Trendsetting franchisersEric Bhatnagar, 25Occupation: Franchise co-owner, with his father, Ashok, of Play-N-Trade.Claim to fame: Mr. Bhatnagar co-owns the only area location of Play-N-Trade, a video game boutique that has consistently ranked on Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500 and Fastest-Growing Franchise lists.Quote: “The thing about franchising is that, while we make our own decisions, we’re not out there on our own.”Michelle Bates, 38Occupation: Franchise owner of the Subway in Miller Plaza.Claim to fame: Ms. Bates was named the best regional Subway owner/operator in 1994 and 1995. She was also the company’s fastest regional sandwich maker in 1996.Quote: “I’ve been at Subway for 20 years. There’s a lot of support there if we need it. … I’ve been here a long time, and I’ve worked my tail off to make sure this is a fun place to be.”Charlie Gavin, 58Occupation: Franchise owner of Curves for Women on North Market Street.Claim to fame: Ms. Gavin has owned two franchise locations of Curves for Women, which is the world’s largest fitness franchise with more than 5,000 locations in 75 countries.Quote: “I’ve learned to be pretty creative in marketing ventures to give our members the best fitness programs I’m able. … Curves doesn’t leave anything to chance. They teach and train you to do everything.”
During the last three years, national big-box home improvement chains have been reeling from the economic slump, but in Chattanooga at least, Ace Hardware stores have weathered the storm.
Tom Glenn, 51, is president of Ace Hardware of Chattanooga & Affiliates, which owns 13 Ace Hardware store locations in Chattanooga and three others in Knoxville.
In 2009, for the first time in three years, Mr. Glenn’s stores saw a small drop in sales. This year, Mr. Glenn said profits are back in the black by 7 percent, which puts his group well ahead of the rest of the Ace organization’s overall gains of about 2 percent.
The key to that success is focusing on building and maintaining relationships at the local level, Mr. Glenn said.
“The leaders have to keep reminding everyone that it’s all about the customer,” he said. “We really are fiercely devoted to that internally.”
Mr. Glenn’s family has owned Ace stores since 1969. They are negotiating to purchase real estate for a new location in Chickamauga, Ga., as well as drafting a plan to add five stores to the Knoxville market by 2018.
When Ace Hardware began as a purchasing co-op in the 1920s, the only requirement to carry the Ace moniker was purchasing from the company warehouse. That led many Ace owners to add their name in front of Ace Hardware on their signs to distance themselves from the brand.
Thanks to increased competition, however, poorly run locations have been weeded out and the company’s corporate support has expanded, Mr. Glenn said.
“Nowadays, most stores that open are just ‘Ace Hardware’ because the brand is so strong,” he said.