Childrens Franchise Industry News & Announcements

May 22, 2013 // Franchising.com // PRO Martial Arts, the nation’s fastest growing Martial Arts concept, announces today that it has signed an agreement with Dominick and Sarah Lochi to develop a dojo in the Denver, Colorado market.
Dominick comes to PRO Martial Arts with a background as a restaurant manager. Sarah has a background in the corporate world. They both have a strong work ethic, great communication skills and enjoy working with the public and managing a goal oriented team. The Lochi's are excited about the opportunity to take control of their financial future as they develop their first dojo. PRO Martial Arts is happy to have Dominick and Sarah as part of our growing family of character development and leadership training centers and looks forward to helping them accomplish their dreams...

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - May 22, 2013 - (BUSINESS WIRE) - The Little Gym International, the world’s premier enrichment and physical development center for kids 4 months through 12 years, today announced the retirement of longtime President & CEO Bob Bingham and the promotion of Ruk Adams to the same position. The changes are effective June 30.
Adams, 55, has held leadership positions at The Little Gym International for more than 15 years, most recently serving as Senior Vice President of Development since 2003 and additionally Franchise Services and Support since 2008. He rejoined The Little Gym International in 2003 after heading sales for Citadel Broadcasting in Salt Lake City from 1997-2002.
Joining Adams on the executive team are Michael Gragg, who has served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since 2000; and Alex Bingham, who was promoted to Senior Vice President, Operations...

Leading Early Childhood Franchise Hosts Franchising Seminar on June 5 to Fuel Expansion
May 22, 2013 // Franchising.com // BUFFALO, NY - Doodle Bugs! Children’s Centers, a leading early childhood education provider, announced today it is targeting Pittsburgh, Pa. for franchise expansion. Doodle Bugs! recently launched an aggressive growth strategy to enter new cities in key states such as Pennsylvania, and is actively recruiting passionate entrepreneurs to help grow the brand and bring innovative and education-based early child care to the region. Most recently, Doodle Bugs! opened its first school in the town of McCandless, Pennsylvania and plans to develop additional locations throughout Pittsburgh.
Doodle Bugs! executive team will be in Pittsburgh on Wednesday, June 5 at 6 p...

World's Most Prominent Newspaper Consults Nurse Next Door on Emerging Business and Health Care Issues
VANCOUVER, BC - (Marketwired - May 21, 2013) - Nurse Next Door, one of North America's fastest-growing home health care franchise systems, made the news pages of The New York Times twice in one recent week -- a signal that the company sits at the spear's tip of emerging trends in health care and business.
The first article, published May 8, prominently featured Nurse Next Door franchise partners Tony Uzzi and his stepdaughter Paige Palmer of Mission Viejo, Calif., as examples of the growing "dad and grad" movement in small business. Faced with a still-sluggish economy and poor job outlook, college graduates are increasingly buying franchises with help from their parents...

BounceU locations across the country host "Big, Big Bounce" event on May 22.
May 21, 2013 // Franchising.com // TEMPE, Ariz. – BounceU, a popular franchise that fulfills the birthday wishes of children around the country with its lively, whimsical parties, brings its campaign with Make-A-Wish to a close with a national fundraising event.
On the heels of their April 29 campaign launch, BounceU announces the culmination of their fundraising efforts with a system-wide “Big, Big BounceSM” event. BounceU locations nationwide will join together on Wednesday, May 22 offering families across the country an opportunity to help turn their goal of raising $50,000 into reality.
“BounceU sought a partnership with Make-A-Wish because we believe our core mission and values are in alignment,” said BounceU CEO Lee Knowlton...

May 21, 2013 // Franchising.com // Atlanta, GA – Students in East Cobb, Roswell, Milton, and surrounding communities have the opportunity to improve their ACT® or SAT® score with Appleton Learning. Appleton Learning of Georgia, with locations in Roswell and East Cobb, is offering over $400,000 in full and partial test prep scholarships for the fall test dates.
A higher ACT or SAT score can help students gain admission into their dream college or qualify for more scholarship money.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to be able to provide scholarships for services that can have a tremendous impact on a student’s future,” said Christy Tureta, Branch Director at Appleton of Roswell. “Preparing for the ACT or SAT can not only benefit a student on test day but can also improve a student’s study and test taking skills, which will benefit them in their college and professional career...

National Early Learning Academy And Premier Online Lending Portal Helps Franchisees Secure Loans
May 21, 2013 // Franchising.com // Boca Raton, FL  - The Learning Experience® (TLE®), the country’s fastest growing early learning academy for children 6 weeks to 6 years old, today announced that it has partnered with BoeFly, the premier online portal connecting franchisees with lenders.
“During the country’s recent economic tumult, we took the unprecedented position to continue to invest in infrastructure and human capital necessary to grow our brand,” said Richard Weissman, President & CEO of TLE®. “We have no plans to slow down our amazing growth and currently have 120 early learning centers operating in seventeen states...

May 20, 2013 // Franchising.com // Jackson, MI - KidzArt/Art Innovators, an international provider of art enrichment for all ages, announces it was ranked in the top 10 percent of all franchises nationwide and named a 2013 Military Friendly Franchise® by Victory Media, publisher of G.I. Jobs.
KidzArt/Art Innovators honors military veterans by waiving the franchise fee for qualified service members. Their Veteran's program also offers a protected territory, a Web page, a $500 online class registration system, $1000 off all start up marketing services, complete business and art training and on-going franchise support.
"KidzArt/Art Innovators is proud of this Military Friendly designation and of the fact that we allow veterans to use their background and training to launch a new civilian career with us," according to KidzArt CEO Sue Bartman...

SAN FRANCISCO - May 17, 2013 - (BUSINESS WIRE) - Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS) will provide a live audio webcast of the company’s Annual Meeting of Shareholders, beginning at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time on May 21, 2013. To register for the webcast on May 21, please visit www.gapinc.com (follow the Investors, Financial News and Events, Webcasts links). A replay of the presentation will be available for six months through www.gapinc.com.
The webcast will provide the audio portion of the Annual Meeting only and does not constitute attendance. In order to vote at the Annual Meeting, shareholders must either authorize a valid proxy or attend the Annual Meeting and vote in person.
About Gap Inc.
Gap Inc. is a leading global retailer offering clothing, accessories, and personal care products for men, women, children, and babies under the Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime, Athleta, and Intermix brands...

MINNEAPOLIS - May 16, 2013 - (BUSINESS WIRE) - Winmark Corporation (Nasdaq: WINA) announced today that it has awarded eight franchise agreements for its new women’s resale concept, Style Encore™.
John Morgan, Chairman and CEO commented, “We are thrilled with the response to Style Encore and are excited with the progress we have made since announcing the concept four months ago. Our initial store design, operational guidelines and marketing campaigns are complete and we are ready to open our first franchised stores in 2013. Our goal is to build the leading brand in the women’s resale market.”
Winmark Corporation creates, supports and finances business. At March 30, 2013, there were 983 franchises in operation under the brands Plato's Closet®, Play It Again Sports®, Once Upon A Child®, and Music Go Round® and an additional 60 retail franchises had been awarded but were not open...

Student Bands from Elementary through High School Showcase Talent & Compete to Win in Semi-Annual Event 
BETHESDA, Md., May 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ - Bach to Rock (B2R), America's music school for students of all ages, announced today that the B2R Battle of the Bands XII will launch at the Fillmore Silver Spring June 8 – 9, 2013, before closing out at the 9:30 Club on June 15, 2013, for a jam band showdown. Hundreds of local area students will showcase their incredible talent, performing a mix of original music and popular hits, for a chance to win professional studio recording time.
"We can't wait to debut the latest talent that has been cultivated at our schools during this month's Battle of the Bands competition," said Brian Gross , president of Bach to Rock...

Company introduces collection of plush friends based on the global pop culture icon.
ST. LOUIS - (BUSINESS WIRE) - May. 15, 2013 - Build-A-Bear Workshop®, the interactive entertainment retailer of customizable stuffed animals, announced today a new relationship with Nickelodeon to bring the hit animated series, SpongeBob SquarePants, to Build-A-Bear Workshop. Beginning May 17, the company will offer make-your-own SpongeBob and Patrick ($23 each) at Build-A-Bear Workshop stores throughout North America and online at buildabear.com®. SpongeBob’s Bikini Bottom friends Sandy Cheeks and Gary the Snail will also be available as pre-stuffed minis for $10 each.
“For the first time ever, Build-A-Bear Workshop Guests can finally take home the underwater fun of SpongeBob SquarePants and his friends,” said Maxine Clark, Build-A-Bear Workshop founder and chief executive bear...

Traveling just got easier with tips from Doodle Bugs!
BUFFALO, NY (PRWEB) May 15, 2013 - Whether it’s by car, plane or boat, traveling with kids for a summer vacation could look similar to an episode of “Survivor”. Long trips and the hustle and bustle of traveling can be hard on young children. It wreaks havoc on their routines and tests their patience (and ultimately yours), which can be a recipe for disaster.
However, traveling and exploring new places is an important experience for children and shouldn’t be sacrificed. It is an opportunity to bond as a family and create memories. With a few tips from Christina Fecio, director of education and training at Doodle Bugs! Children’s Centers, a leader in educational child care, you can perfect the travel experience and focus on enjoying the vacation...

Local Sacramento area provider to address growing demand for senior care.
Sacramento, CA (PRWEB) May 14, 2013 - By 2030, nearly a quarter of Sacramento’s population will be over the age of 65. The demand for senior care is escalating. To address the needs of this demographic, Nurse Next Door, a thriving home healthcare franchise system, is continuing an aggressive California expansion with the launch of their fourth location in the state in the Roseville area.
Nurse Next Door’s first two California locations in Orange County grew quickly since they launched six months ago while adding more than 60 jobs to their local economies. The company attributes their rapid California growth to a number of factors including an unparalleled care model, fresh branding and recently, an influx of client referrals a from hospitals a result of the Affordable Care Act...

America's Music School Provides Path to Veterans to Achieve Entrepreneurship
BETHESDA, Md. - May 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ - Bach to Rock (B2R), America's music school for students of all ages, announced today it will continue its commitment to veterans with a new franchise incentive for 2013. The company will offer 50 percent off of the franchise fee and waive its royalty fees for the first six months of operations for all honorably discharged veterans who served post Jan. 1, 2000. The total savings is estimated at approximately $29,520.
"At Bach to Rock, we believe it is crucial to provide a path to business ownership for more veterans, especially those who have recently returned home and are seeking an entrepreneurial opportunity," said Brian Gross , president of Bach to Rock...

Hospital readmission penalties drive need for home healthcare services.
Huntington Beach, CA (PRWEB) May 14, 2013 - By 2030, nearly 20 percent of Orange County’s population will be over the age of 65. The demand for senior care is escalating. To address the needs of this demographic, Nurse Next Door, a thriving home healthcare franchise system, is continuing an aggressive California expansion with the launch of their fourth location in the state in Huntington Beach.
Nurse Next Door launched two successful California locations six months ago in Mission Viejo and Laguna Hills, creating over 60 local healthcare jobs. The company attributes their rapid California growth to a number of factors including an unparalleled care model, fresh branding and recently, an influx of hospital referrals as a result of the Affordable Care Act...

Melbourne, FL - May 14 2013 - Kinderdance® International has been recognized by Bonds Top 100 Franchises in the annual 2013 5th edition. Bonds Top 100 Franchises is the industry’s most respected authority on franchise selection process picks Kinderdance as a proven franchise performer!
Kinderdance®, established in 1979 is a nationally recognized dance, gymnastics and fitness program for children age’s two to twelve. Their 124 Franchisees currently teach over 12,000 children weekly at over 800 various locations in 30 states and 9 countries. Classes are held on site in child care centers, recreation centers, hospitals, military bases, bowling alleys, fitness centers and many other locations that have space that can be utilized as an additional learning center...

ORADELL, NJ - (Marketwired - May 9, 2013) - Huntington Learning Center joins educators, lawmakers and communities across the nation to celebrate National Charter Schools Week May 5-11. The annual celebration publicizes the successes of charter schools and encourages lawmakers to support their states' efforts to strengthen and expand charter school offerings.
According to the Center for Education Reform, the first charter school opened 21 years ago in Minnesota and today, more than 2.3 million students are enrolled in more than 6,000 charter schools throughout the United States. In his May 3, 2013, Presidential Proclamation of National Charter Schools Week, President Barack Obama stated, "These learning laboratories give educators the chance to try new models and methods that can encourage excellence in the classroom and prepare more of our children for college and careers...

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. - May 9, 2013 – Homewatch CareGivers, a premier international provider of full-service home care, was named a winner of the 2013 Case in Point Platinum Awards in the Best Long Term Care category for its Male Family Caregiving Program.
The Case in Point Platinum Awards recognize the most successful and innovative case management programs that improve access to quality care, promote wellness and advance care coordination across the care continuum.
According to the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project, up to 45 percent of family caregivers are men. Despite the growing number of male caregivers, their needs have been underserved and their contributions have often been unrecognized...

King of Prussia, PA (PRWEB) May 08, 2013 - Goddard Systems, Inc. (GSI), franchisor of The Goddard School®, a leader in franchised educational childcare for 25 years, is pleased to announce the appointment of Maureen Corneal as Vice President of Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations.
Ms. Corneal, a seasoned marketing and strategic communications professional, will focus on the strategic direction and implementation of the company’s marketing, advertising, public relations and market research efforts on behalf of its network of nearly 400 franchised Goddard School locations across the nation. She will serve as part of the company’s senior leadership team and will report to GSI Chief Operating Officer (COO) Dzana Homan...