Waxing the City Franchise Costs, Fees & FDD

Year Business Began: 2003

Franchising Since: 2010

Headquarters: Woodbury, Minnesota

Estimated Number of Units: 150

Franchise Description: Waxing the City Franchisor LLC is the franchisor. The franchisor offers franchises for the establishment, development and operation of businesses offering facial and body waxing services for men and women, as well as other related products and services, such as skincare, eyelash, beauty and brow enhancement, under the “Waxing the City” trademark and other trademarks, trade names, service marks, and commercial symbols it may authorize.
Training Overview: The initial management training program, currently referred to as “New Franchisee Training,” is provided in-person at the franchisor’s corporate offices in Woodbury, Minnesota, in a virtual format, at another location designated by the franchisor, or in any combination of these, at its discretion. The principal operator of the business must attend and complete this training program to the franchisor’s satisfaction before the waxing studio is opened. In addition, if the principal operator is not also a principal owner, then a principal owner of the business must also attend and complete this training to the franchisor’s satisfaction before the waxing studio is opened. Before the opening of the waxing studio, at least one aesthetician that franchisees employ must attend and complete to the franchisor’s satisfaction its Initial Cerology Training Program, also referred to as Cerologist CORE Training, and obtain the franchisor’s Cerologist^TM certification. There are additional, optional training programs available. The franchisor may hold a conference on a regular basis to discuss a number of topics. During the time franchisees operate their waxing studio, there is additional training that the franchisor requires them to attend in order to stay current on the policies, procedures, and techniques of operating a Waxing the City studio. Each calendar year, the business must obtain at least 1,200 continuing engagement credits within the franchisor’s system.

Territory Granted: When franchisees sign a Franchise Agreement, they will receive the right to operate a single waxing studio at a specific location that the franchisor must approve. Once the site for the waxing studio has been approved, the franchisor will grant the franchisee a protected territory. To identify the protected territory, the franchisor will use mapping and demographic software to identify the boundaries of the protected territory. The determination of the protected territory is within the franchisor’s sole discretion but will typically include a population of no more than 50,000 people based on census projections for up to five years from the date of the Franchise Agreement.

Obligations and Restrictions: While the franchisor does not require that franchisees personally supervise their waxing studio, it recommends that they do so. If franchisees are not the “on premise” supervisor of the waxing studio, then they must designate a principal operator to serve as their on premise supervisor. Franchisees must refrain from using or permitting the use of their waxing studio for any other purpose or activity at any time without first obtaining the franchisor’s written consent. Franchisees must sell or offer for sale only those services and products which are approved by the franchisor and which meet its standards and specifications. Franchisees must follow the franchisor’s policies, procedures, methods, and techniques and comply with all of the franchisor’s mandatory standards and specifications.

Term of Agreement and Renewal: The length of the initial franchise term is six years. If franchisees are in good standing and they meet the franchisor’s conditions, they can renew their franchise for an additional five-year period.

Financial Assistance: The franchisor does not offer, directly or indirectly, any financing to franchisees to help establish their business. However, the franchisor does have arrangements with a number of third- party equipment lenders who provide financing to its franchisees. The franchisor does not participate in any underwriting or lending determinations with respect to any of the financing options made available by any of the lenders. Except as noted, the franchisor does not guarantee any note, lease or other obligation franchisees incur.

Estimated Initial Investment

Name of Fee	Low	High
Initial Franchise Fee	$42,500	$42,500
Travel and Living Expenses While Training	$1,400	$2,640
Leasehold Improvements	$79,530	$306,600
3 Months’ Rent and Security Deposit	$20,800	$25,600
Construction Management Fees	$0	$13,500
Architect/Design Fees	$12,750	$22,875
Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment	$30,581	$47,662
Office Supplies	$3,500	$4,500
Technology Package and Licenses	$11,807	$19,213
Interior & Exterior Signage	$18,400	$26,900
Initial Retail Inventory	$5,578	$6,108
Initial Waxing Supply Inventory	$8,078	$8,372
Grand Opening Advertising	$25,000	$25,000
Insurance	$2,550	$2,850
Miscellaneous Expenses	$4,500	$7,000
Additional Funds and Working Capital for First 3 Months	$43,800	$85,100
ESTIMATED TOTAL	$310,774	$646,420

 
Other Fees

Type of Fee	Amount
Royalty Fee	Greater of (a) the minimum royalty fee ($100/week), or (b) 6% of gross revenue each week.
General Advertising and Marketing Fund Contributions	Currently 2% of gross revenue each month.
Ongoing Purchases of Wax & Service Offering Products	Typically $48,000 to $72,000 per year, but may vary based on purchases.
Technology Fee	Currently, $799 per month.
Charitable Contribution	$100 per month.
Marketing Materials	Currently $600 to $1,000 for first year and thereafter may vary based on purchases.
Conference Fee	Currently, $799 for first ticket, $499 for additional tickets during early registration and $599 for additional tickets for regular registration.
Continuing Engagement Credit Fees	Up to $1,200 per waxing studio for each year the franchisee fails to complete 1,200 continuing engagement credits, as outlined in the operations manual.
Training No Show Fees	Currently, $500, or the actual costs of rescheduling travel, whichever is greater.
Training Compliance Fee	Currently, $500-$2,500 per month, per violation, until compliant.
Training Fee for Each New Aesthetician or Cosmetologist	Currently no charge for virtual support. The franchisor reserves the right to charge up to $250 per hour for virtual support in the future and those charges may be paid to the franchisor or a third party. If support is provided by us in-person at any location, the current fee is $1,000 -$1,500 per day, plus actual travel and lodging expenses per trainer. The franchisor may increase this fee, not to exceed $3,000 per day, plus actual travel and lodging expenses per trainer.
Additional Services Training	Currently, no charge for aestheticians who attend virtual training, if offered. The franchisor reserves the right to charge for virtual additional services training provided in a virtual format and those charges may be paid to the franchisor or to a third party. If training is provided on-site at the franchisee’s location the franchisor will charge $1,000 - $1,500 per day, plus actual travel and lodging expenses per trainer for additional waxing services training. The franchisor may increase this fee, not to exceed $3,000 per day, plus actual travel and lodging expenses per trainer.
Retail Training	Currently, the franchisor does not charge a fee for retail training but may charge a fee of up to $250 per hour in the future.
Additional Customer Experience / Operations Training	Currently, either $1,000 or $1,500 per day, per representative, plus reimbursement of the franchisor’s cost of travel, lodging and meals. The franchisor may increase this fee, not to exceed $3,000 per day, plus actual travel and lodging expenses per representative.
Leadership Training	Currently, the franchisor does not charge a fee for leadership training but may up to $1,500 per day per representative, plus reimbursement of its cost of travel, lodging and meals. The franchisor may increase this fee, not to exceed $3,000 per day, plus actual travel and lodging expenses per representative.
Lash Lift & Lamination Certification	Currently, $100 - $125 per Cerologist, per certification.
Renewal Fee	$6,000, reduced to $5,000 if the franchisor receives the fee, and all signed renewal documents, at least 30 days before the franchise expires.
Transfer Fee	$7,500 or $12,000
Relocation Fee	$1,500 plus the franchisor’s expenses.
Audit	Cost of audit.
Inspection Fee	Currently, up to $500 per failed inspection.
Additional On-site Training	Currently, $1,000 - $1,500 per day plus travel costs and expenses, per trainer.
Compliance Fee	Up to $500 per violation per month.
Insurance Handling Fees	Currently, $100.
Indemnification	Will vary under circumstances.
Liquidated Damages	$10,000
Cost of Enforcement or Defense	All costs including accounting and attorneys’ fees, will vary under the circumstances.
Interes	Lesser of 1.5% per month or highest rate of interest allowed by law.
Late Report Fee	$100 per violation.
Insufficient Funds Fee	$100 per check that franchisees submit to the franchisor that is returned for insufficient funds, and $100 each time that the franchisor is unable to collect via EFT due to insufficient funds.
Re-Invention Program	$0.50 per square foot per month.
Recertification or Re-Training Fee	$1,000 - $1,500 per day, plus actual travel and lodging expenses per trainer.
Additional Email Addresses	$20 per month for each additional 5 email addresses and mailboxes.
Grand Opening and Ramp Up Plan	$25,000
Local Advertising	$1,500 per month. The franchisor may charge a one-time setup fee up to $350 if the franchisor conducts the local marketing on the franchisee’s behalf.

The above information has been compiled from the FDD of Waxing the City. Year of FDD: 2025.
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