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FRANCHISE RESALES

Buy a Learning Express Franchise

Learning Express Toys & Gifts is a specialty toy retail franchise founded in 1987 in Acton, Massachusetts and headquartered in Devens, MA. The brand describes itself as the largest and most established specialty toy franchise in the United States, with more than 85 franchised stores across 27 states. It began franchising in 1990 and remains family-led: founder Sharon DiMinico continues as Chair, and Lauren Derse, who owned three stores before assuming the CEO role in 2022, now leads the company.

Each store offers a curated selection of educational toys, games, books, and personalized gifts for children. The model is built around product quality and local community engagement rather than price competition with mass-market retailers; franchisees host in-store events and activities to build repeat traffic and customer loyalty. The brand’s buying team sources product from approximately 200 vendors and manages network-wide purchasing terms that individual franchise owners access through the system.

Stores are brick-and-mortar retail operations typically staffed with 8 to 12 employees, with franchisees operating in exclusive territories and supported by a dedicated Home Office team in Devens, MA.

Latest Resales

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Why buy a Learning Express Franchise?

Learning Express operates in the specialty toy retail category, where curated product selection and community-oriented stores support a retail experience that mass-market and online competitors are less suited to replicate. Franchisees access negotiated purchasing terms across the brand’s vendor network, and the annual Learning Express Convention provides convention-only buying opportunities. Both advantages transfer with any resale purchase and would take an independent toy retailer years to build.

The brand carries long-term franchise credibility: Franchise Business Review has inducted Learning Express into its Hall of Fame and named it a Top Franchise in multiple cycles, including five separate designations in 2023. Founder Sharon DiMinico’s 2025 induction into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame reflects the brand’s standing in the broader industry.

Learning Express Franchise Costs & Information

Based on 2024 data reported in the 2025 FDD

  • Brand Profile

    • Year Founded

      1987

    • Franchising Since

      1990

    • New Startup Cost

      $201,491 – $387,514

    • Avg. Resale Price

      Contact us for details

  • Franchise Fees

    • Initial franchise Fee

      $40,000

      for new territories

    • Transfer Fee

      $20,000

    • Royalty Fee

      5%

      of Gross Revenue

    • Marketing Fee

      1%

      of Gross Receipts

  • Unit Performance

    • Total Units *

      86

    • New Units Opened *

      3

    • Units Transferred *

      4

    • Avg. Unit revenue *

      $836,884

    * Based on 2024 data reported in the 2025 FDD

Learning Express – Additional  Information

  1. Training & Support

    Incoming owners receive 28 hours of classroom training and 228 hours of on-the-job training. Ongoing support includes webinars, in-field visits, and the annual Learning Express Convention with training workshops and 100-plus vendor booths. Franchisees use the CounterPoint POS system and a corporate Intranet with configurable reports and an 'Open to Buy' cash-flow tool. Monthly national Hot Product Calls keep owners current on trending inventory, and an in-house marketing team produces ongoing digital, print, and email materials. Resale buyers should confirm what initial training and CounterPoint system access transfer with ownership.

  2. Ideal Owner

    Learning Express franchisees are typically hands-on owner-operators who manage a store team of 8 to 12 employees. Prior toy or retail experience is not required; the brand's training programme covers operations thoroughly, and most new franchisees come without industry background. Strong customer-facing skills and an affinity for community engagement matter more than product knowledge: the business depends on local relationships, in-store events, and repeat family customers. Owners should be comfortable with seasonal cash-flow patterns, as the fourth quarter drives a significant share of annual revenue.

  3. Recognition & Awards

    Franchise Business Review has named Learning Express to its Top Franchise list multiple times and inducted the brand into its FBR Hall of Fame; the 2023 cycle also produced Rock Star, Best Culture, Recession Proof, and Top Franchises for Women designations. The brand has been listed in the Entrepreneur Magazine Franchise 500 repeatedly since 1999 and ranked #306 on the Franchise Times Top 500 in 2022. In 2025, founder Sharon DiMinico was inducted into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame at the 25th Anniversary Toy of the Year® Awards.

  4. Industry / Market

    The US toy market generated approximately $29 billion in retail sales in 2024 and returned to growth in 2025, with dollar sales rising 6 percent year-over-year per Circana data from the Toy Association. Demand is driven by recurring spending on educational and developmental products, with birthdays and the holiday season providing consistent seasonal volume. Specialty toy retail serves consumers who seek curated product selection and in-store discovery that mass-market channels rarely provide. For resale buyers, an established store with strong local ties operates in a category with demonstrated demand resilience.

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