Specialty retailer has tasty offerings in store

Fabulous Freddy’s, an eight-unit retail chain headquartered in Las Vegas, provides customers with a little bit of everything.



“We’re a full-service car wash, express lube operation, gas station and convenience store,” said Jeff Warwick, VP and CFO of Fabulous Freddy’s, during an interview with Chain Store Age. “We’re always exploring opportunities to lease store space to franchises or operate in-store franchises ourselves.”



Realizing that drivers who are waiting for a car wash, lube service, detailing, or other automotive service might want a fresh snack, Fabulous Freddy’s is opening co-branded Doc Popcorn and Dippin’ Dots franchises. The retailer owns the franchises (Dippin’ Dots is the parent company of Doc Popcorn) itself. In an average 5,000-sq.-ft. store, the new quick-service locations will occupy an average of 500 sq. ft. to 1,000 sq. ft.



Fabulous Freddy’s opened the first of eight planned Doc Popcorn/Dippin’ Dots outlets at its store in St. George, Utah, in late March 2016. Results have so far lived up to the retailer’s moniker.



“Customer response has been fabulous,” said Warwick. “We like the brands and what they represent. It’s a culture fit. There are lots of advantages to teaming up with a great franchise partner. There is a system and marketing behind it, which it makes it easier for us to focus more on the car wash side. It’s an easy way for us to get into food service.”



Rob Israel, founder of Boulder, Colorado-based Doc Popcorn, also sees a lot of benefits to the franchise partnership.



“It’s one plus one equals three,” said Israel. “We look for creative ways to continue to grow the brand with help from different retail partners.”



Founded in 2003, franchised in 2009 and purchased by Dippin’ Dots in 2014, Doc Popcorn specializes in setting up shop in high-traffic venues.



“It’s amazing the dynamic a fresh product creates in a venue,” said Israel. “The customer puts their car through the wash and you have a 10-minute window to convert them. When people smell the aroma of popcorn, they smile. It provides more value than grabbing a lollipop off a shelf.”



Israel agrees with Warwick’s assessment of early results from the partnership at Fabulous Freddy’s St. George store.



“It’s going really well,” he said. “It’s doing what both parties were hoping it would do.”