For 35 years, Winmark - the Resale Company® has been filling crucial gaps in communities across the U.S. and bringing entrepreneurial dreams to life. It all started with our first resale brand, Play It Again Sports®, and has since grown to include four more: Once Upon A Child®, Music Go Round®, Plato’s Closet® and Style Encore®.
We’ve also received plenty of recognition over the years and recently, Once Upon A Child achieved yet another milestone, as it was named a “Top Brand to Buy” by Franchise Times. Meanwhile, owners Jess McGurn and Jordan Prater were recognized as top-performing franchisees.
Once Upon a Child Celebrates Record Growth and Sales
In the past few years, Once Upon A Child franchisees have experienced tremendous success. The brand hit a record average unit volume in 2021 and has grown in 2022.
Once Upon A Child’s place in the Winmark system solidified their 2023 Franchise Times ‘Zor Award win. Winmark is unique in that it offers franchisees the opportunity for multi-unit ownership with any of our five brands - even those without retail experience. Many choose to mix and match brands and open stores side-by-side, while our franchising team offers initial and ongoing support in areas like real estate, operations and marketing.
After opening its 500th store last year, Plato’s Closet also made headlines as a finalist for the ‘Zor award, as generations of entrepreneurs continue to capitalize on the growing resale industry.
From Customer to Franchisee: Meet Jess McGurn
Milwaukee-based Jess McGurn knows all about the benefits that come with being a Winmark franchisee. After shopping for her four kids at Once Upon a Child for years, she purchased an existing store in 2021.
As a mom, she knows firsthand just how quickly kids can grow and especially appreciated the sustainability aspect of running a resale business. In 2022, Winmark surpassed 1.5 billion items recycled throughout our stores, and with green consumerism on the rise, more people are turning to resale than ever.
Through Winmark’s training programs, visiting other stores and speaking with fellow franchisees, Jess learned all there was to know about running her resale store, and she looks forward to opening additional stores in the future.
From Store Associate to Multi-Unit Owner: Meet Jordan Prater
Meanwhile, multi-unit franchisee Jordan Prater worked at a Plato’s Closet store in college and worked her way up to a management position. Today, she owns a Once Upon a Child, Plato’s Closet and Style Encore store in Jonesboro, AR.
A mom of two, Jordan was excited about filling the gap in her community and providing affordable, gently used clothing, accessories and more to the families in her community. She was also confident in the resiliency that comes along with owning a resale store - remaining profitable even through economic uncertainty.
Jordan wears many hats in her three stores - from managing inventory and staff to getting to know her loyal customers. In her first year alone, she broke two brand records for her grand opening and her first year sales!
A Bright Future Ahead
The resale industry is projected for booming growth in the coming years, and you can be a part of it all. With decades of franchising experience and some of the most widely-recognized brands in resale, we’re always looking for new franchisees to help us further our mission of providing Resale for Everyone™.
Contact us today to learn more about opening one of our award-winning brands in your community.