Why I Picked Palm Beach Vapors: 5 Franchisees weigh in

Franchisees talk about what drew them to the vaping business and why they went with the growing company.

SPONSOREDUpdated 2:14PM • 08/18/15

Palm Beach Vapors was founded in 2013 when the first Palm Beach Vapors store opened in Owasso, Okla. The company found immediate success with its unique, beach-themed concept, quality products and excellent customer service. Five franchisees weigh in on why they went with Palm Beach and what excites them about the vaping future:

Nathan Renschler

As the longtime owner of a local tobacco store, Nathan Renschler began to notice a shift in consumers transitioning to e-cigarettes and vaporizers long before the industry grew to what it is today. After many hours of research into the fast-growing industry, Renschler realized that franchising offered the best route to success in the evolving world of e-cigarettes. With Palm Beach Vapors being the only franchise available at the time, Renschler’s choice was an easy one to make.

“Franchising reduced the burden on me to develop processes, to build up buying power and to lay out a store top to bottom,” Renschler told Entrepreneur.com. “[Palm Beach Vapors] has been warmly welcomed by the vaping community here. People love how organized we are and the high level of customer service they can count on.”

Christian DeArco

Christian DeArco became the youngest Palm Beach Vapors franchisee when he joined the system in 2014 at the age of 24. Having worked in his family’s bingo hall for more than four years after graduating from college, DeArco jumped at the opportunity to run his own business when he was approached by a friend’s brother-in-law to take over an existing Palm Beach Vapors location.

“I was looking for a concept that was on the rise and didn’t cost a million dollars,” DeArco said. “I do not vape myself, but I know that it is a growing industry that I want to be a part of.”

John Avey

John Avey recently opened the first Palm Beach Vapors in Iowa with his Council Bluffs location. As a native of the community, Avey was looking for a concept that would be valuable to his neighbors as well as grow his family’s portfolio. Prior to Palm Beach Vapors, Avey had worked alongside his brothers and dad in his family’s concrete pouring business since he was 13 years old.

“When I compared Palm Beach Vapors alongside other franchise concepts, it completely outshined the competition,” Avey said. “Palm Beach Vapors offered me a foolproof business model while also supporting my family dynamic. Family is very important to me, and everyone in the Palm Beach Vapors system is treated like family, so I knew I had chosen the right brand.”

Mary Yeager

Mary Yeager, a former smoker of 25 years, quit smoking with the help of vaping and wanted to help others do the same with Palm Beach Vapors. She opened the first Palm Beach Vapors in Maryland after serving in the Army for almost 21 years and as the COO of a small defense contracting company.

“Once I decided I wanted to open a vape shop, I contacted three potential franchisors,” Yeager told Entrepreneur. “Frankly, the other two were not very transparent or responsive to questions. … Palm Beach Vapors had a strong business model and offered the support that I needed.”

Mia Yannotti

Mia Yannotti, a former smoker for 15 years, decided to open the first Palm Beach Vapors in the greater Pittsburgh area to help others in her community kick the habit with the help of e-cigarettes, as she did.

“I had been in the food service industry my entire career and had originally searched for business opportunities in the same sector,” Yannotti said. “However, after coming across Palm Beach Vapors in my search for franchises, I knew that it would be the best fit for me. I love the beach theme of the brand and how welcoming our store is compared to other vape shops.”

Why I Picked Palm Beach Vapors: 5 Franchisees weigh in

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS