Franchise Deep Dive: Premier Martial Arts' Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data

The martial arts class franchise is centered around a simple business model with competitive advantages.

By Victoria CampisiStaff Writer

7:07AM • 04/19/23

LAST UPDATED: 2/2024

FRANCHISE WEBSITE: https://www.premiermartialartsfranchise.com/

NUMBER OF LOCATIONS: 200+

REPORTED COST TO GET IN: $183,650–$421,800

REPORTED ROI (Item 19): $548,345 (2021)

Premier Martial Arts is a franchise brand that specializes in teaching karate, krav maga, and kickboxing for children and adults under the Unleashed Brands umbrella. Sister brands include Urban Air Adventure Park, The Little Gym, Snapology, Class 101 and XP League.

Founded in 2004, the franchise’s aim is to “empower lives through Martial Arts and help students find confidence, strength, and focus to live their best life and understand their true worth.” The brand's studios have certified, professional instructors that are trained in modern teaching techniques and martial arts skills.

Notably, Premier Martial Arts received the No. 1 position in the Children's Fitness Programs category and No. 140 overall in Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 for 2023, marking the first year the brand was included.

How Many Locations Are There?

The organization was founded in 2004 and quickly grew to more than 70 locations in the United States, Canada and Great Britain. In 2018, the company began franchising and now has more than 260 locations worldwide. In 2023, the brand celebrated one year with Unleashed Brands. In their first year together, Unleashed Brands worked with Premier Martial Arts to open 110-plus studios. As of February 2024, there are over 200 locations.

What Is the Business Model?

With a goal of revolutionizing the martial arts industry, Premier Martial Arts spaces are “clean, bright, and beautiful, and they smell like fresh linen.” Located conveniently and easy to find, Premier Martial Arts studios are found in high-end retail areas next to mainstream brands like Starbucks. Because of this insistence on high-end locations, Premier Martial Arts has developed a business model that has several competitive advantages:

A small footprint of 1,200–1,600 square feet
Small staff of one or two instructors per location
Lower ongoing overhead
Contained classes to maximize space and foster community
Minimal to no weekend hours

The simplicity of the business model is a result of founder Barry Van Over’s decades of experience in the industry.

“Our model is all about simplicity,” he said. “We can run the entire facility with a minimal staff. We can be super efficient with our profit generators, and our small footprint allows us to be in the best shopping centers for a reasonable rate. Our small footprint also keeps overhead low and profit margins high. And most importantly, it’s a lower-cost investment that is easy to scale up to multi-unit locations.”

How Much Can Premier Martial Arts Owners Make?

The brand’s most recently published information is from its 2022 FDD which states that, in 2021, average gross sales were $548,345.

How Much Does It Cost to Open a Premier Martial Arts Franchise?

The total initial investment to open a new Premier Martial Arts franchise ranges from $183,650–$421,800. Below is a breakdown of the costs:

Initial Franchise Fee: $49,500
Lease Payments: $5,000–$10,000
Lease Improvements: $42,000–$150,000
Licenses, Architectural, Engineering: $15,500–$16,500
Construction Management: $0–$18,250
Wages, Travel and Living Expenses for Initial Training: $575–$7,000
Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment: $17,000–$23,000
Signs: $7,000–$12,500
Initial Inventory & Supplies: $800–$25,000
Startup Salaries: $9,900–$36,000
Insurance: $125–$2,000
Computer System & Equipment: $5,300–$14,800
Software: $700–$1,000
Legal and Accounting Fees: $2,000–$14,000
Optional Pre-Sale/Grand Opening: $0–$1,000
Digital Footprint: $750
Grand Opening Advertising: $20,000–$25,000
Additional Funds: $7,500–$15,000
Total: $183,650–$421,800

What Is the Franchise Fee for Premier Martial Arts?

The franchise fee is $49,500.

Who Are the Leaders of Premier Martial Arts?

Barry Van Over, Founder
Scott Thompson - President
Ciara Lacy - Financial Controller
Shannon Jones - Director of Training
Josh Barker, Vice President, Franchise Recruitment (Unleased Brands)

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Every great franchisee had help buying a franchise. Want to learn more about how 1851 helps franchisees find the right franchise opportunity? Visit www.1851growthclub.com and start your journey.

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