About Crown Trophy Franchise
Crown Trophy is a recognition and awards franchise offering opportunities since 1985.
Each location provides custom trophies, plaques, awards, engraved gifts, promotional products, and corporate recognition items to schools, sports leagues, businesses, and community organizations.
The brand serves a steady market of customers who celebrate achievement and milestone events year round.
Crown Trophy Franchise Cost & Fees
Minimum Investment
$168K
Average Investment
$184K
Maximum Investment
$199K
| Fee Type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $35,000 | One-time payment upon signing |
| Royalty Fee | 5% of Gross Sales (with escalating annual minimums: $3,750 Year 1 to $20,000 Year 6+) of gross sales | Ongoing; paid monthly |
| Marketing/Ad Fund | 2% of Gross Sales (Advertising Contribution, if fund established; currently 0% to fund, 2% spent on local advertising; may increase to 3%) | National brand fund |
| Total Investment Range | $168,150 – $199,200 | Includes build-out, inventory, working capital |
The investment range of $168K–$199K reflects variability in build-out costs, store size, lease terms, and market. The combined royalty (5% of Gross Sales (with escalating annual minimums: $3,750 Year 1 to $20,000 Year 6+)) and marketing fee (2% of Gross Sales (Advertising Contribution, if fund established; currently 0% to fund, 2% spent on local advertising; may increase to 3%)) are ongoing costs paid as a percentage of gross sales.
Investment Breakdown (Item 7)
| Item | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $35,000 | $35,000 |
| Start-Up Package | $78,000 | $88,000 |
| Real Property (3 months rent) | $4,750 | $7,200 |
| Leasehold Improvements / Construction | $5,000 | $10,000 |
| Signage | $1,000 | $3,000 |
| Furniture, Decor, Computer Hardware, Telephone | $6,000 | $7,000 |
| Pre-Opening Salaries, Travel, Training | $1,500 | $3,000 |
| Insurance | $900 | $1,500 |
| Utility/Security Deposits | $1,500 | $2,500 |
| Professional Fees | $1,500 | $3,500 |
| Ancillary Equipment (tools, venting, engraver, storage) | $3,000 | $3,500 |
| Additional Funds (3 months) | $30,000 | $35,000 |
Additional Fees (Item 6)
| Fee Type | Amount |
|---|---|
| Transfer Fee | $12,500 (Transfer and Training Fee; no fee for intra-family or individual-to-corporation transfers where original franchisee remains responsible) |
| Renewal Fee | Sign then-current franchise agreement (may have materially different terms) |
| Audit Fee | Cost of audit ($2,500-$3,000) if understatement of 2%+ |
| Website Services Fee | $1,700/year (may increase up to 10%/year) |
| Interest on Overdue Amounts | 1.5%/month or max legal rate |
| NSF Fee | $100/occurrence |
| Additional On-Site Evaluations | $250-$500 (travel, lodging, meals) |
| Indemnification | Will vary under circumstances |
| Approved Supplier/Product Testing Fee | Our reasonable and actual costs, minimum $1,000/item |
Training Program (Item 11)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Total Duration | 8-10 days (52 hours classroom + 12 hours on-the-job) |
| Classroom Training | 52 hours (General Info 3, Personnel Mgmt 3, Customer Service 7, Sales/Marketing 12, Inventory Control 3, Purchasing 5, Bookkeeping 3, Computer Training 12, In-Store Mgmt 4) |
| On-the-Job Training | 12 hours (Plaque and Trophy Assembly) |
| Training Location | Hawthorne, New York (headquarters) |
| Additional Training | Franchisor provides instructors, materials, and lodging at no charge. Franchisee pays transportation, employee lodging, and employee wages. Mandatory annual conference (4-5 days). Periodic additional courses/seminars may be required. Training supervised by Charles Weisenfeld (42 years), Scott Kelly (24 years), John Mooney (21 years), Susan LaGrutta (17 years). |
Territory Rights (Item 12)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Territory Type | Protected (with significant exceptions, not fully exclusive) |
| Exclusive Territory | No |
| Territory Size | Lesser of 150,000 population or 7-mile radius from store, determined by zip codes using Zip Find Deluxe software |
| Description | Franchisor will not establish or franchise another Crown Trophy within your Territory. However, not fully exclusive: (1) affiliate Crown Awards operates internet/mail-order catalog business (Crown Awards) and may fulfill orders within your Territory; (2) franchisor reserves right to establish businesses under different trademarks selling similar products within or outside Territory; (3) franchisor may sell through any distribution channel including mail order, internet, catalogs within your Territory; (4) National Accounts program handled by franchisor/affiliate, not through local franchisees. Cannot advertise, solicit, or accept business outside your Territory. If you receive business from another franchisees Territory, you must pay gross profit to that franchisee. |
Renewal, Termination & Transfer (Item 17)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Initial Term | 5 years |
| Renewal Term | 5 years (up to 3 renewal terms of 5 years each, maximum 20 years total) |
| Renewal Fee | Sign then-current franchise agreement (may have materially different terms and conditions) |
| Renewal Conditions | Written notice within required timeframe, not in default, all monetary obligations satisfied, sign then-current franchise agreement (materially different terms possible), renovate premises, sign general release, comply with then-current financial qualifications and training requirements |
| Transfer Fee | $12,500 (Transfer and Training Fee); no fee for intra-family or individual-to-corporation transfers where franchisee remains responsible |
| Transfer Conditions | Payment of money owed, non-default, sign release, transferee qualifies and completes training, sign new agreement, refurbish premises, pay transfer fee, remain liable for pre-transfer obligations, provide copy of transfer agreements, may not own or operate competing business. Franchisor has right of first refusal to match any offer. |
| Termination for Cause | Breach of Franchise Agreement and other grounds under Article XIII. Curable and non-curable defaults per franchise agreement. No termination without cause. No termination by franchisee. |
| Non-Compete Period | 2 years |
| Non-Compete Details | 2 years post-termination/expiration. Cannot own or operate a business selling similar services at the location, within the Territory or area of primary responsibility, within 25 miles from the Franchised Business, within 10 miles from the boundary of the Territory, or within 15 miles of another Crown Trophy location. New York law governs. Disputes arbitrated within 30 miles of Hawthorne, New York. |
Operations & Supply (Items 8 & 15)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Owner-Operator Required | Yes |
| Participation Details | You and/or your fully-trained manager must devote full time and best efforts to the management and operation of the Franchised Business. Business must at all times be under direct, on-premises supervision of a manager who completed the training program. Manager not required to have equity interest but franchisor must approve. Manager and key employees must sign non-compete and confidentiality agreements. If entity, principals/owners and spouses must sign personal guarantee. |
| Required Suppliers | Must purchase Start-Up Package solely from Crown Trophy or designated vendors (manufactured to Crown specifications). Must use equipment and supplies designated for services. Crown Trophy and affiliate Crown Awards, Inc. are approved suppliers of Products (trophies, awards, related items). Crown 'exclusive' products must be purchased from exclusive licensed suppliers only. All Products must meet Crown specifications. |
| Supply Restrictions | 44-46% of cost to establish and 35-45% of cost to operate from franchisor or approved suppliers |
| Franchisor Revenue from Suppliers | Fiscal year ending Dec 31, 2024: franchisor total revenues $3,998,453. Of this, $432,569 (11%) from sales of equipment, supplies, and inventory to franchisees, and $399 from supplier rebates/licensing fees. Affiliate Crown Awards received $7,830,204 from sales of Products to franchisees. |
Crown Trophy Franchise Earnings — Item 19
Crown Trophy does not make an Item 19 financial performance representation in their FDD. This means they do not disclose revenue, profit, or earnings data for franchised locations. Before investing, ask the franchisor directly for franchisee contact information so you can speak with existing owners about their actual financial performance.
Crown Trophy does not include an Item 19 financial performance representation in their FDD. Contact information for current and former franchisees is listed in Item 20 of the FDD.
Crown Trophy Litigation & Risk Flags
Clean Litigation RecordCrown Trophy has no pending litigation actions listed in their FDD. There is also no bankruptcy history disclosed.
Litigation and bankruptcy data is sourced from Items 3 and 4 of the FDD. Always verify current status directly from the most recent FDD.
Crown Trophy System Growth
Total Units
129
Franchised
129
Company-Owned
0
Crown Trophy currently operates 129 franchised locations and 0 company-owned units. Unit count data is sourced from Item 20 of the FDD.
Unit History (Item 20)
| Year | Opened | Closed | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 0 | 1 | 136 |
| 2023 | 0 | 2 | 134 |
| 2024 | 0 | 5 | 129 |
Transfers: 5 | Closures: 5
State Registrations
Registered in 16 states: CA, CT, HI, IL, IN, MD, MI, MN, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, VA, WA, WI
Franchisor Financials (Item 21)
Revenue
$4.0M
Crown Trophy Franchise — FAQ
The total investment to open a Crown Trophy franchise ranges from $168,150 to $199,200, per their Franchise Disclosure Document. This includes the initial franchise fee of $35,000. The investment covers build-out, inventory, equipment, signage, working capital, and other startup costs.
Crown Trophy charges a royalty fee of 5% of Gross Sales (with escalating annual minimums: $3,750 Year 1 to $20,000 Year 6+) of gross sales, plus a 2% of Gross Sales (Advertising Contribution, if fund established; currently 0% to fund, 2% spent on local advertising; may increase to 3%) contribution to the marketing/advertising fund. These fees are paid on an ongoing basis.
You can download the Crown Trophy Franchise Disclosure Document free on this page. The FDD is a public document filed with state franchise registries. Always also request the current FDD directly from Crown Trophy to ensure you have the most up-to-date version.
Crown Trophy does not provide an Item 19 financial performance representation in their FDD, which means they do not disclose franchisee revenue or earnings data. Prospective investors should contact existing franchisees directly (listed in Item 20 of the FDD) to gather real-world financial performance information.
Crown Trophy has been franchising since 1985. The FDD shows an investment range of $168,150-$199,200, a 5% of Gross Sales (with escalating annual minimums: $3,750 Year 1 to $20,000 Year 6+) royalty, and no Item 19 earnings disclosure. There is no pending litigation. Review the full FDD and contact current franchisees listed in Item 20 before making any investment decision.
The franchise fee is $35,000 and the total investment ranges from $168,150 to $199,200 depending on location size and market. Contact the franchisor directly for current net worth and liquid capital requirements, territory availability, and application details.
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Data Source & Disclaimer: This website is for informational purposes only. It is not an offer to sell or buy a franchise. This profile is based on publicly available FDD data sourced from state franchise registry filings. All information is for research purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or investment advice. Data may be outdated or contain errors. Always obtain the current FDD directly from Crown Trophy and consult a qualified franchise attorney before making any investment decision. FranchiseOverview.com is operated by Franchising Compliance, LLC and is not affiliated with Crown Trophy or any of its subsidiaries. To report an inaccuracy: info@franchiseoverview.com