Little Diggers
Little Diggers Franchising, LLC operates and franchises indoor playgrounds for children under the Little Diggers name, featuring sandbox play, recreational activities, birthday parties, and group events. Facilities use proprietary systems and specially formulated sand to maintain clean play areas, adhering to standardized business formats, methods, and specifications. The business model involves granting exclusive territorial franchises targeting families with young children seeking safe, indoor entertainment options.
Franchise Costs
8% royalty + 2% ad fund + $70/mo CRM & gift card fees
Financial Performance
Item 19 Financial Performance
Data Based On: Two company-owned Little Diggers facilities (Dublin, Ohio and Cleveland, Ohio) open as of December 31, 2024. Performance data for Dublin covers January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024 (12 months) and for Cleveland covers November 15, 2024 to December 31, 2024 (1.5 months). Additional 3-month performance data for both facilities is provided for January 1, 2025 to March 31, 2025.
* 1. Average Gross Revenue: Calculated as the average of the annualized net sales for the two company-owned facilities. Dublin's 2024 net sales ($434,994 for 12 months) and Cleveland's annualized net sales ($76,648 average monthly net sales for 2024 from Table 2 multiplied by 12 months = $919,776). Average = ($434,988 + $919,776) / 2 = $677,382. 2. Average Gross Profit: Calculated as the average of the annualized gross profit for the two company-owned facilities. Dublin's 2024 Gross Profit ($400,136 for 12 months) and Cleveland's annualized Gross Profit (monthly GP of $72,020.67 from 2024 data multiplied by 12 months = $864,248). Average = ($400,136 + $864,248) / 2 = $632,192. 3. Average EBITDA: Calculated as the average of the annualized EBITDA for the two company-owned facilities. Dublin's 2024 EBITDA ($112,483 for 12 months) and Cleveland's annualized EBITDA (monthly EBITDA of $28,068.67 from 2024 data multiplied by 12 months = $336,824). Average = ($112,483 + $336,824) / 2 = $224,654. 4. EBITDA Margin %: Calculated as total annualized EBITDA divided by total annualized gross revenue: $449,307 / $1,354,764 = 33.17%. 5. Best Guess Profit Range: Estimated based on the highest and lowest operating expense ratios (excluding advertising and royalty) observed across Dublin (2024, 2025) and Cleveland (2024, 2025) data, plus a standard franchisee fee of 10% (8% royalty + 2% advertising as stated in notes). - Lowest total expense ratio for profit high end: 41.87% (Cleveland 2025) + 10% franchisee fees = 51.87% total expenses. Profit = $677,382 * 48.13% = $326,048. - Highest total expense ratio for profit low end: 64.33% (Dublin 2024) + 10% franchisee fees = 74.33% total expenses. Profit = $677,382 * 25.67% = $173,890.
Extracted Item 19 Section
How Little Diggers Compares
Key Insights
- Lower investment than 75% of Family Entertainment franchises
| Franchise | Investment | Fee | Royalty | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Little Diggers Current | $217K – $482K | $50K | 8.0% | 2 |
| URBAN AIR ADVENTURE PARK | $3.1M – $8.4M | $100K | 7.0% | 193 |
| ALTITUDE TRAMPOLINE PARK | $1.6M – $3.0M | $50K | N/A | 69 |
| Escapology | $627K – $2.3M | $45K | 6.0% | 63 |
| Miss Teen USA | $24K – $1.2M | N/A | N/A | 51 |
| Pump It Up | $104K – $661K | $30K | 6.0% | 42 |
Family Entertainment Average 16 franchises | $978K – $2.3M | $53K | 6.6% | – |
* Comparison based on latest FDD filings. Investment ranges from Item 7, fees from Item 5. Showing top 5 of 16 Family Entertainment 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
Franchisee Contacts
2 franchisee contacts on file from official FDD filings.
| Name | SBA Loan |
|---|---|
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC | $350,000 2023 · Active |
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC | $350,000 2023 · Active |
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC | $350,000 2023 · Active |
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC | $350,000 2023 · Active |
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC | $350,000 2023 · Active |
2 Contacts Available
Unlock all Little Diggers franchisee contacts with verified contact information
Due Diligence
Litigation (Item 3)
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
System Health (Item 20)
Franchise system changes reported in the most recent fiscal year
Frequently Asked Questions
The total initial investment to open a Little Diggers franchise ranges from $216,600 to $482,150. This includes a franchise fee of $50,000. Ongoing royalty fees are 8.0% of gross sales.
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