Owning a retail clothing boutique is a popular dream, and Scout & Molly’s can make it come true. This boutique franchise speaks to women who like to express themselves through their clothing, women who don’t want to look like all the other girls at a party, and women who really enjoy shopping for clothes. Scout & Molly’s franchisees — or their managers — focus on helping their customers discover their style, providing a level of individual service that most clothing stores no longer offer.
Yelp reviews reinforce the message:
” This is the kind of place where you can find a cool, one-of-a-kind piece of clothing for a casual night out.”
“They have a good mix of casual and dressier clothes, all stylish and fun, and salespeople are really nice and helpful – as in ‘Look at these jeans – does it look like I actually have a butt?’ helpful.”
“Whoever runs this shop clearly loves what they do, and you can tell it in everything from the carefully curated selection of labels (Autumn Cashmere, Hudson, Trina Turk, DVF) to the genuinely helpful salespeople (one of whom dug around in back and called other stores to find a sweater I wanted in the perfect size / color).”
The corporate website typifies the current boutique scene. The message is all about fun and fashion, with trunk shows, Pinnable images of what seems to be Molly and her dog Scout in fresh fashions, and a very personal blog.Each franchise also has its own web page, and the franchisor also provides print ads, direct mail, and national PR campaigns.
The flagship boutique has been open since 2002, but they’ve only recently begun franchising, so it’s a very new franchise and you can get in on the ground floor.
Scout & Molly’s is designed to work with owner-operators or absentee owners who rely on managers. Scout & Molly’s will train managerial staff and provide a point of sale system that owners can readily access. The ideal franchisee may not have prior retail experience, but will need people skills and managerial skills. Scout & Molly’s provides six days of initial training with follow up as needed, as well as ongoing fashion leadership.
The initial investment includes a $50,000 franchise fee, plus the cost of opening a 1,200 square foot shop in a high-traffic mall. Estimated total outlay is $208,000 – $240,000, and a total net worth of $300,000 is required. Ongoing franchise and marketing fees are based on sales. Six to nine months is the estimated time frame for getting a franchise up and running after receiving approval. Franchisees will need a small number of “Style Scouts” (sales associates) to cover the hours in the beginning, but Scout & Molly’s is designed to work with a fairly small staff.
One of the unusual benefits listed for this franchise: “Access to your own personal 1,200 square foot closet!!!” If this sounds like the perfect perk, you may be the perfect Scout & Molly’s franchisee.
As of this writing, Scout & Molly’s is on our New Franchises page as well as on their own information page. The New Franchises page has new entries all the time, so be sure to visit it frequently!
