Quick Verdict · who it fits
Once Upon A Child fits owner-operators looking for a mid-scale retail concept.
The numbers a buyer needs first — straight from the filing.
Initial investment (Item 7)
$327K - $486K
Franchise fee (Item 5)
$15K
Royalty (Item 6)
5% + 5% ad
Item 19 median rev
$1.18M franchised Once Upon A Child® Stores, United States and Canad…
System size (Item 20)
441 +17
Agreement term
10 yrs
Years in business
38+ yrs
Model Once Upon A Child's costs in the investment calculator → Prefilled from this filing — startup cost, cash flow and break-even.
Data extracted from the 2026 FDD filed with state regulators. Fees and terms may have changed since filing — request the current FDD from the franchisor before deciding. Not legal, financial, or investment advice. Full disclaimer.
Where units actually land — not just the headline average.
P25
$1M
Median
$1.18M
P75
$1.51M
▪ n = 395,408 units · franchised Once Upon A Child® Stores, United States and Canada, in operation for at least 12 months by the same franchisee or owners · fiscal year ended December 27, 2025 · Source: 2026 FDD Item 19
Drag to your projected annual sales. Royalty 5% + ad fund 5% on gross sales.
PROJECTED ANNUAL SALES$1,180,000
$100k$2.2M
Royalty (5%)
—
Ad fund (5%)
—
Total / year
—
▪ Of-sales fees only · excludes rent, labor, COGS, and one-time costs · for illustration
How Once Upon A Child ranks against 126 Retail peers we've analyzed.
Initial investment
77th pct · of 126 peers
Franchise fee
9th pct · of 126 peers
System size
90th pct · of 126 peers
Retail industry averages
Avg investment
$254K - $680K
Avg franchise fee
$38K
Avg system size
225
Franchises analyzed
126
Closest concepts by category and investment.
| Brand | Item 19 | Fee | Investment | Royalty | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Once Upon A Child | Disclosed | $15K | $327K - $486K | 5% | 441 |
| Magnolia Soap and Bath Co. FrchSimilar price | Disclosed | $60K | $264K - $491K | 7% | 42 |
| 7-ElevenBiggest system | Disclosed | — | $163K - $1.7M | 45–56% | 7,274 |
| Byrider Franchising PartnersTop-rated in category | Disclosed | $60K | $947K - $1.6M | 1–2.5% | 81 |
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Free explainers to go deeper before you sign.
Brand Analysis
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Brand Analysis
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Once Upon A Child requires a $15,000 initial franchise fee and a total initial investment range of $327,200–$485,900, per the most recent FDD on file.
Once Upon A Child is franchised by Winmark Corporation (Once Upon A Child), the franchisor entity of record on its Franchise Disclosure Document. Item 1 of the FDD discloses the franchisor's corporate history, parents, and predecessors.
Yes. Once Upon A Child discloses Item 19 financial performance representations with reported revenue around $1,178,261. See the financials sub-page for the full distribution.
Franchisees pay a royalty of 5% of Gross Sales and an advertising fund contribution of 5% on gross sales as defined in Item 6 of the FDD.
As of their 2026 FDD, Once Upon A Child has 441 total locations, with 17 new locations opened in the most recent reporting year. This information comes from Item 20 of the FDD.
Per the FDD, Once Upon A Child discloses an initial agreement term of 10 years, a renewal fee of $10,000, a transfer fee of $10,000. Review Items 10 and 17 for the full renewal and termination provisions.
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