Once Upon A Child® Opens Its 400th Store - Milestone Opening Signals Growth Ahead for Leading Resale Franchise

MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 5, 2021 /CNW/ -- Winmark Corporation, North America's leading franchisor of sustainable resale brands, has announced the 400^th store opening of its award-winning children's clothing and accessories retail resale brand, Once Upon A Child®. The brand celebrated the record opening this past month in Douglasville, Georgia on September 23, marking a key growth milestone for Once Upon A Child.

Winmark – the Resale Company™ celebrated this exciting development with multi-unit franchise owner, Allison Spartis. The 400^th store launch marks Spartis' second Once Upon A Child location and fourth Winmark franchise, as she also owns two successful Plato's Closet stores.

"It's an incredible feeling to have opened our 400^th Once Upon A Child location and to witness the impact our brands have on their communities," said Renae Gaudette, President of Franchising at Winmark Corporation. "I can't think of a more fitting franchisee partner than Allison to be able to share this experience with. Allison is everything we look for in a franchisee – she is compassionate, community-driven, a leader in our network, and understands the sustainable value our retail resale brands bring to families. As we continue to grow, our impact will only strengthen as we aim to further our position as the industry leader in resale and sustainability. Our team is regularly evaluating potential markets for future expansion of all Winmark brands – and, while we're already a household name for many, we're looking forward to reaching even more families across North America in the years to come."

While the past year has been challenging for many retail brands, Winmark's five resale brands – Play It Again Sports, Plato's Closet, Style Encore, Music Go Round, and Once Upon A Child defied the odds and grew to meet the increasing demand for quality used, secondhand products. The resale industry is growing 25 times faster than traditional retail with an estimated 64 million people buying secondhand products, and is projected to be worth more than double that of fast fashion. Winmark is able to rapidly grow through strategic franchise development in order to keep up with consumer demand.

With over 2,000 available territories in the U.S. and Canada across all five brands, Winmark Corporation has its eyes set on targeted development, and is actively seeking to grow with qualified franchisees. The brand has pinpointed Dallas, Los Angeles and Boston for immediate expansion. This growth strategy is all part of the brand's overarching mission of providing Resale for Everyone™.

To learn more about Winmark – the Resale Company™, and its franchise opportunities, visit: winmarkfranchises.com 

About Winmark Corporation  
Winmark – the Resale Company™ is a nationally recognized franchising business focused on sustainability and small business formation. We champion and guide entrepreneurs interested in operating one of our award winning resale franchises: Plato's Closet®, Once Upon A Child®, Play It Again Sports®, Style Encore® and Music Go Round®. At June 26, 2021, there were 1,266 franchises in operation and over 2,000 available territories. An additional 36 franchises have been awarded but are not open.

About Once Upon A Child®
Once Upon A Child® leads North America in the buying and selling of gently used kids' merchandise – from children's apparel, baby equipment and footwear to books, toys and more. With 400 franchised stores in the United States and Canada, we are focused on sustainable style and play. Once Upon A Child is franchised by Winmark – the Resale Company™, which also franchises Play It Again Sports®, Plato's Closet®, Style Encore® and Music Go Round®. For more information visit www.onceuponachild.com.

SOURCE Winmark Corporation

Stephanie Dean, Fishman Public Relations, [email protected]