Christian Brothers Automotive Franchise

Christian Brothers Automotive, a Christian Brothers Automotive Corp franchise, has been franchising since 1996 - 15 years after the concept was founded in 1981 , currently with 270 total locations in the automotive sector, headquartered in TX. According to the 2024 FDD, the total initial investment ranges from $495K to $1.1M - a 116% spread between the low and high end that reflects how site size, market, and buildout scope change the capital requirement. Included in that number: the franchise fee of $55K, equipment, leasehold improvements, and initial working capital to carry the business through ramp-up.

The brand charges 5.5% of gross sales in ongoing royalties; add the 1.0% advertising-fund contribution and the combined ongoing draw reaches 6.5% of gross sales. Worth noting: Christian Brothers Automotive is among the roughly one-third of U.S. franchisors that voluntarily disclose financial performance data in Item 19. The reported average gross revenue per location is $1.6M, which works out to about $88K in annual royalty for a typical unit. Revenue is not profit, actual franchisee take-home depends on rent, labor, cost of goods, and local demand.

Network momentum is currently positive: Christian Brothers Automotive added units at a 7.4% net rate year-over-year (25 openings, 5 closures). Consistent expansion usually means the unit model pencils out for new owners, but a late-cycle growth spike can also come from an aggressive sales push rather than genuinely strong store-level economics.