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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 27 F E B R UA R Y 7 , 2 0 2 2 F O C U S C O M M E R C I A L D E V E L O P M E N T saying, "e nice thing about a brand like Planet Fitness is that there's a gen- erosity of business intelligence shared among the franchisees." He says that was also a big plus dur- ing the pandemic, including a 100-page reopening playbook developed last year offering guidance on things like cleaning protocols and social distancing. "It turned out to be an amazing asset, and we used it with health and govern- ment officials to demonstrate our brand leadership," says Cleary, who has plans to open a sixth club this summer. Elsewhere in the fitness space, Julie Marchese and daughter Paige Ferguson became CycleBar franchisees when they opened an indoor spinning studio in Portland's West Bayside neighborhood in September 2019. "Small business is hard no matter what route you take," says Marchese. "We wanted to partner with someone that could really take it to the next level without having to figure it out alone." She says that help came in handy during the pandemic, when CycleBar helped the franchisees find programs to apply to for financial help and was instrumental in keeping her business rolling. CycleBar, the world's largest indoor cycling franchise with more than 200 stu- dios worldwide, is a brand of Xponential Fitness, an Irvine, Calif.-based company that went public last July. Marchese notes that while business ebbs and flows with the pandemic, her outlook is positive, and advises aspiring franchisees in any sector to "believe in your partner and what they will bring to your table. It is a long-term relationship that needs to benefit both parties." Tim Renyi, who runs two Great Clips hair salons with his wife, Hannah, feels the same way about the Minnesota-based creator of the "salon- in-a-box" business model. e couple opened their first Great Clips salon in Falmouth in May 2020, followed by Auburn a year later, with plans to open in Topsham in April. "We don't know anything other than COVID, but having a corporate brand behind us helps pave the way and provides answers," he says. "Franchising is not an island, but offers a blueprint for success. at's what you're buying into as a franchisee." 'Curated mix' Back at Rock Row, Waterstone Properties' Levy says there's no set for- mula or quota of independent owners versus franchisees at the development envisioned as a destination. "Rock Row is proving that, if done right, franchises and independent business owners can wonderfully coexist and thrive off each other," he says. "at curated mix is what gives Rock Row our unique brand personality." Statewide, the growing presence of national brands is a concern to some in terms of a possible disruption to Maine's reputation as a place of independent retail — but one that's also inevitable. "Yes, there is a place for franchises in Maine, but could it alter the land- scape of what Maine is known for? Sure, but there's a market for it," says Matt Lewis, president and CEO of HospitalityMaine. Shocked by the abundance of donut places upon his arrival in Maine from California in 2021, he says, "e big brands like Dunkin' and things like that, those are clearly important and valued parts of the Maine economy and the Maine experience. I don't want to take away from that, but it does change the landscape the more that becomes the norm." Because of his hospitality industry affiliation and LinkedIn profile, Lewis gets frequent unsolicited inquiries as to whether he'd like to pursue a career in franchising. While he always says that's not an interest, the inquiries keep on coming. R e n e e C o r d e s , M a i n e b i z s e n i o r w r i t e r, c a n b e r e a c h e d a t r c o r d e s @ m a i n e b i z . b i z a n d @ r s c o r d e s Martin's Point Health Care Martin's Point Health Care Medical Office Building Medical Office Building Brunswick, ME Brunswick, ME PROUDLY BUILDING MAINE 131 Presumpscot Street, Portland pcconstruction.com B U I L D I N G S T R O N G E R , T O G E T H E R Josh Levy of Waterstone Properties P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y O F WAT E R S T O N E P RO P E R T I E S Rock Row is proving that, done right, franchises and independent business owners can wonderfully coexist and thrive off each other. — Josh Levy Waterstone Properties

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