Top Experiential Franchises Under 50 Units

The experiential sector of businesses is providing consumers the opportunity to have experiences like never before by offering unique forms of recreational activities. Consumers looking for this type of experience are tired of traditional recreation activities like bowling or going to the movies. Many of the below franchises stemmed from a simple idea after groups of friends discovered new activities after getting into a rut with their entertainment. From hatchet throwing and no-gravity zones to interactive-jungle rooms, these up-and-coming experiential franchises are filling a gap in the marketplace and are growing. These emerging franchises are all under 50 units.

Stumpy’s Hatchet House

Unit Count: 20 sold franchise locations

Investment Range: $350,000-$400,000

https://stumpysfranchise.com/

Stumpy’s Hatchet House launched in 2015 by husband and wife duo Stuart and Kelly Josberger, along with their friends Mark and Trish Oliphant, who developed the idea while chopping wood for a fire, which led to the creation of an impromptu game of throwing the axe. The game evolved and eventually, the group brought the game indoors for customers to throw hatchets in a fun, safe environment in a throwing pit. Stumpy’s began franchising in 2017 after receiving positive feedback from interested potential franchisees. The brand has 20 agreements sold, three open and four new locations opening in fall 2018.

Team Combat

Unit Count: 2 units in Indiana and Ohio

Investment Range: $150,000-$500,000

http://tacticalgamingsystems.com/

Team Combat, founded in 2011, brings the adrenaline-packed action of laser tag into an immersive tactical gaming experience for adults and teens with the use of high-quality military-grade equipment. The brand creates realistic combat simulations for fun, sport or tactical training purposes. Each Team Combat site has a 14,000+ square foot facility and offers a captivating simulated combat situation that is both stimulating and satisfying for adults and teens with special missions offered for 8 to 12 year olds. The brand has hosted local SWAT teams, the US Navy and the Indiana National Guard. With two current Team Combat locations, there are a plethora of territories available for franchising.

Ultimate Escape Game

Unit Count: 2 units in Texas and Georgia

Investment Range: $331,550-$690,850

http://uegfranchise.com/

Ultimate Escape Game, launched in 2015, is an immersive live-action entertainment experience, aimed to bring out your inner sleuth. Innovative room themes, cinematic staging and carefully crafted puzzles keep corporate team builders, tourists, friends and families alike coming back for more adrenaline-pumping escape game fun. Missions vary from museum heists to WWII code-cracking adventures but the ultimate goal is always the same: beat the clock and escape the room. Escape games and escape rooms have been popping up all around the globe in recent years but the complexity of the brand’s rooms and the depth of an immersive experience are what sets the brand apart. Each Ultimate Escape Game franchise will have anywhere from three to five state-of-the-art ‘Escape Rooms’ that offer an experience that is both stimulating and satisfying for the customer. With locations in Atlanta and Dallas, the brand hopes to become the top escape room in the nation and is looking for franchisees nationwide.

Axe Monkeys

Unit Count: 2 units in Canada and the United States

Investment Range: $250,000-$400,000

https://axemonkeys.com/franchising/

Axe Monkey’s primary objective is simple: give customers a great experience. The brand specializes in axe throwing, spear and knife throwing, as well as a smash therapy room. Axe Monkey’s mission is to provide an exciting and safe experience for its customers. The brand’s main site has a large indoor axe-throwing arena but also employ mobile units typically used for birthday parties, weddings and bachelor or bachelorette parties. The brand currently has two locations, the largest in Las Vegas, it is currently seeking franchisees that are forward-thinking entrepreneurs in Canada and the United States.

Great Room Escape

Unit Count: 8 units throughout the South, Midwest and Western Coast

Investment Range: $30,000-$200,000

https://greatroomescape.com/franchise-opportunities/

The Great Room Escape is unique because of its quality, movie-like interactive sets, attention to detail, actor presence and cohesive clue streams. Escape rooms are enveloping experiences that put consumers into a puzzle-style, real-life video game. After being locked in a themed room, consumers work together with a team of 12 people to search for clues to find a way out. With the growth of escape games happening nationwide, customers understand that not all escape games are created equal. The Great Room Escape gives customers confidence that when choosing Great Room Escape, they will receive a quality experience. Great Room Escape currently has eight units nationwide but will be reopening two former locations in the future.

Urban Evolution

Unit Count: 2 units in Virginia

Investment Range: $200,000-$500,000

https://www.urbanevo.com/franchise/

Urban Evolution, founded in May 2010, has a simple philosophy: to do better in the fitness world by running some of the best gyms on the planet. Urban Evolution has come up with a variety of ways to challenge consumers by honing their skills in a safe, fun environment offering parkour, freerunning, aerial silks and adult gymnastics. Parkour is a training methodology which focuses on movement in both natural and urban environments. The focus is to move over, under, around and through obstacles elegantly and with efficiently by using body-weight conditioning exercises, jumping and landing with precision, developing safe rolling habits and how to vault over obstacles. The brand currently has two locations in the state of Virginia but is actively pursuing franchisees in other markets.

Pretty in Paint

Unit Count: 6 units on the East coast and the South

Investment Range: $15,000-$36,630

http://pipfranchise.com/

Pretty in Paint, founded in 2012, is a nationally franchised mobile art studio rooted in the idea that the traditional studio paint and sip concept could and would be mobile. The brand wanted a business style where consumers can paint in a private setting with friends, family and coworkers minus a group of strangers. Pretty in Paint uses different products that fit with their style, such as paints, easels, aprons, brushes and canvases. Founders Erica Bridges and Amelia Courtney decided that having a brick and mortar studio would never be part of the budget. Initially, Pretty in Paint hired artists as independent contractors across the country, by booking private events by word of mouth. However, as the popularity of the industry increased and the brand utilizes online marketing the Pretty in Paint business has grown steadily each year. Pretty in Paint, based in Pennington, New Jersey, started franchising in 2015 and is continuing to add new locations.

Jump!Zone

Unit Count: 40 locations nationwide

Investment Range: $299,500-$696,000

http://www.jumpzoneparty.com/Jump_Zone_Franchise.php

Jump!Zone, founded in March 2003, is a place where children and adults can enjoy active, free play on massive inflatable play structure such as obstacle courses, slides and bounce houses. The brand provides children an indoor playground where they can climb, slide, jump, race and play with their friends in a comfortable, climate-controlled, safe environment. Jump!Zone offers parties by reservation and Open!Play sessions. All activities are included in the price of admission, including inflatables, sports games, toddler play areas and redemption arcade games which kids can use without limits. The brand has a low initial franchise fee and provides franchisees with marketing and promotional materials and hopes to continue expanding within the United States.

Bottle & Bottega

Unit Count: 26 locations in the United States

Investment Range: $96,800-$158,250

http://bottleandbottegafranchising.com/

Bottle & Bottega, founded in 2009, is a wine and painting franchise that provides space and materials for consumers to unleash their creative selves. From the beginning, founders Stephanie King-Meyers and Nancy Bigley wanted to create a space that was elegant and beautiful, but also relaxed and comfortable for their guests, opening their first location in Chicago. With an emphasis on creating real art and lasting memories, Bottle & Bottega focused on its customers’ trying something new, spending time with friends and having fun. The brand provides all necessary art supplies including canvas, paint, brushes and aprons as well as glassware, bottle openers and ice buckets for the wine. Bottle & Bottega’s paint and sip parties stretch from coast to coast with 26 current locations and the brand hopes to continue adding more locations nationwide.

Ctrl V Inc.

Unit Count: 16 locations in the United States and Canada

Investment Range: $150,000-$250,000

https://www.ctrlv.ca/franchising/

Ctrl V is North America’s first virtual reality arcade and is currently the largest virtual reality arcade chain in the world. The brand provides a high-quality virtual reality experience that brings back customers time and again. Each consumer that visits a Ctrl V location experiences VR in an arcade setting which allows them to explore worlds outside of the present or in the media. The brand is actively looking for franchisees in a variety of markets while focusing primarily on Canada and the United States. Ctrl V is seeking qualified individuals with business experience, acumen and an avid interest in emerging and advancing technology.