Just Between Friends is the leading pop-up consignment sales event franchise in North America. In this age of thrift, discount and bargain shopping are no longer stigmatized. As a result of the Great Recession and online shopping, consumers are more savvy than ever — and they expect every dollar to go further.

Our franchise owners market to consignors with items for sale and hold at least two large consignment events a year. People seeking bargains purchase the items, and the franchise owner makes a percentage of every item sold. It’s a great win for all parties — consignors can earn money back on unused baby clothes and gear, maternity items, and kids clothes in great condition, as well as children’s toys and games, and parents, grandparents, and guardians can purchase amazing items at a fraction of the retail price, saving hundreds of dollars on entire wardrobes. The franchisee earns a margin by providing a truly valuable service to the local community. And donated, unsold items go to local charities that help families in need.

Investment in a Just Between Friends franchise starts at around $38,000, making it very affordable. Franchisees can opt for a single territory and hold a minimum of two events a year, which makes for an easy-to-manage, flexible business. Single-unit franchises are excellent for anyone looking for supplemental income, from the stay-at-home parent who wants to generate more income to the mom who wants to reenter the workforce—or even someone currently working and looking for a way to own his/her own business. Want to run a full-time and higher-revenue business? You can purchase more than one territory and have as many events a year as you can handle, creating a full-time business with employees.

Humble beginnings

From our beginnings in a Tulsa living room in 1997, the Just Between Friends brand has grown to 150+ franchises in the U.S. By helping families buy and sell their children’s outgrown clothing, maternity items and baby gear, children’s games and toys, and much, much more, we became a nationally recognized brand and have been featured on a wide variety of national media outlets, such as the Today show and Good Morning America. Our franchise model is unique in that there is a low investment to join, and our franchisees can choose between a significant and supplemental, part-time income or a franchise as a full-time career.

Every year, our Just Between Friends franchisees host hundreds of events. With every franchisee we welcome into our network, we know our franchisees are, in turn, helping parents dramatically improve their lives by saving money buying things for those they love the most: their children. It boils down to our mission statement, which has remained the same since our first-ever sales event in 1997: “To glorify God by bringing communities and families together in a welcoming venue that allows them to care for children and be good stewards of what they have been given.”

“Just Between Friends has taken off in such a way because our brand actually helps families of all kinds save money,” says Shannon Wilburn, co-founder and CEO of Just Between Friends. “Our franchisees feel empowered because they are making a huge impact on their communities. The more events our franchisees can host, the bigger the impact they can have.”

What are the financial qualifications to buy a Just Between Friends franchise?

Just Between Friends’ initial entry fees are minimal compared with other retail franchises. Our franchise system works to suit the needs and schedules of our franchise owners. With the minimum requirement of two sales per year for a single unit, our system can either be a substantial supplemental income with flexible involvement or it can become a full-time career path with multi-unit ownership. The full financial details are listed below:

• U.S. Franchises — $17,900 USD
• Technology fee — $1,500
• Royalties are 3% of gross sales

In addition to the franchise fees listed above, we estimate you will need $18,000-$41,000 in capital for materials to launch your first event.

The word is spreading fast about Just Between Friends

Good news travels fast, but when the news is helping families save money, the word seems to travel even faster! Our brand has been featured in a wide variety of national media outlets, including the Today show, Good Morning America, CBS Early Show, Fox News, CNN, Inside Edition — just to name a few — and hundreds of local publications across the nation.

The reason behind the media’s love affair with the brand and our tremendous growth is the inherent benefits of our concept. Just Between Friends affords parents and caretakers an opportunity to save and earn money by buying and selling their children’s outgrown clothing and toys.

“One of the most exciting aspects of our brand is just how many people discover us through word of mouth,” Shannon says. “In the communities where Just Between Friends hosts events, we create an enormous amount of buzz because people love to tell their friends about this great opportunity to save money!”

How big is the Just Between Friends opportunity?

Americans spend an enormous amount of money on clothing and providing for their children. According to a study published by North Dakota State University, Americans spend 3.8% of their household income on clothing. Money, an online resource dedicated to analyzing American spending trends, figured that Americans with an average annual income of $50,000 spend about $2,000 on clothing. For those with children, this number is almost entirely devoted to their clothing. A joint study conducted by Parenting and Women and Co. pointed out that 90% of parents spend more on their children’s clothing than their own, especially in the month leading up to the school year.

The ever-present need for children’s clothing, as well as the benefit of appealing to parents on a budget, is why we’ve been able to grow from $2,000 in our first sale in Shannon’s Tulsa living room in 1997 to $28.9 million in revenue last year! Our ability to meet the demand for families to buy and sell their children’s clothing and gear has made us one of the hottest franchise systems in the country. For the sixth year, Entrepreneur magazine has once again named us to its prestigious Franchise 500 list, and Forbes has included us in its list of Top Ten Franchises in the $150,000 and under investment category for the last three years.

“I think our brand succeeds because of what we offer to the communities where we are,” Shannon says. “There is a high level of altruism among our franchisees across the board. We constantly hear from our franchisees, and they get teary-eyed over how their events better their communities by helping people clothe their children with dignity.”