How much revenue does a CORNWELL franchise make?

According to the 2025 FDD, the average gross revenue for a CORNWELL franchise is $613,647.88. The median revenue is $578,875.22.

How many CORNWELL franchise locations are there?

As of the 2025 FDD, CORNWELL has 793 franchise locations. The company has been franchising since 1997.

Can you get an SBA loan for a CORNWELL franchise?

Yes, SBA loans are available for CORNWELL franchises. Historical data shows 24 SBA 7(a) loans have been approved for CORNWELL franchisees, with an average loan amount of $76,054. The historical default rate is 8.3%.

Is CORNWELL a good franchise to buy?

CORNWELL shows several positive indicators: established brand with 793+ locations, transparent financial performance data (Item 19), low SBA loan default rate. However, franchise success depends on many factors including location, local market conditions, and owner involvement. We recommend speaking with existing franchisees and consulting with a franchise attorney before making a decision.

CORNWELL

Cornwell Quality Tools Company franchises mobile tool dealerships that operate as 'rolling tool stores' from trucks or vans, selling professional mechanics’ hand tools and related equipment purchased from Cornwell at dealer net prices. Franchisees are assigned a specific but non-exclusive geographic territory and resell products primarily to mechanics, service managers, and owners in auto/truck dealerships, repair shops, fleet operations, construction contractors, service stations, and body shops. The business model features no initial franchise fee or ongoing royalties, but requires a minimum $60,000 initial inventory purchase and full-time dedication to the territory.

793

Locations

$80K–$324K

Investment

Since 1997

Franchising

RetailWadsworth, OHwww.cornwelltools.comDisclaimer

Franchise Costs

Franchise Fee

Item 5 of FDD

Initial Investment Range

$79,525 – $323,825

Low: $79,525High: $323,825

Item 7 of FDD

Royalty Rate

N/A

Brand Fund

N/A

Item 6 of FDD

Fixed Monthly Fees

$50 – $50

Item 6 of FDD

No royalty + no ad fund + $50/mo computer software fee

Financial Performance

Item 19 Financial Performance

Average Gross Revenue

Median Gross Revenue

Top Quartile Revenue

Bottom Quartile Revenue

Data Based On: 669 total Cornwell Dealers in the United States operating pursuant to Dealer Franchise Agreements with Cornwell that were in business for all of 2024 and who reported sales for at least 48 weeks during 2024 (Chart 1).

* Average gross revenue (Total Completed Business) was calculated as a weighted average using the average figures for each of the three segments (Top 1/3, Middle 1/3, Bottom 1/3), with 223 dealers in each segment. Median gross revenue is the median of the Middle 1/3 segment, which is the best approximation of the overall median given the data structure. Revenue top quartile is the average of the Top 1/3 segment. Revenue bottom quartile is the average of the Bottom 1/3 segment. Net income, net profit, EBITDA, and profit estimates are explicitly stated as not provided in Item 19.

Extracted Item 19 Section

How CORNWELL Compares

Key Insights

Lower investment than 85% of Specialty Retail franchises
#2 largest franchise system in Specialty Retail
Lower than average SBA loan default rate in Specialty Retail

Franchise	Investment	Fee	Royalty	Locations
CORNWELL Current	$80K – $324K	N/A	N/A	793
MERLE NORMAN COSMETICS	$48K – $260K	N/A	N/A	797
BATTERIES PLUS	$263K – $497K	$45K	5.0%	604
PET SUPPLIES PLUS	$537K – $2.0M	$50K	3.0%	502
WILD BIRDS UNLIMITED	$227K – $379K	$40K	4.0%	340
YOUR CBD STORE	$96K – $151K	$20K	2.0%	275
Specialty Retail Average 46 franchises	$285K – $708K	$38K	5.0%	–

* Comparison based on latest FDD filings. Investment ranges from Item 7, fees from Item 5. Showing top 5 of 46 Specialty Retail franchises by location count.

Locations & Growth

Outlet Growth Over Time

Total outlets at end of each year

Geographic Distribution (2024)

Outlets by state across the United States

Top States

1TX

119

2PA

3CA

4NC

5CO

6OH

7TN

8MI

9FL

10WA

11IL

12UT

13IN

14AZ

15OK

+33 more states

SBA Loan History

Historical SBA 7(a) loan data for CORNWELL franchisees (2010 – 2025)

Total Loans

Average Loan

$76,054

Total Volume

$1.8M

Default Rate

8.3%

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.

Franchisee Contacts

841 franchisee contacts on file from official FDD filings.

Name	Address	Phone	Email	SBA Loan
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC	123 Main St Anytown, CA 90210	(555) 123-4567	john@example.com	$350,000 2023 · Active
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC	123 Main St Anytown, CA 90210	(555) 123-4567	john@example.com	$350,000 2023 · Active
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC	123 Main St Anytown, CA 90210	(555) 123-4567	john@example.com	$350,000 2023 · Active
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC	123 Main St Anytown, CA 90210	(555) 123-4567	john@example.com	$350,000 2023 · Active
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC	123 Main St Anytown, CA 90210	(555) 123-4567	john@example.com	$350,000 2023 · Active

841 Contacts Available

Unlock all CORNWELL franchisee contacts with verified contact information

Due Diligence

Litigation (Item 3)

Franchisee Cases32

Primarily fee collection disputes (30 cases) by franchisor against former franchisees for unpaid tool purchases, plus class actions by former franchisees involving termination disputes, franchise law violations, and employee misclassification claims.