The Plug Powered by AVANCE franchise
2024 filing · April 29, 2024GrowingShares sales figures
The Plug Powered by AVANCE at a glance
A store offering printing, customization and engraving on apparel, paper goods and other products. At the end of 2023 there were 6 The Plug Powered by AVANCE locations in the US, 1 franchised and 5 company-owned, so most are run by the company itself.
The business
- Franchisor
- The Plug Powered by AVANCE LLC
- The company that sells the franchises
- Franchisor based in
- Chicago, Illinois
- Typical size
- 1,200–2,500 sq ft
What you pay
- Cost to open
- $207K–$344K
- Fee, build-out and opening working capital
- Franchise fee
- $50,000
- Paid once, when you sign
- Royalty
- 3%–6%
- $138 a week in months 1–12, then 6% of gross sales up to $400,000 a year, 4% from $400,000 to $1 million and 3% above that, paid weekly, plus up to 2% to the brand development fund
- Brand fund
- Yes
- 2% of gross sales up to $399,999.99 a year, 1.5% up to $999,999.99 and 1% above
- Renewal fee
- See terms
- 15% of our then current initial franchise fee
- Agreement length
- 10 years
- Territory
- Limited
- Limited protection
- Franchisor financing
- None offered
Where it is
- US locations, 2023
- 6
- Franchised and company-owned
- Franchised
- 1
- Company-owned
- 5
- Change in 3 years
- +1
- Franchised locations, 2021–2023
- States
- 2
- Most in Illinois and Colorado
From The Plug Powered by AVANCE LLC’s 2024 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
Where it ranks
The Plug Powered by AVANCE among all franchises with the same figure.
| Figure | The Plug Powered by AVANCE | Among all franchises |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, midpointHalfway between the low and high estimate | $275,303 | Costs less than 59% of franchises |
| Franchise feePaid once, when you sign | $50,000 | Higher than 70% of franchises |
| RoyaltyShare of sales paid to the franchisor | 6% | Higher than 35% of brands with a set rate |
| US locationsFranchised and company-owned | 6 | Fewer than 69% of franchises |
How much a The Plug Powered by AVANCE franchise costs
Opening one The Plug Powered by AVANCE costs an estimated $206,651 to $343,955. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
The biggest costs are equipment ($78,000 to $120,700) and construction and leasehold improvements ($20,000 to $60,000). Here is every line of the estimate as filed:
| What it pays for | Range | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $50,000 | ||
| Construction and Leasehold Improvements | $20,000 | $60,000 | |
| Lease Deposits – Three Months | $6,000 | $13,393 | |
| Furniture and Fixtures | $2,900 | $8,000 | |
| Equipment | $78,000 | $120,700 | |
| Signage | $7,900 | $15,400 | |
| Computer, Software and Point of Sale System | $285 | $1,350 | |
| Grand Opening Marketing | $2,500 | $5,000 | |
| Initial Inventory | $10,060 | $21,600 | |
| Utility Deposits | $375 | ||
| Insurance Deposits – Three Months | $117 | $350 | |
| Travel for Initial Training | $3,000 | $7,300 | |
| Professional Fees | $9,400 | $15,700 | |
| Licenses and Permits | $100 | $500 | |
| Printing, Stationery, and Office Supplies | $4,806 | $5,825 | |
| Additional Funds – Three Months | $11,208 | $18,462 | |
| Total | $206,651 | $343,955 | |
Source: The Plug Powered by AVANCE LLC, 2024 filing, page 20
The Plug Powered by AVANCE franchise fee
The franchise fee is $50,000. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: The Plug Powered by AVANCE LLC, 2024 filing, page 12
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | $138 a week in months 1–12, then 6% of gross sales up to $400,000 a year, 4% from $400,000 to $1 million and 3% above that, paid weekly, plus up to 2% to the brand development fund. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | 2% of gross sales up to $399,999.99 a year, 1.5% up to $999,999.99 and 1% above. |
| Accounting Software Fee | $125 per month |
| Renewal | 15% of our then current initial franchise fee |
| Additional Employee Initial Training | Our then current training fee, currently $500 per person per day |
| Local Marketing | The greater of 1% of Gross Sales or $500 per month |
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: The Plug Powered by AVANCE LLC, 2024 filing, page 14
Other fees as filed, from pages 14–17. The filing lists every fee, including late fees and audit costs.
Sales and earnings
Shares figures The Plug Powered by AVANCE publishes sales or earnings figures for its locations. The full tables, with notes on which locations are counted, are in its filing.
Source: The Plug Powered by AVANCE LLC, 2024 filing, page 50
How The Plug Powered by AVANCE compares
Of the 34 printing and sign franchises on this site, The Plug Powered by AVANCE is the 22nd cheapest to open and the 27th largest by number of locations.
| Figure | The Plug Powered by AVANCE | Typical printing and sign brand | Typical franchise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $207K | $133K | $222K |
| Cost to open, high end | $344K | $312K | $477K |
| Franchise fee | $50K | $48K | $40K |
| Royalty | 6% | 6.5% | 6% |
| US locations | 6 | 98 | 21 |
| Closed or left per year | 0% | 5.2% | – |
| Shares earnings figures | Yes | 23 of 34 | 2,147 of 3,352 |
Typical is the median across the 34 brands in printing and sign franchises; typical franchise, across every brand here.
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Opened | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 0 (0) | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 (+1) | 5 | +1 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 (0) | 5 | 0 | 0 |
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.
More in the guides: franchise failure rates.
Source: The Plug Powered by AVANCE LLC, 2024 filing, page 53
Where The Plug Powered by AVANCE locations are
At the end of 2023, The Plug Powered by AVANCE had locations in 2 states. The most are in Illinois and Colorado.
- Illinois6
- Colorado1
Source: The Plug Powered by AVANCE LLC, 2024 filing, page 54
Who owns The Plug Powered by AVANCE?
The Plug Powered by AVANCE franchises are sold by The Plug Powered by AVANCE LLC. It is a subsidiary of AVANCE Vinyl LLC.
From The Plug Powered by AVANCE LLC’s 2024 filing, page 9.
Lawsuits and bankruptcy
| Lawsuits and regulatory actions | None. The filing says no litigation has to be disclosed. |
|---|---|
| Bankruptcy | No bankruptcy of the franchisor. Its chief executive officer filed for personal Chapter 7 bankruptcy in October 2020; it was discharged in February 2021. |
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: The Plug Powered by AVANCE LLC, 2024 filing, litigation on page 11, bankruptcy on page 11
The Plug Powered by AVANCE filings
The figures on this page come from The Plug Powered by AVANCE LLC’s 2024 filing, issued April 29, 2024, on record with the NASAA Electronic Filing Depository.
| Filing | Issued | Registry | On this page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 filing | April 29, 2024 | NASAA depository | Costs, fees and locations, 2021–2023 |
Each link opens the filing as a PDF. See the newest filings across all brands.
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The Plug Powered by AVANCE is also on these lists: retail franchises.