Powell's Sweet Shoppe Franchise Overview

About Powell's Sweet Shoppe

Powell's Sweet Shoppes are a nostalgic re-creation of that classic and bygone era. On the surface they sell ice cream and sweets, but you don't have to stand in the Shoppe too long before you realize that what they really offer are memories.

Franchise History

The original Powell's Sweet Shoppe opened in late September 2003 in Windsor, California - a small rural town of about 25,000 located just north of Santa Rosa in the heart of the Sonoma County wine country. The original concept was the sugar-induced hallucination of founder Michael Powell who had a great idea for a candy store in the unique mixed-use development that Windsor was building around its picturesque new downtown. The store is located in a Main Street USA style development designed in the style of Victorian America, with shops on the ground level and residences above. Powell's Sweet Shoppe faces a 5-acre Town Green where families gather on warm summer evenings for movies, concerts, and festivals. Michael, who lives in the development with his family, believes in the old-fashioned retail model where you get to know your customers, learn their names and carry their favorite candies. Michael also believes you should honor every charitable request and involve yourself in the community where your store is located. With these fundamental principles in place, the Shoppe was an immediate success, attracting over 225,000 visitors its first year. The Windsor Town Council affectionately dubbed Michael The Willy Wonka of Windsor and the Chamber of Commerce named him business person of the year for 2004-2005. It was due to continual customer comments like, Where are your other locations? or Can I open a store in my town? or Have you ever thought of franchising?, that Michael embarked on the current model of expansion through franchising, ensuring local control and ownership of the stores by franchisees who share the ideas, principles and values embodied in the original Powell's Sweet Shoppe. After approval by the state of CA in 2005, the first franchised location opened in February 2006.

This web page does not constitute a franchise offering or an offer to sell a franchise. A franchise offering can be made by us only in a state if we are first registered, excluded, exempted or otherwise qualified to offer franchises in that state, and only if we provide you with an appropriate franchise disclosure document.