THE MEDICINE SHOPPE OR MEDICINE SHOPPE

Item 7 of the 2025 FDD pegs the initial investment at $513,050 to $895,653, covering build-out, inventory, and equipment for a retail pharmacy selling Rx drugs, OTC meds, vitamins, and possibly wellness services. Ongoing fees include a 3% royalty on gross sales—or a $599 monthly fixed fee if you commit to 95% pharmaceutical buys from Cardinal Health—plus no brand advertising fund and optional Retail Solutions fees from $55 to $1,015 monthly. Notably, there's no Item 19 financial performance representations, so no disclosed average revenues or profits; you'll need to dig into franchisee contacts for those figures, making validated earnings opaque compared to peers.

The system's 271 locations dropped 7% from 292 in 2024, with 21 terminations, just 2 non-renewals, 12 transfers, and 17 projected new units signaling modest expansion plans. Litigation centers on fee disputes where franchisees skipped payments, leading to settlements or exits, hinting at cash flow pressures for some. On a brighter note, 75 SBA loans average $758,527 with a low 2.7% default rate, suggesting financed owners generally succeed. This mature concept offers supply chain perks via Cardinal but demands $500K+ upfront in a shrinking footprint—ideal if you have pharmacy experience and deep pockets, riskier otherwise.