franchise_expansion

Bedford – October 14, 2026 -- Blo Blow Dry Bar has signed a three-unit development agreement to enter New Hampshire, with local entrepreneur Marissa Gardner as the brand's sole operator in the state.

Gardner will open locations in Bedford, Nashua and Southern New Hampshire. She is currently securing sites, and addresses have not been announced.

Former beauty procurement executive anchors the New Hampshire rollout

Gardner spent 19 years in global procurement at a leading prestige beauty company in New York, where she held leadership roles across multiple brands. She holds a master's degree in business management. After relocating to New Hampshire with her family, she chose to franchise with Blo, citing its proven success and established support.

Miami – – October 07, 2026 -- League One Volleyball (LOVB) has named the ownership group for LOVB Miami, its 10th professional team and South Florida's only major women's professional sports franchise, set to debut in the 2026-27 season as a founding member of LOVB Pro's new Eastern Conference.

Ownership group spans finance, sports and entertainment sectors

The group is anchored by Suprette, Jett Sports, Fifth Down Capital, Chase and Stephanie Coleman, and Jackie Garcia, mother of UNC volleyball player Jackie Taylor. It also includes owners tied to the NBA's Charlotte Hornets, MLB's Tampa Bay Rays, and the NWSL's North Carolina Courage, bringing cross-league franchise experience to the venture.

Aventura, Fla. – October 07, 2026 -- Uni K Wax, the natural body-waxing franchise behind the proprietary Elasti K WaxTM formula, has named Christina Simeone as Vice President of Operations as the brand pushes into new markets.

Simeone takes over studio operations across nearly 40 open locations and 31 in development

Uni K Wax currently operates close to 40 open studios with 31 more in development across nine markets and seven states. Simeone will oversee studio operations, franchisee support, and operational execution nationwide, working directly with franchisees on unit-level performance and guest experience.

New VP brings decade-plus tenure at Hand & Stone Massage & Facial Spa

Simeone spent more than ten years as Director of Operations at Hand & Stone Massage & Facial Spa, managing activities aimed at improving franchise performance in the premium personal care sector.

Wilmington, N.C. – October 05, 2026 -- 101 Mobility has secured rank No. 296 on the 2026 Franchise Times Top 400, marking its second consecutive year on the list of largest U.S.-based franchise systems ranked by global systemwide sales.

101 Mobility grows to over 150 locations nationwide

The home accessibility and mobility franchise now operates more than 150 U.S. locations, with owners providing stairlifts, wheelchair ramps, patient lifts, bathroom safety equipment, and elevators through sales, rentals, installation, and service.

Franchise Times ranking draws on five-month sales research

The Franchise Times Top 400 ranking results from an annual five-month research and reporting process that the publication positions as the most credible and objective franchise sales ranking available.

Austin, Texas – October 03, 2026 -- Walden Media Group (WMG) has been selected as the advertising and growth marketing partner for Training Mate, an Australian-born fitness franchise expanding its footprint across the United States.

WMG takes over paid media and local marketing as Training Mate scales franchising

Under the agreement, WMG will manage paid search, paid social, local marketing, creative production, and performance reporting for Training Mate. The mandate covers both membership growth at existing studios and launch campaigns for new franchise locations entering the system.

Hartland, Wis. – October 02, 2026 -- Batteries Plus signed 19 new franchise agreements and opened 13 new locations across six states in the third quarter of 2026, extending a multi-year expansion run for the specialty battery and power solutions retailer.

New stores cluster across Florida, Texas, Utah, Pennsylvania, Arizona and Alabama

The Q3 openings mark continued geographic diversification for the chain, which now signs 60 to 70 new stores annually, according to the company. Batteries Plus recorded its strongest signing year in 2021 and has sustained that pace through the pandemic recovery period.

"The continued pace of growth we're seeing clearly reflects power and connectivity, and Batteries Plus is uniquely positioned to deliver both," said Victor Daher, Vice President of Global Franchise Development for Batteries Plus.

Wayne, Pa. – October 01, 2026 -- Main Line Mahjong (MLM) has launched a franchise program, becoming the first mahjong studio brand in the nation to offer franchise opportunities to entrepreneurs nationwide.

Mahjong searches surge 4,467% as Yelp names it a top 2026 trend

Yelp data cited by the company shows searches for mahjong clubs jumped 4,467% year over year, while searches for mahjong lessons rose 819%. Mahjong events listed on Eventbrite climbed 179% in a single year, and industry analysts project the global mahjong market will reach roughly $3 billion by 2035.

Englewood, Colo. – – September 30, 2026 -- Footprints Floors founder and CEO Bryan Park has been named one of the Denver Business Journal's Most Admired CEOs of 2026, marking a milestone for the flooring franchise he built from a single Colorado operation into a national network of more than 150 territories.

Air Force veteran built franchise from 2008 financial crisis into 150-territory network

Park founded Footprints Floors in 2008 during the financial crisis, spotting a gap for greater transparency and reliability in flooring installation. He structured the business around a lower-overhead model in which customers buy materials directly from vendors of their choice while the company manages professional installation, avoiding traditional showroom and inventory costs.

Las Vegas – September 25, 2026 -- Global Fight League (OTC: GFLE) has signed a seven-figure binding Letter of Intent with investor Ryan Brockbank for the rights to own and operate the league's first independently owned franchise, marking its inaugural third-party ownership deal.

GFL secures non-refundable payment to fund Argentina proof-of-concept event

GFL has received and deposited a non-refundable initial payment toward the seven-figure purchase price, with the remaining balance due in 2027. The capital will help finance an international proof-of-concept event in Argentina during the fourth quarter of 2026, with further details expected in the coming week, as well as preparations for the league's first full season of competition in 2027.

Minneapolis – September 25, 2026 -- Kiddie Academy of Woodbury, a new franchise location of Kiddie Academy Educational Child Care, opened in February 2026 and is licensed to serve 160 children ages 6 weeks to 12 years in Washington County, Minnesota.

Two families co-own the 11,000-square-foot facility

The Academy is owned by longtime friends Josh Orloff and Andrew Lemon along with their wives, Caitlin Orloff and Amye Lemon. Located at 805 Stephens Way in Woodbury, the facility includes 12 classrooms, an indoor gross motor room, a Zono disinfecting cabinet, and live-stream camera access for parents.

Owners' own children enroll as toddlers and infants at the site

Josh Orloff said he and Lemon founded the Academy after struggling to find high-quality child care for their children, born six weeks apart. Three of the owners' own children now attend the facility, two in the toddler room and one in the infant room.