Is Once Upon A Child right for you?
Proven Scale
441 franchised stores in the U.S. and Canada as of year-end 2025, with net unit growth of 10-14 stores annually over the prior three years.
Exclusive Territory
Each franchisee receives a protected radius, typically 3-5 miles with minimum population of 50,000, modeled on density, income and traffic.
Gross Profit Visibility
the financial-performance disclosure discloses average and median gross sales plus gross profit margin for 408 mature stores; 43 percent of stores met or exceeded the system averages.
About Once Upon A Child
Once Upon A Child, founded in 1988 and franchised by Winmark Corporation of Minneapolis, operates a chain of specialty retail stores focused on gently used and new children's apparel, toys, equipment, furniture and accessories. The concept buys quality used merchandise directly from customers and resells it at substantial savings while offering select new items. As of 2025 the system included 441 franchised stores across the United States and Canada with no company-owned outlets.
Franchisees operate neighborhood stores of 3,500 to 4,500 square feet that function as both retail outlets and buying centers. Staff evaluate, price and purchase used children's goods from local families then resell them alongside new inventory. The model relies on high inventory turnover, strict cost control on used goods, and a preferred-vendor program for fixtures and technology supplied by Winmark.
The business model
How a Once Upon A Child territory actually makes money at the unit level.
Initial Franchise Fee
A one-time fee of $25,000 is payable to Winmark upon signing the Franchise Agreement. The fee drops to $15,000 for each subsequent store opened by the same franchisee.
Royalty and Marketing Fees
Continuing fee is 5 percent of gross sales. Local marketing expense, when combined with cooperative advertising, must total at least 5 percent of gross sales. A separate $1,500 annual marketing fee is also required.
Total Investment Range
Estimated initial investment for a single store, including franchise fee, build-out, POS system, opening inventory and three months of working capital, ranges from $355,700 to $485,900.
Technology and Supply Requirements
Franchisees must purchase a Winmark-configured POS system and proprietary software for $23,200-$30,900 and pay a monthly software fee of $295. Signs, certain fixtures and approved advertising services must be sourced from Winmark-designated suppliers.
Inventory Strategy
Stores emphasize used inventory purchased directly from customers at 10-25 percent of resale value. Winmark recommends opening inventory of $75,000 minimum used goods and provides pricing guidelines and vendor programs.
Territory and Channel Rights
Franchisees receive an exclusive territory but may not sell through internet, catalog or other direct channels without Winmark approval. Winmark reserves rights to sell through alternative channels under different marks.
Quick facts
Initial franchise fee
$25,000
Total investment range
$355,700 to $485,900
Royalty
5.00% of gross revenue
Marketing fund
5.00% of gross revenue
Founded
1988
Headquarters
Minneapolis, MN
Active US franchisees
n/a
Total US units
n/a
Training & support
What the franchisor + parent platform provide. And what they don't.
What's provided
- +Mandatory two-part Resale University program completed in Minneapolis, MN before store opening.
- +Resale University 101: four days of classroom training covering business planning, real estate selection, legal structure, financing, store development standards, accounting, and local marketing (approximately 20 total hours including on-the-job components).
- +Required third-party online financial management course completed as part of initial training.
- +Resale University 201: at least five days of training on sales, customer service, marketing execution, computer systems, inventory buying and pricing, staff hiring and financial management.
- +Ongoing field consultant visits, written evaluations, manual updates via the brand extranet, and access to advertising materials developed by Winmark.
- +Periodic optional training and cooperative advertising support for markets with multiple franchisees.
Honest disclosure: what's NOT provided
Winmark does not provide on-site training at the franchisee's location beyond the initial two-part program in Minneapolis. Franchisees are responsible for hiring, training and compensating their own store staff after completing the required Resale University curriculum.
Multi-unit growth path
Winmark permits qualified franchisees to open additional Once Upon A Child stores under the same ownership group. The initial franchise fee for each subsequent store is reduced to $15,000. Multi-unit operators benefit from shared overhead, centralized buying power for used inventory, and operational efficiencies across locations. The the filed disclosures does not disclose the number of multi-unit operators or their specific outcomes.
Capital + financing paths
Most operators use one of these four paths to fund the initial investment.
SBA 7(a) Loan
Many Once Upon A Child franchisees utilize SBA-guaranteed loans for a significant portion of the initial investment. Winmark provides franchise disclosure and financial templates to assist with lender packages.
Equipment and Lease Financing
Fixtures, signage and the POS system may be financed through third-party equipment lenders or through landlord build-out allowances common in retail leases.
Home Equity or 401(k) Rollover
Prospective owners frequently use home-equity lines of credit or rollover existing 401(k) funds into a new-business retirement plan to fund equity requirements.
Seller Financing for Existing Stores
Winmark will provide actual operating records for any existing store offered for resale, enabling buyers to secure conventional or seller-financed acquisitions.
Process timeline: inquiry → grand opening
Typical 12-16 week path from first call to launching your first customer route.
Validation & Signing
Complete discovery process, review the filed disclosures, sign Franchise Agreement and pay the $25,000 initial fee.
Site Selection
Identify and submit 3,500-4,500 sq ft retail location in approved territory for Winmark review and approval.
Design & Build-Out
Finalize lease, complete architectural plans to brand standards, install signage, fixtures and security systems.
POS & Inventory
Order and install Winmark POS system and proprietary software; acquire opening inventory with emphasis on used goods.
Training
Attend Resale University 101 and 201 in Minneapolis and complete required online financial course.
Pre-Opening
Hire and train staff, set up buying and selling processes, finalize local marketing plan.
Grand Opening
Open store and begin buying and selling operations under Winmark field support.
Match assessment
Are you a Once Upon A Child match?
12 questions. Math-first. No high-pressure sales call afterwards. Just your match assessment and the reasoning behind it.
Start nowCommon questions
How much does a Once Upon A Child franchise cost?
The estimated initial investment ranges from $355,700 to $485,900 according to the investment disclosure of the 2025 the filed disclosures. This includes the $25,000 franchise fee, leasehold improvements, fixtures, POS system, opening inventory and three months of working capital.
What is the royalty fee for Once Upon A Child?
The continuing royalty is 5 percent of gross sales. Local marketing and cooperative advertising requirements total a minimum of 5 percent of gross sales, plus a separate $1,500 annual marketing fee.
Does Once Upon A Child provide financial performance representations?
Yes. the financial-performance disclosure discloses average gross sales of $1,268,984 and average gross profit margin of 66.71 percent for 408 mature stores in 2025. 43 percent of stores met or exceeded those averages. Gross profit does not include operating expenses beyond cost of goods sold.
How many Once Upon A Child locations are there?
There were 441 franchised stores in the United States and Canada at the end of 2025. The system added a net 10-14 stores per year from 2023 through 2025.
What is the typical Once Upon A Child store size?
Stores are typically 3,500 to 4,500 square feet. Investment estimates increase with larger square footage and vary based on location condition and local construction costs.
Do Once Upon A Child franchisees get an exclusive territory?
Yes. Each franchisee receives an exclusive territory, typically a 3-5 mile radius with minimum population of 50,000, determined by demographic and traffic modeling.
How long is Once Upon A Child training?
The mandatory program consists of two sessions in Minneapolis totaling approximately 20 hours of classroom and on-the-job training plus an online financial course. Both parts must be completed prior to opening.
Can I open multiple Once Upon A Child stores?
Yes. Qualified operators may open additional units. The franchise fee for subsequent stores is $15,000. The the filed disclosures does not disclose specific multi-unit performance data.
What is the difference between Once Upon A Child and Plato's Closet?
Once Upon A Child focuses on children's apparel, toys, equipment and furniture while Plato's Closet, also a Winmark brand, targets gently used teen and young-adult apparel and accessories.
Does Winmark provide site selection assistance?
Winmark reviews and approves all locations but does not select sites for franchisees. Training includes a dedicated real-estate module to guide the selection process.
Are Once Upon A Child franchisees required to buy inventory from Winmark?
No. Used and new inventory may be purchased from any supplier meeting standards. Winmark supplies only the POS system, proprietary software, signs and certain marketing materials.
How long does it take to open an Once Upon A Child store?
From signing the agreement to opening typically spans 4-7 months depending on site availability, lease negotiation, build-out timing and completion of required training.
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