Lemon Tree franchise
A Lemon Tree franchisee operates a family hair salon. At the end of 2025 there were 48 Lemon Tree locations in the US, 36 franchised and 12 company-owned.
- Cost to open
- $185K–$278K
- Franchise fee
- $35,000
- Royalty
- 6% + minimum
- Locations, 2025
- 48+4 in 3 yrs
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Company snapshot
- SBA loans
- On the SBA Franchise Directory
From LEMON TREE DEVELOPMENT LLC’s 2026 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
How much a Lemon Tree franchise costs
Opening one salon costs an estimated $184,794 to $277,939. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
Source: LEMON TREE DEVELOPMENT LLC, 2026 filing, page 17
Lemon Tree franchise fee
The franchise fee is $35,000. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: LEMON TREE DEVELOPMENT LLC, 2026 filing, page 10
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | The greater of 6% of gross revenue or $75 per week. |
|---|
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: LEMON TREE DEVELOPMENT LLC, 2026 filing, page 11
Sales and earnings
Shares figures Lemon Tree publishes sales or earnings figures for its locations: 2025 results for qualifying franchised salons, with transfers identified. The full tables, with notes on which locations are counted, are in its filing.
Source: LEMON TREE DEVELOPMENT LLC, 2026 filing, page 40
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 34 (+2) | 12 | 0 |
| 2024 | 34 (0) | 12 | 1 |
| 2025 | 36 (+2) | 12 | 2 |
Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating.
See which brands grew most in the fastest-growing franchises rankings.
Source: LEMON TREE DEVELOPMENT LLC, 2026 filing, page 44
How Lemon Tree compares
Of the 13 salon franchises on this site, Lemon Tree is the 2nd cheapest to open and the 12th largest by number of locations.
| Measure | Lemon Tree | Typical salon |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $185K | $332K |
| Royalty | 6% | 6% |
| Closed or left per year | 2.9% | 2.2% |
| Change in franchised locations, 3 yrs | +12.5% | +16.9% |
| Shares earnings figures | Yes | 13 of 13 |
Typical is the median across the 13 brands in salon franchises.
