Winmark® Company History
Company History
Winmark Corporation is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Originally incorporated in 1988 under Play It Again Sports® Franchise Corporation, the company changed its name to Grow Biz International, Inc. and went public in 1993. By 1995, most of the Grow Biz concepts were ranked first in their categories according to Entrepreneur Magazine’s Annual Franchise 500. The current management team took the helm in 2000 and renamed the company Winmark Corporation in 2001. In 2004, Winmark expanded its financing services to middle market businesses through its subsidiary, Winmark Capital®, and to small businesses through another subsidiary, Wirth Business Credit®.
Our Franchising Experience
Winmark is a recognized leader in franchise-owned and operated businesses, with more than 1,250 franchises in North America. The company pioneered the “ultra-high-value” retailing niche—selling high-quality used products alongside new goods in a traditional retail store format.
Our franchised businesses are: Plato’s Closet®, Once Upon A Child®, Play It Again Sports, Music Go Round®, and Style Encore®. All of these brands buy, sell, trade, and/or consign used and new brand-name merchandise. Winmark franchisees receive extensive training and on-going support to help them build successful business income opportunities.
Want to learn more about our work and what we offer our franchise partners? Contact our team at (866) 595-0053 today!