Thursday, Chrysler released a list of 789 dealers that it was letting go. Today, G.M. will send the letters to 1100 dealers with the bad news that their franchises will not be renewed after October 2010.
According to the New York Times:
Over all, G.M. plans to eliminate 2,369, or 40 percent, of its 5,969 dealers by the end of 2010. G.M. on Friday revised its number of current stores down from 6,200. In addition to the cuts being revealed Friday, the company expects to shed about 500 dealers that sell only Pontiac, Saturn, Saab or Hummer, the brands it intends to …read more

Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day is a tradition that goes all the way back to the legendary days when Ben & Jerry were a couple of happy hippies selling ice cream out of a converted gas station.  Despite the fact that Ben & Jerry’s is now an international brand owned by Unilever, B&J still hands out free cones one day per year.  Today’s the day.
According to my Ben & Jerry’s Chunkmail:
As a way to thank our customers for their support and to celebrate 31 years of scooping the chunkiest, funkiest ice cream, frozen yogurt and sorbet, Ben …read more

Less than a year ago, Make & Take Gourmet founder Michele Bellso sent out a blast email announcing the closing of two franchise stores of the chain’s 16 locations. 
Bellso’s nonchalant, cheery tone and characterization of the lost investment of her franchise owners as  business-as-usual prompted the first (Make & Take Gourmet: Meal Prep Franchisor Takes Failures in Stride April 28, 2008) of 20+ posts  I’d write on the ill-conceived and ill-fated meal prep chain.
“Interest and excitement in the Make and Take Gourmet concept has never been greater!” wrote Bellso in her email last April.  “We anticipated that as this …read more

Newsweek states:  “Suddenly, it seems as though all the world’s a-twitter.”  The franchise world certainly is.  The online conversation is getting increasingly lively and useful as franchisors, franchisees, franchisee prospects, franchise vendors, pundits, pr firms, and franchise media interact 140 characters at a time.
Now FranchisePick.com and FranBest.com are compiling the Who’s Who in Franchising on Twitter in our directory of FranTwits.  See our list of franchise resources on Twitter below;  to be added to the list, leave your Twitter ID and a comment
To see the full list, visit FranTwits on FranBest: Twitter Franchise Directory .
FRANCHISE RESOURCES ON TWITTER

@FranchiseKing
@FranchisePick
@iFranchiseGroup
@joncarlston
@McWebmaster
@balihoo
@john_lilley
@paul segreto
@katrynharris
@twinterstein
@FranchisingLaw
@RushNigut
@FranchiseLawyer
@franlawyer
@hklawtwits
@drjohnhayes
@Rieva
@egennicks
@doughexpress
@mcdarling
@GRIPCOMMPR
@KwesiRobertson
@mstrategiesinc
@franchisingplus
@libertyharper
@FranchiseMaven
@terrycoker
@valpakcoupons
@danatligero
@TopNewFranchise
@FranchiseHdbk
@gaeblerdotcom
@franchisefinder
@fran_foundry
@JeffreySummers
@franchise
@RecruitMilitary
@danec

To …read more

Twitter is the Internet’s – and franchising’s – fastest-growing and most powerful social networking and communications tool.  Whether you’re a franchise buyer, seller, vendor or student, you’ll find a wealth of opportunity and information on Twitter.
Food and snack franchisors are early adopters in using Twitter to communicate and network.  We’ve put together the list below of ice cream, yogurt, pretzel, and coffee franchise companies actively using Twitter.
Also check out: FranTwits: Restaurant Franchises on TWITTER
To see the full list, visit FranTwits on FranBest: Twitter Franchise Directory
SNACK FRANCHISES ON TWITTER

@BaskinRobbins
@RitasItalianIce
@ColdStoneCream
@tastifranchise
@tastidlite
@MaggieMoos
@Marble Slab
@froyoswirl
@redmango
@RedMangoCEO
@pinkberryswirl
@CoolCycles
@Caribou_Coffee
@BiggbyBob
@Pretzelmaker
@NexCenBrands
@sunshineshannon
@cookiesbydesign
@vintnerscircle
@BWCookieCompany
@rebbejoshua

To access individual pages, use the format http://www.twitter.com/TWITTERID (no @ sign). For …read more

What’s Twitter?  The New York Times calls it “one of the fastest-growing phenomena on the Internet.”

TIME magazine says “Twitter is on its way to becoming the next killer app.”
Newsweek states:  “Suddenly, it seems as though all the world’s a-twitter.”
FranchisePick.com exclaims:  “Twitter is the Internet’s – and franchising’s – fastest-growing and most powerful social networking and communications tool.”
Now FranchisePick.com and FranBest.com are putting together the definitive list of franchise companies, vendors, and resources on TWITTER.  Below is a list of the most active restaurant and fast food franchises promoting via Twitter.
To access individual pages, use the format http://www.twitter.com/TWITTERID (no @ sign). …read more

Do you Twitter?
If so, follow FranchisePick at @FranchisePick
Follow TopNewFranchises.com at @TopNewFranchise
Don’t Twitter yet?  Dive in, it’s easy.
Sign up at Twitter.com and “follow” us… we’ll follow you back.
Twitter Graphic:  VincentAbry
DO YOU TWITTER?  WANT MORE FOLLOWERS?  ADD YOUR TWITTER ID BELOW?

Franchise due diligence warning:  even the brightest, shiniest apple in the franchise orchard could be hosting this year’s Wormfest.

Franchisers are notorious for playing fast and loose with both general franchise “statistics” and representations of the growth of their specific franchise systems. Franchise attorney and blogger Michael Webster has posted a biting and informative piece on The BizOp News ( Taylor Bond growing the Children’s Orchard Franchise? ) on the importance of checking hyped statements before taking a bite into a juicy-looking franchise opportunity.
As a quick example, Webster quotes a past interview with Children’s Orchard CEO Taylor Bond that appeared on …read more

According to a story on Top New Franchises, Fairway Divorce Solutions has opened a new franchise…  Just in time for the bust January divorce season!
Established in 2006, Fairway Divorce Solutions offers a first-of-its-kind alternative to the traditional system of divorce by offering “a new divorce paradigm that saves money, time, stress and protects the children. Charging a flat fee, Fairway Divorce Solutions uses a common sense step-by-step proven approach called The Fairway Process™.”
The Canadian company is growing aggressively with franchises in Victoria, BC; Edmonton, AB; two in Calgary, AB; and one in Saskatoon, SK. Expansion plans into Eastern …read more

According to a post on Unhappy Franchisee (Curves Franchisee Blames Economy for Closing), the Albany, MN Curves shut its doors for good, and franchise owner Carol Smith blames the recession.
Smith also owns another nearby Curves.  The Albany Curves had been open for six years; Smith had owned it for two years.  According to the post, Smith contends the economy was to blame for the membership decreasing from more than 100 two years ago to about 45 at the time of closing.
Is the recession really to blame?  Or the club doomed from the start?
A frequent complaint of struggling Curves owners is …read more