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BUFF CITY SOAP
Buff City Soap Franchising, LLC offers franchises for Buff City Soap® retail shops called 'Makeries' that sell upscale, plant-based body, facial, bath, shower, laundry, personal, and home care products free of harsh chemicals, detergents, and animal fats, along with on-site customization, soap-making demonstrations, private parties, and classes. Franchisees must follow a proprietary system including specific layouts, equipment, product formulations sourced from the franchisor or affiliates, and an experiential shopping environment to differentiate in the competitive personal care market. The target market includes male and female consumers from adolescence through late adulthood across metropolitan, urban, rural, and tertiary areas.
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Franchise Costs
6% royalty + 2% ad fund + $500/mo technology fee + $119/mo loyalty program + $499/mo COMO + $119/mo Appointedd + $36/mo Woven
Financial Performance
Item 19 Financial Performance
Data Based On: 200 mature franchised outlets open for at least 18 months as of February 24, 2026, as detailed in Table 1 (Page 2).
* Calculated weighted average gross revenue from Table 1 'Net Sales Data for Mature Franchised BCS Makeries' (Page 2), using the 'Average Total Net Sales' and 'Outlet Count' for each tercile: (67 units * $422,306 + 67 units * $615,023 + 66 units * $881,657) / (67 + 67 + 66) = $638,452.03. Median gross revenue is taken from the 'Median Total Net Sales' of the Middle Third. Revenue top quartile is represented by the 'Average Total Net Sales' of the Top Third. Revenue bottom quartile is represented by the 'Average Total Net Sales' of the Bottom Third. No profit or expense data was provided for franchised units, hence profit estimates are null.
Extracted Item 19 Section
Avg. Revenue: $638,452
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Unlock financial performance dataHow BUFF CITY SOAP Compares
Key Insights
- Higher investment than 80% of Specialty Retail franchises
- Top 10 largest franchise system in Specialty Retail
- Lower than average SBA loan default rate in Specialty Retail
| Franchise | Investment | Fee | Royalty | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
BUFF CITY SOAP Current | $383K – $956K | $50K | 6.0% | 222 |
| CORNWELL | $80K – $324K | N/A | N/A | 793 |
| MERLE NORMAN COSMETICS | $48K – $263K | N/A | N/A | 757 |
| GNC | $130K – $450K | $20K | 6.0% | 643 |
| BATTERIES PLUS | $285K – $537K | $50K | 5.0% | 601 |
| PET SUPPLIES PLUS | $537K – $2.0M | $50K | 3.0% | 502 |
Specialty Retail Average 51 franchises | $285K – $685K | $39K | 5.1% | – |
* Comparison based on latest FDD filings. Investment ranges from Item 7, fees from Item 5. Showing top 5 of 51 Specialty Retail franchises by location count.
Locations & Growth
Outlet Growth Over Time
Total outlets at end of each year
Geographic Distribution (2026)
Outlets by state across the United States
+19 more states
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Unlock location growth dataSBA Loan History
Historical SBA 7(a) loan data for BUFF CITY SOAP franchisees (2019 – 2024)
Loans by Year
SBA 7(a) loan activity over time
* Data sourced from SBA 7(a) FOIA loan records. Default rate calculated from charged-off loans.
23 SBA loans on record
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Unlock SBA loan historyFranchisee Contacts
98 franchisee contacts on file from official FDD filings.
98 Contacts Available
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Unlock contactsDue Diligence
Litigation (Item 3)
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
System Health (Item 20)
Franchise system changes reported in the most recent fiscal year
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Unlock due diligence reportsFrequently Asked Questions
The total initial investment to open a BUFF CITY SOAP franchise ranges from $383,292 to $956,024. This includes a franchise fee of $50,000. Ongoing royalty fees are 6.0% of gross sales.
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