for the 70 franchisees that reported:
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Systemwide Gross Revenue (All Outlets) | $35,947,558 | $37,303,635 | $37,565,657 | $34,028,209 |
| Average Annual Revenue (All Outlets) | $513,537 | $532,909 | $529,094 | $436,259 |
| Median Annual Revenue (All Outlets) | $424,856 | $477,842 | $470,883 | $371,900 |
| Highest Annual Revenue (Single Outlet) | $1,658,749 | $1,527,672 | $1,455,228 | $1,169,708 |
| Lowest Annual Revenue (Single Outlet) | $145,939 | $158,432 | $153,263 | $107,601 |
| Gross Profit Margin | 61.8% | 62.5% | 60.9% | 62.8% |
| Total Annual Customer Count (All Outlets) | 110,426 | 140,080 | 144,101 | 163,207 |
| Average Annual Customer Count (All Outlets) | 1,624 | 2,001 | 2,030 | 2,092 |
| Median Customer Count (All Outlets) | 1,465 | 1,854 | 1,871 | 1,945 |
| Highest Customer Count (Single Outlet) | 5,064 | 4,688 | 4,819 | 4,893 |
| Lowest Customer Count (Single Outlet) | 379 | 655 | 669 | 702 |
| Systemwide Average Sale (All Outlets) | $337 | $266 | $259 | $207 |
Training Programs
Big Frog offers in-depth training for franchisees and staff, including:
Operational Support
Technology and Tools
Eligibility Criteria
Operational Commitments
Funding Assistance
Big Frog offers support in connecting franchisees with preferred lenders and SBA loan partners. It also provides guidance on business plans and capital structuring.
Many franchisees have shared how Big Frog helped them escape the corporate grind and create a rewarding business rooted in creativity and community.
“I was drawn to Big Frog because of its fun branding — the name, logo, and overall trade dress really stood out to me. It’s fun, and people are drawn to that. In my previous job, I was in a role where I was always dealing with problems — maintenance issues, things breaking — and no one ever thanked me when things were running smoothly. I was ready for something different — something fun — and Big Frog fits that.”
Zoltan Varga, Franchisee — Stockton, California
“It doesn’t take much to get into the business from an investment standpoint, and it allowed us to start without huge loans. Plus, Albuquerque didn’t have a Big Frog franchise, which was attractive to us. Initially, I laughed at the idea of changing my whole career, but after talking to the team, I changed my mind. The family feel and the fact that we’re catching a franchise system poised for growth, rather than one that’s already tapped out, made it an easy decision."
Alex Turkai, Franchisee — Albuquerque, New Mexico
The global custom clothing market was estimated to be $50.21 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 9.80% from 2024 to 2031. North America's custom clothing market held the largest share in 2024, exceeding 40% of the global revenue, with a market size of $20.08 billion. It's expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.0% from 2024 to 2031.
Competitor Analysis
Big Frog sets itself apart with its fast, in-house production using direct-to-garment printing, strong customer experience and local engagement, and low overhead and high-margin model.
The brand’s top competitors include Custom Ink, Printful, Vistaprint, CafePress, Spreadshirt, Minuteman Press, Shirt Shack and EmbroidMe.
The whole process can take anywhere from 60-120 days, depending on financing and site selection.
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