Just Between Friends Franchise Reaches $31.5 Million in Sales
JBF sales rise from $30 million in 2017
System-wide sales in 2018 for the Just Between Friends consignment sales franchise broke records over the previous year. We posted $31.5 million in system-wide sales for the year, which is a 5 percent increase in sales from 2017.
“We knew we had a terrific year of successful sales throughout the franchise network,” said Lori Lalli, franchise recruiter with JBF. “It’s gratifying to see the final sales numbers confirm our franchisees’ hard work and dedication to building successful businesses and helping their communities. Some of our franchisees grew as much as 200 percent in their revenues over the previous year.”
In addition to record-breaking gross sales, franchisees’ donations from their consignor bases to local charities totaled more than $7.6 million of in-kind donations in 2018. JBF celebrates a banner giving year and eagerly looks to the next. Lalli discussed how the brand is planning to continue the positive momentum into 2019.
What are your goals for new franchises in 2019? How many are you aiming to add?
2019 started off with a bang. We already have several new applicants in the pipeline. We plan to sell at least 12 new franchises this year. We have several large cities where Just Between Friends hasn’t yet reached, and we feel like they are perfect markets for us.
What specific markets are you targeting?
We want to expand in any city that fits our demographics and has a community that would benefit from our brand … and really, what city wouldn’t benefit? Atlanta, Georgia is one such market. The population is there. The demographics are there. We are looking to find the right person to take the reins.
Who makes an ideal franchisee? What type of entrepreneur are you looking for?
The ideal JBF franchisee has some marketing and sales experience. You need to be an outgoing, friendly person — the kind of person who isn’t afraid to approach a new mom at the park to give her an admission ticket to your next event. Organization and event-planning skills are a huge plus because sometimes you’ll feel like one of those “plate spinners” at the circus, and you will be trying to handle a lot of things in the same timeframe — so knowing which plate needs spinning at any given time is a plus.
We use social media for a lot of our marketing, so being already plugged in to social media is helpful, although many of our owners choose to pay someone to handle that part of their business so they can focus on other aspects. In the end, though, to be a successful JBF franchisee you need to be passionate about giving back to your community.
We are looking for franchisees who know that this business is about helping others and who love knowing at the end of the day that they made a difference in people’s lives.
Why is 2019 the year for someone to join JBF as a franchisee?
There’s never been a better time to join JBF!
We are implementing some exciting new marketing and branding efforts this year, with input from a marketing/branding task force comprised of franchisees and corporate staff. With these efforts, JBF is poised to make 2019 a banner year.
If you’ve ever considered owning a Just Between Friends of your own, let’s talk!
Learn more about becoming a JBF franchisee
Just Between Friends franchise is the leading pop-up consignment sales event franchise in North America. From our beginnings in a Tulsa living room in 1997, the JBF brand has grown to more than 150 franchises in the United States. By helping families buy and sell their outgrown children’s clothing, baby gear, games and toys, maternity items, and much, much more, we have become a nationally recognized brand.
JBF is an affordable franchise to launch and run, with an initial investment ranging from $38,555 to $54,575 (for one unit).
We are actively recruiting entrepreneurs for franchise ownership all across the United States. To learn more about franchising with us, explore the research pages on our website or request a copy of our free Franchise Information Report.