Owning a Catch Air franchise can be a great business idea. Catch Air is one of the popular names for fun, safe, and interactive indoor play space activities for children. It is also trusted within families as a brand. But before you know more about this great opportunity, you need to know the costs involved. This article breaks down the costs and other things of buying a Catch Air franchise including steps to open, earnings, benefits, challenges, and frequently asked questions.
What is Catch Air?
Catch Air provides a safe and clean indoor environment for children and their families to enjoy. It offers unique themes to attract the child and their parents and has bright and lively play areas that have all the interactive activities for children. Catch Air also provides birthday party hosting.
Owning a franchise from Catch Air is an investment in a tried and tested business model. Not only does one own a reputed brand name but also the additional advantages of the support network offered by the franchisor.
Read: Best Children’s Franchise in the USA
Total Cost to Open a Franchise of Catch Air
Opening up a Catch Air franchise costs vary depending on various factors like the geographic location of the franchise, the space it occupies, and how it has been customized. The detailed breakdown is shown below:
a) Franchise Fee
To become a franchisee, you must pay an initial franchise fee.
- Estimated Fee: $40,000–$50,000
This one-time payment grants you the rights to operate under the Catch Air brand and access its established systems.
b) Initial Investment
The initial investment includes everything required to set up the business.
- Estimated Range: $250,000–$700,000
This amount covers expenses such as leasehold improvements, equipment, furniture, décor, and initial inventory.
c) Lease and Location Costs
Catch Air centers typically require a large space, such as a shopping center or standalone building.
- Estimated Rent: $5,000–$15,000/month, depending on the city and neighborhood.
Securing a prime location with high foot traffic can significantly impact your revenue.
d) Equipment and Interior Setup
Play equipment, safety measures, and themed decorations are essential parts of a Catch Air franchise.
- Estimated Cost: $200,000–$400,000
Catch Air designs are interactive and colorful, ensuring an unforgettable experience for visitors.
e) Marketing and Launch Costs
Franchisees must invest in pre-launch marketing campaigns and grand opening events.
- Estimated Marketing Budget: $10,000–$25,000
This includes promotional materials, social media ads, and local community outreach.
f) Ongoing Royalties
Catch Air charges royalty fees for the continued use of its brand and support.
- Estimated Royalty Fee: 5–6% of monthly gross revenue.
These fees fund corporate support and brand advertising, benefiting your franchise.
g) Staff Hiring and Training
You’ll need a team to manage daily operations and ensure customer satisfaction.
- Estimated Costs: $20,000–$50,000
Is Buying a Franchise of Catch Air Worth It?
There are many benefits of starting a Catch Air franchise.
- Established Brand: As mentioned before, Catch Air carries a very strong reputation with its loyal customer base.
- Proven Business Model: Reduces risk with starting franchising from an independent business.
- Family-oriented Business Model: Catch Air is family-oriented, targeting the kids alone, and this is just part of a much bigger market with much more potential.
Open a Catch Air Franchise in Five Steps
1. Research the Industry
First, research the children entertainment and preschool industry. Pay close attention to elaborate and thorough investigations into the children’s entertainment industry. Identify the market demand and target clientele demographic, as well as the competition within the region. Consider if this proposition works for you personally and for the benefit of your future goals. Catch Air franchisees spend between 40 to 60 hours running businesses on an average weekday. So, be well prepared for such a time commitment.
2. Submission of An Application or Qualification Sheet
A franchisee interested in becoming a Catch Air franchisee will need to complete an application or qualification sheet. This is done to gauge the individual’s eligibility with respect to franchise ownership. The application does not create a binding process between the applicant and Catch Air, but manifests an intention of the prospective franchisee to pursue such a franchise opportunity.
3. Review Disclosure Documents
It is legally mandated for the franchisors to provide potential franchisees with disclosure documents, running usually to a hundred pages or more. These are documents that give potential owners a much comprehensive view of how the franchise will run operations, the financial burden expected of them, and the legal obligations that will tie them. Read through those documents carefully to reach a justified conclusion.
4. Prepare Questions
Create a list of questions or concerns after reviewing the disclosure documents. The marketing representative for the company will be available should you require more information regarding certain matters or clarity on other points.
5. Get in touch with Current Franchisees
Meet current Catch Air franchisees to learn about what they have gone through. These people have already been in your position. Therefore, they could give you ideal insights into the challenges and the benefits of running a Catch Air center.
6. Set Up a Meeting with the Company
Arrange for interaction with the decision-makers at Catch Air. Face-to-face interaction makes it possible to ask specific questions about how things work at this franchise, what systems for support it has and other expectations. It is also the first opportunity to really see what the company means with its supposed commitment towards franchisees.
7. Selecting a Potential Location
Finding the appropriate location is critical for the success of your franchise. An assigned location by Catch Air has a right to approve or disapprove that site based on which, a lease can be signed. Carry out reconnaissance to find the right areas that have very high footfall with a population distribution view that corresponds with the market you plan to serve. Do demographic studies and then compare them against those of other successful franchise locations.
8. Sign the Franchise Agreement
When you have got your site selected and approved to your satisfaction, it is time to sign the franchise contract. The franchise contract must be signed after a mandatory waiting period of at least two weeks, which is calculated from the date on which the disclosure document is given to you. This waiting period gives you more than enough time to go through its terms before you make decisions.
9. Attend Training
Catch Air provides exhaustive training to prepare you for business. The “on-the-job” field training is carried out not only at the corporate locations of the company but also at your site, for instance. It covers every aspect of operations, customer service, and management. That means you will be very well-prepared to operate the franchise.
10. Grand Opening
With the completion of training, you are completely prepared to implement the Catch Air facility. This phase will include giving equipment in place, hiring and training the staff, and running a grand opening campaign with the aid of which customers will be acquired. The support team is always around to assist you through this most important phase for a successful launch.
How Much Can You Earn from a Catch Air Franchise?
Potential revenues depend on many factors: site, marketing, and consumer demand. Family entertainment centers average annual revenue figures ranging from $500,000 to $1,000,000. Your net profit will come after deducting operational expenses and royalties.
Challenges of Catch Air Franchise Ownership
And like any business, being a Catch Air franchisee also has its drawbacks or challenges:
- Initial Investments: It’s a moderate to high investment.
- Competition: This for kid entertainment would go to other places.
- Operational Efforts: Sufficient efforts are needed in managing the operation of this large space with staff.
FAQs
Can I Get a loan to buy a Catch Air Franchise?
Most of the franchisees either get loans or get into partnerships with investors to finance capital costs.
Do I have to be an expert businessman to launch a Catch Air franchise?
No, Catch Air offers extensive training and assistance for first-time business owners.
How much time does it take to open a Catch Air franchise?
The time period is usually between 6-12 months, varying based on location and establishment setup.
Can I own more than one Catch Air franchise?
Yes, successful franchisees have the opportunity to own multiple units.
Editorial Team at 99BusinessIdeas is a team of experts led by Rupak Chakrabarty with over 25 years of experience in starting and running small businesses. Started in 2010, 99BusinessIdeas is now one of the largest free small business resources in the industry.