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what’s new!
Buff City Soap Brings Plant-Based Products to New Hartford
Buff City Soap – a rapidly expanding handmade retail franchise known for its plant-based soap and body products made in-store daily – has opened its first location in New Hartford. “We are proud of the fact that our products are handmade daily by members of the local community,” said operating partner Mike Dingman. “We aim to impress our customers with a true interactive retail experience and cannot wait to open our doors.” Founded in 2013, Buff City Soap has created a high-quality alternative to commercial soap products full of harsh chemicals, detergents, animal fats, and sulfates. By giving customers the chance to see the whole making process live in each Soap Makery, Buff City Soap is disrupting the consumer goods industry by focusing on transparency of ingredients and process. Franchising since 2018, Buff City Soap continues its rapid growth trajectory across 23 states and 135+ stores. Buff City Soap’s delightfully smelling and uniquely handmade soaps are disrupting the retail beauty and consumer goods categories, and Buff City Soap was recognized in Entrepreneur’s Top 100 “Best of the New” franchise rankings. Each Buff City Soap store offers more than 30 unique and
customizable scents across dozens of handcrafted soap products; including its famous soap bars, bath bombs, foaming hand soap, and even laundry soap. The brand’s products are crafted by local artisans at the in-store Makeries, which allow guests to customize the scent and ingredients used in the process to create a unique scent profile. To learn more about Buff City Soap of New Hartford, please visit www.buffcitysoap.com
Once Upon A Child® Opens Its 400th Store Winmark Corporation, North America’s leading franchisor of sustainable resale brands, has announced the 400th store opening of its award-winning children’s clothing and accessories retail resale brand, Once Upon A Child®. The brand celebrated the record opening this past month in Douglasville, Georgia on September 23, marking a key growth milestone for Once Upon A Child. Winmark – the Resale Company™ celebrated this exciting development with multi-unit franchise owner, Allison Spartis. The 400th store launch marks Spartis’ second Once Upon A Child location and fourth Winmark franchise, as she also owns two successful Plato’s Closet stores. “It’s an incredible feeling to have opened our 400th Once Upon A Child location and to witness the impact our brands have on their communities,” said Renae Gaudette, President of Franchising at Winmark Corporation. “I can’t think of a more fitting franchisee partner than Allison to be able to share this experience with. Allison is everything we look for in a franchisee – she is compassionate, community-driven, a leader in our network, and understands
Franchising USA
the sustainable value our retail resale brands bring to families. As we continue to grow, our impact will only strengthen as we aim to further our position as the industry leader in resale and sustainability. Our team is regularly evaluating potential markets for future expansion of all Winmark brands – and, while we’re already a household name for many, we’re looking forward to reaching even more families across North America in the years to come.” To learn more about Winmark – the Resale Company™, and its franchise opportunities, visit: winmarkfranchises.com For more information on once upon a child, visit: www.onceuponachild.com.
