Support and Training
Yes
Description
Blue Ox franchise
What began as an idea at a bachelor party has quickly turned into the Northeast’s premier axe throwing experience. In April of 2018, Jerry Ferraro and Graham Kelley were in Minneapolis, Minnesota for Graham’s bachelor party when they went axe throwing for the first time at a local facility. Within minutes of their first throw, the two quickly agreed that axe throwing was an activity that would thrive in their native New England and throughout the Northeast. Upon their return, Graham and Jerry met with Jerry’s longtime business partner, Maggie Slivinski, to pitch her on the concept of axe throwing as a business and to ask her to join in on the venture, both of which she agreed on.
The three partners immediately began to strategize and map out all of the necessary pieces for their yet-to-be-named business. With Jerry’s entrepreneurial background, Maggie’s understanding of business planning and operations, and Graham’s sales and account management experience, it didn’t take long as Blue Ox Axe Throwing, LLC was formally established in June of 2018, just hours before Graham’s wedding (which Jerry served as a groomsman).
Blue Ox Axe Throwing’s first facility opened in Wallingford, Connecticut in August of 2018 and has become Connecticut’s highest-rated axe-throwing venue, according to Connecticut Magazine. Now, due to booming growth and increased industry recognition, Blue Ox is offering a franchise opportunity to interested and qualified candidates. Are you the next Blue Ox franchisee?
Blue Ox is Unlike Other Axe Throwing Venues
The Blue Ox mission is to bring communities together through a unique alternative to the usual nighttime or weekend activity. Through a combination of market experience, solid franchise partnerships, an effective and profitable approach to the business, Blue Ox will develop a national presence through the addition of 51 projected new franchise units sold over the next five years.
Concept & Facilities
The Blue Ox franchise model will be a fixed retail location providing the aforementioned hatchet
throwing services and events. It will allow a customer to experience the thrill of throwing hatchets in a group setting, optionally competing against each other, while enjoying the ambiance and atmosphere of a social setting.
The operating model is simple in nature and operational complexity, but delivers an extremely diverse and quality experience to the customer with great results to the bottom line. Locations will range in size from 3,500 to 6,000 square feet and will be located anywhere from a warehouse-style building to a strip center (depending on the market) with typical rental ranges per square foot of $7 to $14 annually. The corporate location in Wallingford is located in a typical market that Blue Ox would like to imitate.
The franchisee’s location should be somewhat visible from the street and allow for some walk-in foot traffic but in the case of larger units, may be more of a destination. Franchisees will have a counter/desk at the front of the operation and is where customer is checked in and greeted. Employees and
management in the business should be courteous, professional and know about the equipment and events to explain the uniqueness of the concept. They also must be able to present the correct pricing and packages to the customer. The success and growth of Blue Ox will be aligned of the performance and consistency of the initial locations.
A Revolutionary Opportunity in Franchising
What makes Blue Ox the go-to franchise option?
Exclusive Territory
Early adopters have the opportunity to obtain exclusive territory rights for their very own Blue Ox Axe Throwing franchise. This means you have exclusive access to a 50,000 to 100,000 population center or a 5-mile radius from the location.
Training at its Best
We know how to set our franchisees up for success, with detailed training programs and extensive support throughout your journey. It begins with one to two weeks of training at the infamous Blue Ox headquarters, followed up with an additional training segment at your location. All training is paid for by us!
Proven Business Model
The Blue Ox model has been tested and tried within its company-owned location, booming with referrals and repeat clientele. We understand exactly what the business needs to flourish within any location and deliver those resources into the hands of our franchisees.
Qualifications
The Blue Ox model has been tested and tried within its company-owned location, booming with referrals and repeat clientele. We understand exactly what the business needs to flourish within any location and deliver those resources into the hands of our franchisees.
Blue Ox is seeking candidates that are eager to launch into an industry full of potential and fun. We believe that husband/wife teams, sales professionals, existing business owners, or investors would all be viable options for franchisees. More specifically, we would love to see:
A “people person” who will bond with customers and who is not afraid of daily, outgoing customer
interaction. Our owners/operators are the cornerstone of the customer relationships that build loyalty and word-of-mouth referrals.
Great time and schedule management skills are a must-have for our franchisees. Currently, Blue Ox
operates on nights and weekends, seeing a steady, full schedule during these hours. Franchisees need to be able to manage a small staff and keep everyone organized and on task.
A top-notch axe throwing experience goes beyond a fun atmosphere and sharp hatchets. High-quality customer service is what attracts customers in time and time again. We want individuals who take honesty, integrity, and excellence as seriously as we do.
Franchisees of Blue Ox should have a fun, outgoing, and adventurous attitude and mindset. You may be right for Blue Ox if you are business minded and grasp how to effectively and efficiently run a business.
We need candidates that meet the initial financial requirements in order to successfully launch their business.
Supported By a Team of Professionals
Why should you choose Blue Ox as your business venture? We believe in setting up our franchisees for success at the very beginning and throughout the life of their Blue Ox business. We provide the following areas of support:
Operational Support
You aren’t just buying a name; you are buying proven operational practices that have grown our business! We provide ongo- ing training and support in many areas critical to the success of your business, including unit operations and maintenance, product ordering, new event development and maintenance, suggested pricing guidelines and administrative procedures.
Marketing Support
Exclusive to your territory, Blue Ox will coordinate development of advertising materials and strategies just for you! It will also supply its franchisees with consumer marketing plans and materials for use at the local or regional level.
Purchasing Perks
We need to mention that on top of an already affordable and highly profitable franchise, we will also negotiate quantity discounts on behalf of all of our franchisees, meaning more savings for you! This will include elements such as the hatchets, targets, equipment, marketing materials and other needed items for operating a Blue Ox location.
Other Areas of Support
Blue Ox will provide ongoing oversight of financial, legal, and accounting for its franchisees. Additionally, we strive to discover and research methods and techniques that will enhance profitability.
A member of Blue Ox field support staff will visit each franchisee according to the following schedule:
- First Quarter - Monthly
- Second-Fourth Quarters – Bimonthly
- Second Year and Beyond – Quarterly
It is estimated that Blue Ox will need to hire one field supervisor for every 20 franchises in the field. This is a relatively “de-leveraged” support model, which should allow for the high quality of support and guidance provided to franchisees. The Franchisor will incorporate a formalized mechanism for ensuring quality control among franchisees that will be implemented by these field supervisors. Designated staff members will perform supervision of field support duties.
In addition to field support, members of the Franchisor organization will provide the services listed below. The Franchisor must assign a specific person to cover each of these support areas (one person can be assigned to more than one task). The names of support staff members who are officers, directors, or have significant management responsibility in conjunction with franchisees will be disclosed in the Blue Ox Disclosure Document. The Franchisor has the responsibility to assign a person/people to each task during the development of the franchise program.
Site Selection
The Franchisor will provide a set of guidelines to acquire the proper location for a Blue Ox location. The franchisee will then submit a list of sites to be approved by the Franchisor.
Purchasing
The Franchisor or its affiliate will negotiate quantity discounts on behalf of all of its members, passing some or all of these savings on to the franchisees. This will include elements such as the hatchets, targets, equipment, marketing materials and other needed items for operating a Blue Ox location.
Blue Ox Accounting/Audit/Legal
Reporting directly to administration, this department is responsible for the financial and legal oversight of franchisees. Blue Ox will be providing support and guidance to franchisees on how to manage their books, but they will ultimately be instructed to hire their own CPA for their individual business.
Ongoing Research and Development
Blue Ox management and leadership will continue to research methods and techniques for franchise operations (including purchasing and promotional methods) that enhance unit-level profitability. There will be continued research and development on how to better operate the locations and how to more profitably manage a Blue Ox franchise. This would include improved food services, better group marketing strategies and new missions and props.
The Next Step
Are you ready to dive into a dependable, trustworthy, and successful company with a proven track record? Are you interested in joining a fun brand that has solidified its reputation through quality customer service and management? Join the Blue Ox Axe Throwing team today. Complete the form today for more owner details.