Winmark operates five resale retail franchise brands — Once Upon a Child, Style Encore, Play It Again Sports, Plato's Closet, and Music Go Round — all built on the same core values: community, sustainability, support, and stewardship.
Value alignment between franchisee and franchisor is essential to a potential owner's long-term satisfaction and financial success. As the industry leader in resale retail, we've learned over the past three decades that owners who share our mission, passions, and values become our most successful partners.
Find the Match That's Right for You
Franchise opportunities exist in practically every business category. How does someone who’s interested in opening a franchise decide which franchise brand will bring them the greatest satisfaction?
If being part of an industry-leading team who cares deeply about community connection, a healthier environment, and building a sustainable, circular business model resonates with you, then owning a Winmark franchise brand may be the right fit.
It's in Our DNA
- Community-centered. 100% of our stores are franchisee owned, meaning direct connection to the communities we serve. We stock our stores with items local customers bring in for cash, and owners and employees build lasting bonds with neighbors who share their passions.
- Sustainability-minded. Our resale model has kept over 2.1 billion items out of landfills and encourages customers to reduce waste by turning in used goods for instant payment — positively impacting global supply chain ethics and manufacturing waste.
- Circular economy creators. Combine our community-centric model with our sustainable recycling methods, and the framework for a circular economy becomes clear. Our cash-on-the-spot policy further reinforces the benefits of resale and drives repeat business.
Which Brand Fits Best?
Winmark works with franchise candidates to analyze their professional backgrounds, local market needs, and personal passions to find the right brand fit.
·Plato's Closet focuses on the teen-to-twenty-something demographic. This hip, on-trend brand offers remarkable discounts on apparel that feels unique, personal, and different from what everyone else is wearing.
·Once Upon A Child offers families high-quality, gently used children's apparel, toys, shoes, baby equipment, and accessories. It's the largest and fastest-growing reseller of children's goods and apparel in North America.
·Play It Again Sports serves families with children in team sports, as well as adults pursuing individual sports and fitness, offering a mix of new and used sports and fitness equipment.
·Style Encore buys and sells the latest styles and brands of gently used women's and men's casual and business apparel and accessories — the preferred store for men and women seeking great style at a great price.
·Music Go Round is the world's largest seller of used musical equipment and gear, with an extensive e-commerce business serving customers of all ages who are passionate about music.
Why Fit Matters
As we've developed our business model and corporate ethos, we've learned that more than any single factor, candidate-company fit matters more than any single factor.
- Owners plugged into their communities know their local markets better than anyone — they are their customers.
- A Winmark franchise partnership is a long-term relationship. Leadership style and passion are essential to making our partnerships work.
- We continually invest time and resources to make sure our franchisees are successful far beyond opening day.
We Create Community
Our values-driven franchise development model is one of the most successful in the franchise industry. More than 98% of our owners renew their contracts after the first 10 years, and many go on to open additional locations of either their original brand or one of the portfolio's other resale brands.
We welcome interested, motivated, passionate candidates who want to create a business that does more than make money. If your goals include creating positive impact, strengthening communities, and reducing your environmental footprint, we'd love to talk with you.