The Top 10 Retail Brands You Didn’t Know Were Franchises

Franchising is a popular business model that has helped many entrepreneurs achieve their dreams of owning a successful business. While many well-known restaurant franchises such as McDonald's, Subway and Burger King are common staples of the industry, there are several retail brands that some entrepreneurs may not realize are franchise investment options. Here are a few examples.

1. The UPS Store: UPS is about more than brown trucks. The UPS Store is a franchise that offers shipping, printing and mailbox services. With over 4,000 locations in the United States and Canada, it's one of the largest retail franchises in the world.
    
2. Ace Hardware: Ace Hardware is a hardware store that offers a wide range of products, including hardware, home improvement, and lawn and garden items. It's one of the largest hardware chains in the world and operates over 5,000 locations globally.
    
3. IKEA: IKEA is a retail company that offers assemble-it-yourself furniture at hyper-affordable prices. With 360 stores worldwide, this Swedish juggernaut is arguably one of the world’s most recognizable furniture brands and has been franchising since day one.
    
4. The Lock Up Self Storage: The Lock Up Self Storage is a self-storage retail franchise that offers secure storage solutions for personal and business items. With over 40 locations in the United States, The Lock Up Self Storage is one of the largest self-storage franchises in the country.
    
5. Jiffy Lube: Jiffy Lube is a well-known automotive retail franchise that provides oil changes, tire rotations and other vehicle maintenance services. With over 2,000 locations in the United States and Canada, Jiffy Lube is one of the largest automotive retail franchises in North America.
    
6. Pet Supplies Plus: Pet Supplies Plus is a pet store franchise that offers a wide range of pet supplies and services, including grooming, training and adoption services. With over 550 locations in the United States, Pet Supplies Plus is one of the largest pet store franchises in the country.
    
7. LensCrafters: This eyewear retailer, which operates over 700 locations, is one of the largest optical franchises in the world.
    
8. The GNC: This nutrition and supplement retailer operates over 5,000 stores worldwide, with many of its locations being franchise-owned.
    
9. T-Mobile: This cell phone retailer operates over 1,000 locations and offers franchise opportunities for entrepreneurs looking to get into the telecommunications industry.
    
10. Men's Wearhouse: This clothing retailer, known for its formal wear and suiting, operates over 700 locations in the United States and is a popular franchise opportunity for those interested in the fashion industry.

By expanding their reach through franchising, these retail brands have become household names for both consumers and franchisees in the know.