LOVELAND, Ohio — Martin Franchises, parent company of Martinizing Dry Cleaning, is pursuing expansion in several metropolitan markets nationwide. The franchiser currently operates 620 stores in the U.S. and 15 countries worldwide.
“We feel very confident about going into markets now,” says Jerry Laesser, vice president of marketing and franchise development. “Over the last three or four years, we’ve really retooled our franchise and have been focusing on bringing in more multi-unit franchisees. We probably have 100 stores under contract to open over the next five or seven years.”
The company plans to add 19 stores in the Indianapolis metropolitan area; 12 new stores in and around Austin, Texas; and 13 additional stores in the Orlando, Fla., area in the next three years. Also, a franchisee in Raleigh-Durham, N.C., has signed an agreement to open four stores.
Martin is also pursuing growth in the Atlanta area, targeting 40 new stores; Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., 20; Chicago, 60; Cleveland, 20; Houston, 30; Kansas City, Mo., 27; and Las Vegas, 15. Other metropolitan areas in which Martin is seeking double-digit franchise growth include Miami-Dade County, Fla.; Nashville, Tenn.; Palm Beach, Fla.; Phoenix; Tucson, Ariz.; and Richmond, Va.
One of the industry’s oldest and largest franchises, Martinizing has experienced a resurgence recently with new store designs and environmentally friendly positioning based on the use of GreenEarth’s silicon-based solvent. The company also told the Indianapolis Star that the “business casual” trend has retreated recently, making room for the expansion.
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