The Smoky Grass Station franchise
2024 filing · January 31, 2024Shares sales figures
The Smoky Grass Station at a glance
A retail dispensary selling hemp-derived CBD and THC products. At the end of 2023 there were 11 The Smoky Grass Station locations in the US, all company-owned.
The business
- Industry
- Retail
- Franchisor
- The Smoky Grass Station LLC
- The company that sells the franchises
- Current franchisor selling since
- 2024
- Franchisor based in
- Johnson City, Tennessee
- Typical size
- 1,000–1,500 sq ft
What you pay
- Cost to open
- $96K–$121K
- A new store
- Franchise fee
- $25,000
- Paid once, when you sign
- Royalty
- 3.5%
- 3.5% of gross revenues, paid monthly
- Brand fund
- 3.5%
- 3.5% of gross revenue
- Renewal fee
- See terms
- 50% of the amount of the then-current Initial Franchise Fee
- Agreement length
- 10 years
- Territory
- Limited
- Limited protection
- Franchisor financing
- None offered
Where it is
- US locations, 2023
- 11
- Franchised and company-owned
- Franchised
- 0
- Company-owned
- 11
- Change in 3 years
- 0
- Franchised locations, 2021–2023
From The Smoky Grass Station LLC’s 2024 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
Where it ranks
The Smoky Grass Station among all franchises with the same figure.
| Figure | The Smoky Grass Station | Among all franchises |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, midpointHalfway between the low and high estimate | $108,675 | Costs less than 86% of franchises |
| Franchise feePaid once, when you sign | $25,000 | Lower than 82% of franchises |
| RoyaltyShare of sales paid to the franchisor | 3.5% | Lower than 97% of brands with a set rate |
| US locationsFranchised and company-owned | 11 | Fewer than 60% of franchises |
How much a The Smoky Grass Station franchise costs
Opening a new store costs an estimated $96,150 to $121,200. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital. It is one of the low-cost franchises.
The biggest costs are opening inventory ($45,000) and initial franchise fee ($25,000). Here is every line of the estimate as filed:
| What it pays for | Range | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $25,000 | ||
| Rent | $2,500 | $4,500 | |
| Security Deposit | $2,500 | $4,500 | |
| Real Estate and Improvements | $5,000 | ||
| Travel and Living Expenses while Training | $1,500 | $1,750 | |
| Furnishings, Fixtures, Equipment and Decorating | $5,000 | $12,000 | |
| Signage | $1,850 | $3,000 | |
| Opening Inventory | $45,000 | ||
| Computer Hardware/Software | $500 | $3,500 | |
| Grand Opening | $1,500 | $2,000 | |
| Professional Fees | $1,000 | $2,500 | |
| Insurance | $300 | $450 | |
| Additional Funds – 3 months | $4,500 | $12,000 | |
| Total | $96,150 | $121,200 | |
Source: The Smoky Grass Station LLC, 2024 filing, page 14
The Smoky Grass Station franchise fee
The franchise fee is $25,000. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: The Smoky Grass Station LLC, 2024 filing, page 9
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | 3.5% of gross revenues, paid monthly. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | 3.5% of gross revenue. |
| Technology Fee | $450 per month |
| Renewal Fee | 50% of the amount of the then-current Initial Franchise Fee |
| Local Advertising | A minimum of 1% of Gross Revenues per month |
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: The Smoky Grass Station LLC, 2024 filing, pages 9 and 10
Other fees as filed, from pages 10–13. The filing lists every fee, including late fees and audit costs.
Sales and earnings
Shares figures The Smoky Grass Station publishes sales or earnings figures for its locations. The full tables, with notes on which locations are counted, are in its filing.
Source: The Smoky Grass Station LLC, 2024 filing, page 35
How The Smoky Grass Station compares
Of the 302 retail franchises on this site, The Smoky Grass Station is the 51st cheapest to open and the 201st largest by number of locations.
| Figure | The Smoky Grass Station | Typical retail brand | Typical franchise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $96K | $198K | $222K |
| Cost to open, high end | $121K | $425K | $477K |
| Franchise fee | $25K | $35K | $40K |
| Royalty | 3.5% | 5.7% | 6% |
| Brand fund | 3.5% | 2% | 2% |
| US locations | 11 | 38 | 21 |
| Shares earnings figures | Yes | 187 of 302 | 2,147 of 3,352 |
Typical is the median across the 302 brands in retail franchises; typical franchise, across every brand here.
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Opened | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 0 (0) | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 (0) | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 (0) | 11 | 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 Smoky Grass Station LLC, 2024 filing, page 37
Who owns The Smoky Grass Station?
The Smoky Grass Station franchises are sold by The Smoky Grass Station LLC. It is a subsidiary of Greenbean Ventures LLC.
From The Smoky Grass Station LLC’s 2024 filing, page 7.
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: The Smoky Grass Station LLC, 2024 filing, litigation on page 9, bankruptcy on page 9
The Smoky Grass Station filings
The figures on this page come from The Smoky Grass Station LLC’s 2024 filing, issued January 31, 2024, on record with the NASAA Electronic Filing Depository.
| Filing | Issued | Registry | On this page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 filing | January 31, 2024 | NASAA depository | Costs, fees and locations, 2021–2023 |
Each link opens the filing as a PDF. See the newest filings across all brands.
