Quick Verdict · who it fits
Buff City Soap fits first-time franchise buyers looking for a mid-scale retail concept.
The numbers a buyer needs first — straight from the filing.
Initial investment (Item 7)
$31K - $139K
Franchise fee (Item 5)
$50K
Royalty (Item 6)
6% + 2% ad
System size (Item 20)
230
Agreement term
10 yrs
Years in business
8+ yrs
Company-owned units
8
Item 3 litigation
None disclosed
Model Buff City Soap's costs in the investment calculator → Prefilled from this filing — startup cost, cash flow and break-even.
Buyer qualifications
•No exclusive territory✓Semi-absentee eligible✓No bankruptcy disclosed✓No Item 3 litigation
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.
Drag to your projected annual sales. Royalty 6% + ad fund 2% on gross sales.
PROJECTED ANNUAL SALES$560,000
$100k$2M
Royalty (6%)
—
Ad fund (2%)
—
Total / year
—
▪ Of-sales fees only · excludes rent, labor, COGS, and one-time costs · for illustration
Free AI summary — the first read on the filing.
260
Total units open
0
Units opened last year
net decline of 11 units in 2024
13 franchised units ceased operations in 2024
Units closed last year
-11 units
Net unit growth
from 271 at end of 2023 to 260 at end of 2024
What our analysis flagged across the 2026 filing.
3
Risks to review
2
Strengths identified
4
Questions to ask
How Buff City Soap ranks against 118 Retail peers we've analyzed.
Initial investment
7th pct · of 118 peers
Franchise fee
75th pct · of 118 peers
System size
77th pct · of 118 peers
Retail industry averages
Avg investment
$247K - $707K
Avg franchise fee
$37K
Avg system size
238
Franchises analyzed
118
Closest concepts by category and investment.
| Brand | Item 19 | Fee | Investment | Royalty | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buff City Soap | Disclosed | $50K | $31K - $139K | 6% | 230 |
| The SealsSimilar price | None | $49K | $101K - $147K | 8–10% | 6 |
| 7-ElevenBiggest system | Disclosed | — | $163K - $1.7M | 45–56% | 7,229 |
| 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
The '$0 franchise fee' is the bottom of a range, not the fee. 7-Eleven's 2026 FDD prices the Franchise Fee at $0 to $1,100,000 per store, and the ongoing 7-Eleven Charge is not just a royalty: Item 6 says it is also your lease of the store and equipment. Here is the full cost stack, line by line.
Brand Analysis
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Investment Guide
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Buff City Soap requires a $50,000 initial franchise fee and a total initial investment range of $30,800–$138,500, per the most recent FDD on file.
Buff City Soap franchises are sold by Buff City Soap Franchising, LLC, the franchisor entity of record on its Franchise Disclosure Document. Item 1 of the FDD discloses the corporate structure, including any parent companies and predecessors.
Yes. Buff City Soap discloses Item 19 financial performance representations in its FDD. See the financials sub-page for the disclosed figures.
Franchisees pay a royalty of 6% and an advertising fund contribution of 2% on gross sales as defined in Item 6 of the FDD.
As of their 2026 FDD, Buff City Soap has 230 total locations. This information comes from Item 20 of the FDD.
No. Buff City Soap does not grant exclusive territory rights under Item 12. The franchisor retains the right to operate or grant additional units inside or adjacent to your trade area.
Per the FDD, Buff City Soap discloses an initial agreement term of 10 years, a renewal fee of $25,000, a transfer fee of $12,500. Review Items 10 and 17 for the full renewal and termination provisions.
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