Ambrosio’s Take
Once Upon A Child occupies an interesting position in the Winmark family – it targets parents of young children, which means its customer base is constantly renewing itself as new parents cycle in. What catches my eye in the 2026 FDD is the gross profit margin: at 66.71%, it is the highest among the Winmark resale brands I’ve reviewed, meaning franchisees here retain more of every dollar in sales before operating expenses than at Plato’s Closet, Style Encore, Play It Again Sports, or Music Go Round. The trade-off worth understanding is that average gross sales ($1,268,984) trail Plato’s Closet slightly, so the question for a prospective buyer isn’t which brand looks better on paper – it’s which customer base and product category fit the market you have in mind.
Ambrosio’s Take is a new feature on all Franchise Chatter FDD Talk posts based on the 2026 FDD.
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Section I – Estimated initial investment (franchise costs) for a Once Upon A Child franchise, based on Item 7 of the company’s 2026 FDD
Section II – Initial franchise fee, royalty fee, and marketing fee for a Once Upon A Child franchise, based on Items 5 and 6 of the company’s 2026 FDD
Section III – Number of franchised and company-owned Once Upon A Child outlets at the start of the year and the end of the year for 2023, 2024, and 2025, based on Item 20 of the company’s 2026 FDD
Section IV – News updates on the Once Upon A Child franchise opportunity
Section V – Presentation and analysis of Once Upon A Child’s financial performance representations (average revenues and/or profits), based on Item 19 of the company’s 2026 FDD, including information on the:
- 2025 average, median, high, and low gross sales and average and median gross profit for 408 of the 409 franchised Once Upon A Child stores in the United States and Canada that had been in operation by the same franchisee or owners for the 12-month period ended December 27, 2025, grouped by year opened (2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, and 2019 and prior)
- 2025 average, median, high, and low gross sales and average and median gross profit for the first, second, third, and fourth quartiles of 408 of the 409 franchised Once Upon A Child stores in the United States and Canada that had been in operation by the same franchisee or owners for the 12-month period ended December 27, 2025
- number and percentage of franchised Once Upon A Child stores in the United States and Canada that had been in operation by the same franchisee or owners for the 12-month period ended December 27, 2025, grouped by range of gross sales ($0 to $250,000; $250,001 to $500,000; $500,001 to $1,000,000; $1,000,001 to $2,000,000; $2,000,001 to $3,000,000; and greater than $3,000,000)
Section VI – Key ratios, comparables, computations, and analyses for the Once Upon A Child franchise opportunity (exclusive content for Platinum subscribers)
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- Once Upon A Child franchise costs, based on Item 7 of the company’s 2026 FDD:
- Initial Franchise Fee: $25,000
- Fixtures and Supplies: $60,000 to $75,000
- Signs: $10,000 to $15,000
- Security System and/or Cameras: $1,500 to $4,000
- Point-of-Sale (POS) System: $23,200 to $30,900
- Leasehold Improvements: $11,000 to $21,000
- Build-Out: $35,000 to $55,000
- Deposits and Business Licenses: $5,000 to $15,000
- Opening Inventory: $75,000 to $85,000
- Miscellaneous Pre-Opening Expenses: $50,000 to $80,000
- Rent – First 3 Months: $20,000 to $30,000
- Additional Funds – 3 Months: $40,000 to $50,000
- Total Estimated Once Upon A Child Franchise Costs: $355,700 to $485,900
Section II – Once Upon A Child’s Initial Franchise Fee, Royalty Fee, and Marketing Fee
- Once Upon A Child’s initial franchise fee, royalty fee, and marketing fee, based on Items 5 and 6 of the company’s 2026 FDD:
- Initial Franchise Fee: $25,000
- Continuing Fee: 5% of Gross Sales
- Marketing Fee: $1,500 per year
- Cooperative Advertising: maximum amount is 5% of Gross Sales
- Local Marketing Expenses: minimum amount, when combined with cooperative advertising expenses, is 5% of Gross Sales
- North American Ad Fund: If Winmark imposes this Ad Fund, you will pay up to 3% of your Gross Sales.
Section III – Number of Franchised and Company-Owned Once Upon A Child Outlets
Franchised
2023
- Outlets at the Start of the Year: 406
- Outlets at the End of the Year: 416
- Net Change: +10
2024
- Outlets at the Start of the Year: 416
- Outlets at the End of the Year: 430
- Net Change: +14
2025
- Outlets at the Start of the Year: 430
- Outlets at the End of the Year: 441
- Net Change: +11
Company-Owned
2023
- Outlets at the Start of the Year: 0
- Outlets at the End of the Year: 0
- Net Change: 0
2024
- Outlets at the Start of the Year: 0
- Outlets at the End of the Year: 0
- Net Change: 0
2025
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- Outlets at the End of the Year: 0
- Net Change: 0
Section IV – News Updates on the Once Upon A Child Franchise
Section V – Financial Performance Representations (Average Revenues and/or Profits) for the Once Upon A Child Franchise (Item 19, 2026 FDD)
- The following is a financial performance representation titled “Once Upon A Child Statement of Average Annual Sales and Gross Profit.”
- The gross profit figures in this Item 19 do reflect the cost of sales but do not reflect the operating expenses that must be deducted from the gross profit figures to obtain your net income or profit.
- The following statement of average annual sales and gross profits includes average gross sales and gross profits during the 12-month period ended December 27, 2025 (Winmark’s fiscal year) as reported by 408 of the 409 franchised Once Upon A Child Stores located in the United States and Canada that commenced operations in each of the years 1988 through 2024, and were not transferred during 2025. This represents a subset of the 441 Once Upon A Child Stores in the United States and Canada that were open and operating as of December 27, 2025.
- This statement includes information from only those Once Upon A Child Stores in the United States and Canada that had been in operation by the same franchisee or owners for the 12-month period ended December 27, 2025.
- There are no material financial and operational characteristics of the U.S. Stores that differ materially from the Canadian Stores included in this financial performance representation.
- Canadian Stores are included in Item 19 because they are substantially similar to U.S. Stores in design and operation, franchisee obligations, square footage of Stores, inventory sourcing, and franchisor obligations.
- No other Once Upon A Child Stores are included in this statement due to insufficient history of operations (not in operation for the 12-month period ended December 27, 2025 or transferred during this period).
- There were 409 franchised Once Upon A Child Stores which had been in operation by the same franchisee owners for the 12-month period ended December 27, 2025. 408 of the 409 of these Once Upon A Child Stores are reflected in this Item 19.
- This financial performance representation does not include information for the 32 franchised Once Upon A Child Stores that opened or transferred during the 12-month period ended December 27, 2025.
- No Stores closed during this period after being opened less than 12 months.
Part 1 – Statement of Average Gross Sales and Gross Profit of 408 of the 409 Franchised Once Upon A Child Stores for the Fiscal Year Ended December 27, 2025
Year Opened – 2024
- Number of Stores Reported: 32
- Number and Percentage of Stores Attaining or Exceeding Average Gross Sales: 6/19%
- Number and Percentage of Stores Attaining or Exceeding Average Gross Profit: 8/25%
- 2025 Average Gross Sales: $980,314
- 2025 Median Gross Sales: $797,305
- 2025 Average Gross Profit: $656,116
- 2025 Median Gross Profit: $531,052
- Average Gross Profit Percentage: 66.93%
- Sales Range: $333,734 to $2,264,932
Year Opened – 2023
- Number of Stores Reported: 26
- Number and Percentage of Stores Attaining or Exceeding Average Gross Sales: 9/35%
- Number and Percentage of Stores Attaining or Exceeding Average Gross Profit: 9/35%
- 2025 Average Gross Sales: $1,158,993
- 2025 Median Gross Sales: $1,104,468
- 2025 Average Gross Profit: $768,892
- 2025 Median Gross Profit: $721,452
- Average Gross Profit Percentage: 66.34%
- Sales Range: $443,683 to $2,441,496
Year Opened – 2022
- Number of Stores Reported: 25
- Number and Percentage of Stores Attaining or Exceeding Average Gross Sales: 8/32%
- Number and Percentage of Stores Attaining or Exceeding Average Gross Profit: 9/36%
- 2025 Average Gross Sales: $1,137,184
- 2025 Median Gross Sales: $1,120,721
- 2025 Average Gross Profit: $764,014
- 2025 Median Gross Profit: $717,710
- Average Gross Profit Percentage: 67.18%
- Sales Range: $291,030 to $2,745,529
Year Opened – 2021
- Number of Stores Reported: 13
- Number and Percentage of Stores Attaining or Exceeding Average Gross Sales: 6/46%
- Number and Percentage of Stores Attaining or Exceeding Average Gross Profit: 6/46%
- 2025 Average Gross Sales: $1,295,268
- 2025 Median Gross Sales: $1,213,415
- 2025 Average Gross Profit: $866,377
- 2025 Median Gross Profit: $801,097
- Average Gross Profit Percentage: 66.89%
- Sales Range: $560,711 to $2,494,886
Year Opened – 2020
- Number of Stores Reported: 25
- Number and Percentage of Stores Attaining or Exceeding Average Gross Sales: 10/40%
- Number and Percentage of Stores Attaining or Exceeding Average Gross Profit: 10/40%
- 2025 Average Gross Sales: $1,120,378
- 2025 Median Gross Sales: $1,031,363
- 2025 Average Gross Profit: $752,813
- 2025 Median Gross Profit: $695,448
- Average Gross Profit Percentage: 67.19%
- Sales Range: $464,729 to $2,216,349
Year Opened – 2019 and Prior
- Number of Stores Reported: 287
- Number and Percentage of Stores Attaining or Exceeding Average Gross Sales: 136/47%
- Number and Percentage of Stores Attaining or Exceeding Average Gross Profit: 133/46%
- 2025 Average Gross Sales: $1,334,370
- 2025 Median Gross Sales: $1,221,480
- 2025 Average Gross Profit: $889,188
- 2025 Median Gross Profit: $810,826
- Average Gross Profit Percentage: 66.64%
- Sales Range: $268,773 to $3,660,164
Total
- Number of Stores Reported: 408
- Number and Percentage of Stores Attaining or Exceeding Average Gross Sales: 175/43%
- Number and Percentage of Stores Attaining or Exceeding Average Gross Profit: 175/43%
- 2025 Average Gross Sales: $1,268,984
- 2025 Median Gross Sales: $1,178,261
- 2025 Average Gross Profit: $846,489
- 2025 Median Gross Profit: $784,890
- Average Gross Profit Percentage: 66.71%
- “Gross Sales” means all revenues the franchisee receives from the sale of goods and services, whether by cash or by check, credit card or trade, in connection with the Store, less sales tax and customer refunds and returns.
- “Cost of Goods Sold” includes the costs and expenses related to retail items. This includes freight and shrinkage (loss of product due to theft, inventory adjustments, donations, etc.).
- Average Gross Profit equals Gross Sales less Cost of Goods Sold. Average Gross Profit does not reflect any expenses related to the operation of a Once Upon A Child Store other than Cost of Goods Sold.
Part 2 – Statement of Sales Ranges by Quartile for 408 of the 409 Franchised Once Upon A Child Stores Open on December 27, 2025 That Had Been in Operation for at Least 12 Months by the Same Franchisee or Owners for the 12-Month Period Ended December 27, 2025
- Quartile refers to that portion of the total number of Stores open that represents 25%. For example, the first Quartile identifies those Stores that were in the top 25% of all Stores in Gross Sales.
1st Quartile
- Number of Stores: 102
- 2025 Gross Sales Range by Quartile: $1,554,407 to $3,660,164
- 2025 Quartile Average Gross Sales: $2,009,668
- 2025 Quartile Median Gross Sales: $1,876,577
- Number and Percentage of Stores Attaining or Exceeding Quartile Average Gross Sales: 35/34%
- 2025 Quartile Average Gross Profit: $1,333,209
- 2025 Quartile Median Gross Profit: $1,242,369
- Number and Percentage of Stores Attaining or Exceeding Quartile Average Gross Profit: 32/31%
- Quartile Average Gross Profit Percentage: 66.34%
2nd Quartile
- Number of Stores: 102
- 2025 Gross Sales Range by Quartile: $1,178,270 to $1,552,530
- 2025 Quartile Average Gross Sales: $1,353,126
- 2025 Quartile Median Gross Sales: $1,345,919
- Number and Percentage of Stores Attaining or Exceeding Quartile Average Gross Sales: 48/47%
- 2025 Quartile Average Gross Profit: $904,011
- 2025 Quartile Median Gross Profit: $899,487
- Number and Percentage of Stores Attaining or Exceeding Quartile Average Gross Profit: 48/47%
- Quartile Average Gross Profit Percentage: 66.81%
3rd Quartile
- Number of Stores: 102
- 2025 Gross Sales Range by Quartile: $872,288 to $1,178,252
- 2025 Quartile Average Gross Sales: $1,023,906
- 2025 Quartile Median Gross Sales: $1,032,314
- Number and Percentage of Stores Attaining or Exceeding Quartile Average Gross Sales: 58/57%
- 2025 Quartile Average Gross Profit: $684,917
- 2025 Quartile Median Gross Profit: $688,603
- Number and Percentage of Stores Attaining or Exceeding Quartile Average Gross Profit: 58/57%
- Quartile Average Gross Profit Percentage: 66.89%
4th Quartile
- Number of Stores: 102
- 2025 Gross Sales Range by Quartile: $268,773 to $868,153
- 2025 Quartile Average Gross Sales: $689,235
- 2025 Quartile Median Gross Sales: $721,647
- Number and Percentage of Stores Attaining or Exceeding Quartile Average Gross Sales: 62/61%
- 2025 Quartile Average Gross Profit: $463,818
- 2025 Quartile Median Gross Profit: $490,226
- Number and Percentage of Stores Attaining or Exceeding Quartile Average Gross Profit: 62/61%
- Quartile Average Gross Profit Percentage: 67.29%
Part 3 – Number of Stores, Average and Median Gross Sales, Lowest and Highest Gross Sales Amount in Each Range, and Percentage of Total Number of Stores That Fell Within Certain Ranges of Gross Sales for 2025
- Based on information reported by 408 of the 409 Once Upon A Child Stores which had been in operation by the same franchisee or owner for the 12-month period ended December 27, 2025, the following chart sets forth the number of Stores, average and median Gross Sales, the lowest and highest Gross Sales amount in each range, and the percentage of total number of Stores that fell within certain ranges of Gross Sales for 2025:
2025 Range of Gross Sales: $0 to $250,000
- Number of Stores Falling Within Range: 0
- Average Gross Sales for Stores Within Range: $0
- Number and Percent of Stores Attaining or Exceeding Average Gross Sales for Stores Within Range: 0/0%
- Gross Sales for Lowest Store Within Range: $0
- Gross Sales for Highest Store Within Range: $0
- Median Gross Sales for Stores Within Range: $0
- Percent of Total Number of Stores (408) Within Range: 0.00%
2025 Range of Gross Sales: $250,001 to $500,000
- Number of Stores Falling Within Range: 13
- Average Gross Sales for Stores Within Range: $396,736
- Number and Percent of Stores Attaining or Exceeding Average Gross Sales for Stores Within Range: 8/62%
- Gross Sales for Lowest Store Within Range: $268,773
- Gross Sales for Highest Store Within Range: $478,434
- Median Gross Sales for Stores Within Range: $407,172
- Percent of Total Number of Stores (408) Within Range: 3.19%
2025 Range of Gross Sales: $500,001 to $1,000,000
- Number of Stores Falling Within Range: 127
- Average Gross Sales for Stores Within Range: $790,934
- Number and Percent of Stores Attaining or Exceeding Average Gross Sales for Stores Within Range: 70/55%
- Gross Sales for Lowest Store Within Range: $514,226
- Gross Sales for Highest Store Within Range: $994,908
- Median Gross Sales for Stores Within Range: $799,492
- Percent of Total Number of Stores (408) Within Range: 31.13%
2025 Range of Gross Sales: $1,000,001 to $2,000,000
- Number of Stores Falling Within Range: 232
- Average Gross Sales for Stores Within Range: $1,390,122
- Number and Percent of Stores Attaining or Exceeding Average Gross Sales for Stores Within Range: 107/46%
- Gross Sales for Lowest Store Within Range: $1,009,568
- Gross Sales for Highest Store Within Range: $1,996,968
- Median Gross Sales for Stores Within Range: $1,346,909
- Percent of Total Number of Stores (408) Within Range: 56.86%
2025 Range of Gross Sales: $2,000,001 to $3,000,000
- Number of Stores Falling Within Range: 29
- Average Gross Sales for Stores Within Range: $2,289,553
- Number and Percent of Stores Attaining or Exceeding Average Gross Sales for Stores Within Range: 14/48%
- Gross Sales for Lowest Store Within Range: $2,000,478
- Gross Sales for Highest Store Within Range: $2,745,529
- Median Gross Sales for Stores Within Range: $2,288,030
- Percent of Total Number of Stores (408) Within Range: 7.11%
2025 Range of Gross Sales: Greater Than $3,000,000
- Number of Stores Falling Within Range: 7
- Average Gross Sales for Stores Within Range: $3,319,126
- Number and Percent of Stores Attaining or Exceeding Average Gross Sales for Stores Within Range: 4/57%
- Gross Sales for Lowest Store Within Range: $3,013,242
- Gross Sales for Highest Store Within Range: $3,660,164
- Median Gross Sales for Stores Within Range: $3,325,880
- Percent of Total Number of Stores (408) Within Range: 1.72%
- These results relate to specific Once Upon A Child Stores located in the United States and Canada.
- Some Stores have sold or earned these amounts. Your individual results may differ. There is no assurance that you will sell or earn as much.
Section VI – Once Upon A Child Franchise Ratios, Comparables, Computations, and Analyses (Exclusive Content for Platinum Subscribers) ⬇️
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