HobbyTown

The HobbyTown story begins in Lincoln, NE (where our national headquarters remains today). Thom Walla, Merlin Hayes and Mary Hayes founded HobbyTown Unlimited, Inc. in 1985 and opened the first franchise store in 1986. Today, HobbyTown franchise stores span the U.S. from coast to coast, making us the leader in the retail hobby and specialty toy industry.

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HobbyTown

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HobbyTown Franchise Cost and Requirements for 2026

Hobbyists are everywhere - and so is HobbyTown. We're the largest brick-and-mortar hobby retailer in the world, and we have over 100 locations from coast to coast across the Unites States. HobbyTown enjoys loyal, repeat customers who are enthusiastic about our products, services and shared passion. A HobbyTown franchise store is a great asset to any community with a population base of 200,000 people or more.

HobbyTown carries the latest and greatest toy and hobby brands to stock the store with exciting new and most sought-after products. As the business grows, we will help franchise operators with advertising and marketing solutions. We are keen on sharing knowledge across our entire network of franchisees, so best practices are always in reach - as are essential day-to-day resources like IT support, purchasing, inventory management, employee training and financial analysis.

At HobbyTown, we make free time awesome!

Yeah Business Started: 1980
First Unit Franchised: 1986
Franchised Units Awarded: 95
Franchise Units Open: 94
Company Owned Units: 0
Number of Franchisees: 71

Canada/International Franchises: No

Registered in non-registration states, CA, IL, IN, MD, MI, MN, ND, NY, SD, VA , WA & WI

Pending Registration in: NY

Not Accepting Leads in: HI, RI & AK

Please see a list of Sold Out Markets on the Two-Minute Drill

Territory Description and Minimum Requirements: 200K population in a 10 Mile Radius

Territory Protection: Yes

Master/Area Development Opportunities: Yes

Initial Training

1 week in a preferred training store and 1 week at the home office in Lincoln, NE

Preferred Training Locations

Shadowing Franchise Owner on day-to-day operations

Home Office Training

Presentations
Reviewing every aspect of the business
Staffing
Marketing
Ordering Products

On-Going Support

HobbyTown corporate office will send a team for on-site store setup in preparation for a new location soft opening and grand opening.
Corporate team comes out to location for a site visit to ensure owner and staff are prepared for opening
HobbyTown's corporate support team will have weekly meetings with franchisees to assist with ongoing questions and concerns.
90 days (about 3 months) after opening a new location, HobbyTown will come visit to assess and assist with productivity and operations.

What does a HobbyTown Franchise Cost?

HobbyTown franchise fees for 2026:

Required Liquid Capital: $150,000

Total Investment: $350,000 - $620,000

Minimum Net Worth: $500,000

Franchise Fee: $49,500

Royalty: 4.75%

Ad: 2%

Item 19: Yes

Average Number of Employees: 4-5

Visa Candidates: No

Passive Ownership: Yes

Home-Based: No

B2B: No

Master Franchise Opportunities: No

Is HobbyTown a Semi Absentee Franchise with a Passive Ownership Opportunity?

Yes. HobbyTown is a semi absentee franchise and allows passive ownership. A semi-absentee franchise is a business you could start and run while still maintaining a job or other obligation.

Is HobbyTown a Home Based franchise?

No. HobbyTown is not a home based franchise opportunity.

What Do HobbyTown Franchise Owners Make?

Click here to find out how much HobbyTown franchisees make. HobbyTown offers an Item 19 in their Franchise Disclosure Document which provides financial information about select franchisees in their franchise system.

Is HobbyTown a Master Franchise Opportunity?

No. HobbyTown is not a master franchise opportunity.

Does HobbyTown Offer a Veteran Discount?

Yes. HobbyTown franchise does offer a veteran discount.

Does HobbyTown Work with E2 Visa and EB-5 Visa Candidates?

No. HobbyTown franchise does not work with E2 Visa and EB-5 Visa candidates.

Is HobbyTown Looking for Franchisees in Canada?

No. HobbyTown franchise is not looking for Canada franchisees.

Is HobbyTown Looking for International franchisees?

No. HobbyTown franchise is not looking for International franchisees.

Where can I see HobbyTown's FDD (Franchise Disclosure Document)?

Buying a Franchise Guide: What is a Franchise Disclosure Document?

When evaluating a franchise opportunity, reading and understanding the current version of their FDD is a necessity. Considering the benefits of franchising, such as established brand recognition and support from the franchisor, it's important to also take into account franchise fees and franchising royalty fees. Since most franchisors are privately owned companies, the current versions of their FDDs are typically not available unless requested directly from them.

Click here to connect with a Franchise Consultant who can help you obtain a copy quickly and for free. They can also guide you through the essential franchise questions to ask, ensuring you make a well-informed decision about your investment.

Additional Categories

Retail, Non Food Franchises

Number of Units Open

50-100 UNITS

Cash Required

$100,000 - $250,000

Master Franchise

Passive Franchise

Yes

Home Based Franchise

Item 19 Franchise

Yes

Veteran Discount

Yes

B2B

Franchise Opportunities in Canada

International Franchise Opportunities

E2 Visa Franchise

Click Here to inquire about existing HobbyTown franchises for sale. We may have HobbyTown franchise resales. A franchise resale is an already established franchise owned by a franchisee and the franchisee is looking to sell their franchise.

The International Franchise Professionals Group (IFPG) is an internationally recognized membership-based franchise organization. IFPG Franchise Consultants guide aspiring business owners through the process of identifying and investing in franchise businesses. The IFPG represents more than 550 franchises. We do not represent all franchises listed here. By clicking on "Request a Consultation," you are agreeing to be contacted by one of our Certified Franchise Consultants to discuss franchise ownership.

About our rankings: The IFPG uses its internal data collected from our membership portal to identify which franchises had the most activity in the past week. This ranking system is not based on franchise sales, franchisee success rates or number of units open. Our ranking system should not be used to make a decision on which franchise to buy it was solely created for internal purposes and for our IFPG Members.

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HobbyTown Franchise Cost and Requirements for 2026

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Company Details

Support and Training Offered By HobbyTown