The Scout Guide
Business & Professional Services · Marketing & Advertising
- Active units
- 88
- Royalty
- 10.0%
Franchised, year-end 2023
of weekly Net Sales
About The Scout Guide
The Scout Guide (TSG) is a publication dedicated to helping you live beautifully, live well, and live like an insider, no matter where you are. With a focus on small businesses as the cornerstones of our cities, TSG connects people with local makers, experts, and each other. Through our print and online platforms, we celebrate and support small businesses, allowing readers to fully enjoy their communities. In our annual print guides created by local editors/owners, we showcase independently owned businesses and business owners that both locals and travelers should know about in over 74 cities. Our digital platforms provide tips and inspiration on various topics, such as creating inviting guest rooms, selecting personal stationery, and having well-edited closets. We also offer travel recommendations from locals, stories about talented artists and entrepreneurs, and access to our extensive TSG Directory, where you can easily discover architects, boutiques, event planners, and more in your hometown and favorite destinations. Launched in 2010 and now expanded nationwide, The Scout Guide is a network of small business owners, artists, artisans, and dreamers who are dedicated to supporting and celebrating each other. Our guides and directories are a valuable resource for finding excellent local businesses, a source of inspiration for various aspects of your life, and a way to connect with potential clients or partners. Join The Scout Guide community and discover the best of your city.
Key terms
- Franchise fee
$50k
- Second territory discount
Current franchisee purchasing a second territory pays $40,000; discount does not apply during first 12 months after TSG re‑acquires a territory.
- Brand fund
0.0% of Net Sales
- Veteran discount
Not offered
Brand Percentile Rankings
Rankings compare brands in the same operating year. Fee and investment figures come from the FDD (2026 filing).
Growth
- Total locations93
Franchised units open at year-end
- New openings9
Gross new units opened during the calendar year
- 1-year unit growth rate-1.1%
Net unit growth versus prior year
- 3-year unit CAGR2.8%
Compound annual growth rate of unit count over the trailing 3 years
- Unit growth ratio0.9×
Cumulative opens / closures through year-end
Unit economics
- Annual unit volume (Median)—
Per FDD Item 19 disclosure
- Annual unit volume (25th percentile)—
Per FDD Item 19 disclosure
- Annual unit volume (75th percentile)—
Per FDD Item 19 disclosure
- 1-year Median AUV growth rate—
Year-over-year change in median AUV
- Store-level EBITDA Margin—
Median unit-level EBITDA / AUV
Investment profile
- Estimated initial investment$224k
Midpoint of estimated initial investment range
↓ Lower is better - Time to open—
Midpoint of average time from agreement to opening
- Royalty rate10.0%
Percent of net sales paid to the franchisor
↓ Lower is better - Sales-to-investment ratio—
Median AUV / estimated initial investment midpoint
- Cash-on-cash returns—
Median unit-level EBITDA / estimated initial investment midpoint. Steady-state estimate; year 1 returns will be lower as the unit ramps to median volumes.
Franchisee healthLocked
- Unit closure ratio
- Transfer vs. closure ratio
- Percent multi-unit franchisees
- Litigation rate
- EBITDA multiple on sales & transfers
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Location footprint
Showing 76 of 87 mapped locations
Sources
Financial and operating figures are sourced from the brand's Franchise Disclosure Documents. Brand percentile rankings are based on comparisons to other brands that include the same metrics in their Franchise Disclosure Documents.