Makers Union franchise
2025 filing · October 20, 2025
Makers Union at a glance
A casual neighborhood pub restaurant with a full-service bar.
The business
- Franchisor
- TH Makers Union Franchising, LLC
- The company that sells the franchises
- Current franchisor selling since
- 2025
- Franchisor based in
- Reston, Virginia
- Typical size
- 3,500–5,000 sq ft
What you pay
- Cost to open
- $1.1M–$2.4M
- Fee, build-out and opening working capital
- Franchise fee
- $60,000
- $40,000 for each further restaurant
- Royalty
- 6%
- 6% of gross revenue, paid weekly, plus 1% to the brand fund and 1% on marketing
- Brand fund
- 1%
- 1% of the preceding week's gross revenue, paid weekly; it can rise to 2%
- Agreement length
- 10 years
- Territory
- Limited
- Limited protection
- Franchisor financing
- None offered
Where it is
- Franchised, 2024
- 0
- As printed in the filing
From TH Makers Union Franchising, LLC’s 2025 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
Where it ranks
Makers Union among all franchises with the same figure.
| Figure | Makers Union | Among all franchises |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, midpointHalfway between the low and high estimate | $1,750,000 | Costs more than 91% of franchises |
| Franchise feePaid once, when you sign | $60,000 | Higher than 88% of franchises |
| RoyaltyShare of sales paid to the franchisor | 6% | Higher than 35% of brands with a set rate |
How much a Makers Union franchise costs
Opening one Makers Union costs an estimated $1,100,000 to $2,400,000. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
The biggest costs are leasehold improvements ($488,800 to $1,098,800) and furniture, fixtures, and equipment ($393,700 to $944,400). Here is every line of the estimate as filed:
| What it pays for | Range | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franchise Fee | $60,000 | ||
| Real Estate Project Management | $0 | $10,000 | |
| Rent and Security Deposit | $26,000 | $55,000 | |
| Utility Deposits | $500 | $2,000 | |
| Design, Architectural, and Engineering Fees | $12,000 | $40,150 | |
| Leasehold Improvements | $488,800 | $1,098,800 | |
| Signage, Mural, and Menu Boards | $66,000 | $85,150 | |
| Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment | $393,700 | $944,400 | |
| Technology System | $5,000 | $17,500 | |
| Initial Inventory | $7,500 | $15,000 | |
| Licenses and Permits | $3,000 | $10,000 | |
| Professional Fees | $3,000 | $5,000 | |
| Insurance | $1,500 | $5,000 | |
| Training Expenses | $8,000 | $15,000 | |
| Grand Opening Advertising | $5,000 | $7,000 | |
| Additional Funds, 3 Months | $20,000 | $30,000 | |
| Total | $1,100,000 | $2,400,000 | |
Source: TH Makers Union Franchising, LLC, 2025 filing, page 13
Makers Union franchise fee
The franchise fee is $60,000, $40,000 for each further restaurant. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: TH Makers Union Franchising, LLC, 2025 filing, page 9
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | 6% of gross revenue, paid weekly, plus 1% to the brand fund and 1% on marketing. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | 1% of the preceding week's gross revenue, paid weekly; it can rise to 2%. |
| Technology System | $5,000 |
| Transfer Fee | $5,000 |
| Initial Training Fee for Additional or Replacement Trainees | $1,500 per trainee |
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: TH Makers Union Franchising, LLC, 2025 filing, page 10
Other fees as filed, from pages 10–13. The filing lists every fee, including late fees and audit costs.
Sales and earnings
No figures Makers Union does not share sales or profit figures for its locations. Talking to current and former franchise owners is the usual way to learn what a location earns.
Source: TH Makers Union Franchising, LLC, 2025 filing, page 38
How Makers Union compares
Of the 813 restaurant franchises on this site, Makers Union is the 693rd cheapest to open.
| Figure | Makers Union | Typical restaurant brand | Typical franchise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $1.1M | $408K | $222K |
| Cost to open, high end | $2.4M | $866K | $477K |
| Franchise fee | $60K | $35K | $40K |
| Royalty | 6% | 5% | 6% |
| Brand fund | 1% | 2% | 2% |
| Shares earnings figures | No | 474 of 813 | 2,147 of 3,352 |
Typical is the median across the 813 brands in restaurant franchises; typical franchise, across every brand here.
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 0 (0) | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 (0) | 3 |
| 2024 | 0 (0) | 3 |
Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating.
These figures don't add up as printed: the 2023 counts come to 1, but the filing shows 3. Worth asking the franchisor.
See which brands grew most in the fastest-growing franchises rankings.
More in the guides: franchise failure rates.
Source: TH Makers Union Franchising, LLC, 2025 filing, page 39
Where Makers Union locations are
At the end of 2024, Makers Union had locations in 1 state. The most are in Virginia.
- Virginia3
| State | Franchised | Company-owned | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | 0 | 3 | 3 |
Source: TH Makers Union Franchising, LLC, 2025 filing, page 40
Who owns Makers Union?
Makers Union franchises are sold by TH Makers Union Franchising, LLC.
From TH Makers Union Franchising, LLC’s 2025 filing.
Lawsuits and bankruptcy
| Lawsuits and regulatory actions | None. The filing says no litigation has to be disclosed. |
|---|---|
| Bankruptcy | None. The filing says no bankruptcy has to be disclosed. |
Franchisors must disclose lawsuits and bankruptcies involving the company, its parents and affiliates, and its executives. Many cases are routine disputes with franchisees over fees or contracts; read the descriptions in the filing and ask current owners about anything that worries you.
Source: TH Makers Union Franchising, LLC, 2025 filing, litigation on page 9, bankruptcy on page 9
Makers Union filings
The figures on this page come from TH Makers Union Franchising, LLC’s 2025 filing, issued October 20, 2025, on record with the NASAA Electronic Filing Depository.
| Filing | Issued | Registry | On this page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 filing | October 20, 2025 | NASAA depository | Costs, fees and locations, 2022–2024 |
Each link opens the filing as a PDF. See the newest filings across all brands.
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