What Are My Startup Costs?
Cold Stone Creamery ice cream franchise is a low-cost investment with high potential rewards
Cold Stone Creamery ice cream franchise has helped entrepreneurs realize their dreams of small business ownership since we started franchising the concept in 1994. Our passionate executive team has decades of experience helping entrepreneurs realize the full potential of small business ownership; our business model was designed to be easy to open and easy to scale, with initial investment costs well below those of other ice cream or dessert concepts. The total investment estimate for a Cold Stone Creamery franchise ranges from $57,200 to $627,775.
Here’s our FDD Item 7*, which details the specific startup costs of our franchise offering:
Traditional Cold Stone Creamery Restaurant
| Type of Expenditure | Amount | Method of Payment | When Due | To Whom Payment is to be Made |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $12,000 to $27,000 | Lump Sum | At Signing of Franchise Agreement | Us |
| Rent/Security Deposit (for 3 months) | $9,750 to $19,500 | As Incurred | Prior to Opening | Landlord(s) |
| Travel and Living Expenses (2 persons) while training, not including salaries, if any, for you and your employees | $3,000 to $7,500 | As incurred | As incurred | Airlines, hotels, car rental agency & restaurants |
| Lease Review Fee | $0 to $2,500 | Lump Sum | At Signing of Franchise Agreement | Us |
| Architectural Fees | $8,000 to $21,000 | As incurred | Prior to Opening | Licensed and Approved Architect |
| Leasehold Improvements | $102,000 to $275,500 | As incurred | Prior to Opening | Approved Contractors and Vendors |
| Exterior Signage | $10,500 to $16,000 | As Incurred | Prior to Opening | Approved Sign Company |
| Equipment | $129,000 to $205,000 | Lump Sum | Prior to Opening | Approved Vendors and Suppliers |
| PCI Compliance Costs | $150 to $1,300 | As billed by third party vendor | As billed by third party vendor | Approved Vendor |
| Opening Inventory | $8,000 | Lump sum | Before opening | Vendors & suppliers |
| Employee Uniforms | $500 to $800 | Lump sum | Before opening | Vendors |
| Grand Opening Advertising | $10,000 | Lump sum | Within one month of grand opening | Media, printing vendors, event planners, celebrities, customers |
| Insurance Premiums | $500 to $2,500 | Lump sum | Before opening | Insurance carrier |
| Permits and Licenses | $2,000 to $3,000 | Lump sum | Before opening | Governmental entities |
| Telephone and Utility Deposits and Hookups | $250 to $1,000 | Lump sum | Before opening | Utility companies |
| Computer Training and Food Safety Certification Course | $100 to $250 | As needed | As incurred | Vendors, Suppliers |
| Miscellaneous | $3,925 | As incurred | As incurred | Vendors, etc. |
| Depository Account | $3,000 | Lump Sum; Must be replenished on a regular basis | At signing of Franchise Agreement | Your bank (We have the right to withdraw from this account) |
| Additional Funds -3 month initial period | $20,000 | As incurred | As incurred | Us, Employees, Various Third Parties |
| Total | $322,675 to $627,775 | (Does not include real estate costs, construction of the building or rent for the business location except for the initial security deposit.) |
Non-Traditional Cold Stone Creamery Restaurant
| Type of Expenditure | Amount | Method of Payment | When Due | To Whom Payment is to be Made |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $8,000 to $20,000 | Lump Sum | At Signing of Franchise Agreement | Us |
| Rent / Security Deposit (for 3 months) | $0 to $19,500 | As Incurred | Prior to Opening | Landlord(s) |
| Travel and Living Expenses (2 persons) while training, not including salaries, if any, for you and your employees | $3,000 to $7,500 | As incurred | As incurred | Airlines, hotels, car rental agency & restaurants |
| Lease Review Fee | $0 to $2,500 | Lump Sum | At Signing of Franchise Agreement | Us |
| Architectural Fees | $3,500 to $16,000 | As incurred | Prior to Opening | Licensed Design Architect |
| Leasehold Improvements | $0 to $189,000 | As incurred | Prior to Opening | Approved Contractors and Vendors |
| Exterior Signage | $2,000 to $16,000 | As Incurred | Prior to Opening | Approved Sign Company |
| Equipment | $9,000 to $165,000 | Lump Sum | Prior to Opening | Approved Vendors and Suppliers |
| PCI Compliance Costs | $150 to $1,300 | As billed by third party vendor | As billed by third party vendor | Approved Vendor |
| Opening Inventory | $1,000 to $8,000 | Lump sum | Before opening | Vendors & suppliers |
| Employee Uniforms | $200 to $800 | Lump sum | Before opening | Vendors |
| Grand Opening Advertising | $5,000 | Lump sum | Within one month of grand opening | Media, printing vendors, event planners, celebrities, customers |
| Insurance Premiums | $500 to $2,500 | Lump sum | Before opening | Insurance carrier |
| Permits and Licenses | $500 to $3,000 | Lump sum | Before opening | Governmental entities |
| Telephone and Utility Deposits and Hookups | $250 to $1,000 | Lump sum | Before opening | Utility companies |
| Computer Training and Food Safety Certification Course | $100 to $250 | As needed | As incurred | Vendors, Suppliers |
| Miscellaneous | $1,000 to $3,925 | As incurred | As incurred | Vendors, etc. |
| Depository Account | $3,000 | Lump Sum; Must be replenished on a regular basis | At signing of Franchise Agreement | Your bank (We have the right to withdraw from this account) |
| Additional Funds -3 month initial period | $20,000 | As incurred | As incurred | Us, Employees, Various Third Parties |
| Total | $57,200 - $484,275 | (Does not include real estate costs and/or rent for the business location except for the initial security deposit.) |
*Please refer to the full Item 7 in our current FDD for additional details.
