Your Roadmap to Winmark: A Guide to Our Resale Brands

With over three decades of resale experience under our belt, Winmark - the Resale Company has helped hundreds of aspiring entrepreneurs across North America achieve success in the resale industry. This week, we’re looking back at the story that started it all, our growth over the years and what lies ahead.

The Beginning of Our Industry-Leading Resale Franchises

It all started in 1988, when Winmark, headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, was incorporated under Play It Again Sports Franchise Corporation® with the mission to support and celebrate business owners.

In 1993, we changed our name to Grow Biz. International, Inc. and went public. That same year, we acquired a second resale brand, Once Upon A Child®, and a year later, Music Go Round®.

Reaching New Milestones

In 1998, after 10 years in business, most of the Grow Biz concepts consistently ranked first in their categories on Entrepreneur Magazine’s annual Franchise 500 list.

We then added a new brand to our wheelhouse - Plato’s Closet®, a resale fashion brand for teens, college students and young professionals.

In 2001, after the management team that oversees our resale brands today took over, the company was renamed Winmark Corporation and went through an entire rebranding process.

For the next decade, we continued to prevail and in 2013, launched Style Encore® - a brand we built from the ground up - to offer gently used clothing, shoes, handbags and accessories to career women, moms and female shoppers who are fashion-, bargain- and recycling-conscious.

Today and Beyond

Earlier this year, Winmark Corporation rebranded as Winmark - the Resale Company® on a mission to provide Resale for Everyone™. Today, we’re nearing our 1,300th location overall, while Plato’s Closet is getting ready to open its 500th store.

With $1.4 billion in annual sales and 1.4 billion in items recycled since 2010, Winmark’s five resale brands continue to offer affordable, sustainable solutions for everyone.

With over 2,800 territories available, a rise in green consumerism and a growing resale market expected to reach *$64 billion by 2024, Winmark maintains its stronghold as the resale company and is on track for continued expansion.

Looking for a reliable franchising opportunity with proven success in the resale industry? Contact us today to learn more about opening a Winmark store in your area.

*https://www.firstresearch.com/industry-research/Used-Merchandise-Stores.html