Cartridge World
Emeryville, CA

by Lynda Gutierrez

Units Open: 1650+ worldwide
States of Operation: USA (except VT and WV)
Expansion Areas Targeted: worldwide
Expansion Plans: 100+ in 2009
Preferred GLA: 800 – 1400 sq. ft.
Preferred Locations: power centers, community strip centers, neighborhood centers, pad site/outparcel, lifestyle center, mixed use, freestanding

Anything that saves money these days is an almost guaranteed hit – and if you can be green in the process, all the better. Except insofar as it might hinder new franchisees starting up, the economic downturn could be a good thing for this already growing concept as we all desperately seek ways to pinch pennies.

Since the “paperless office” (or the paperless home, for that matter) hasn’t yet materialized and isn’t likely to anytime soon, we run through print cartridges far faster than is good for either our pocketbooks or our world. (According to the company website, a print cartridge will not decompose for some 450 years and if all of the disposed cartridges – from just one year – were laid end to end, they would circle the earth three times.)

And refilling (though, of course, economically threatening to the manufacturers of print cartridges) has again – according to Cartridge World at least – come a long way from the old drill-and-fill, one-size-fits-all processes of years gone by, provide equivalent print quality, and will not harm printers.

In addition to the more than 650 locations in nearly every state in the US, the Australian-based company operates in some 45 countries throughout the world and is seeking master franchisees in numerous others.

Since its strategy is to be convenient to small businesses and consumers, shops are typically located in suburbs and downtown locations in or near daily-needs or regional draw centers. Synergistic co-tenants include grocery stores, mail and packaging stores, national coffee shops, dry cleaners, and sub shops, QSRs, or other lunch concepts. A DSL line is key, as is the availability of fascia or marquee and monument signage. HVAC requirements are 1 ton per 300 sq. ft. with minimum one-year landlord warranty.

Cartridge World stores require close proximity to and excellent visibility from a main road or highway. In suburban and outlying areas the company looks for locations of 1,200-1,400 sq ft; in downtown and urban metro areas: 800-1,200 sq ft; with an ideal frontage of 20 ft.

More information on Cartridge World can be found at www.cartridgeworld.com. Direct real estate inquiries to Bob Moglia, Vice President, Real Estate Development, Cartridge World, 6460 Hollis St., Emeryville, CA 94608, (510) 594-9900, (510) 594-9991, bmoglia@cartridgeworld.com.

Learn more about Cartridge World and over 5,200 other retail chains in the Retail Tenant Directory, the industry leader in retail and site selection data. Have comments, insights or questions? Know of a new or expanding retail concept that we should profile? Contact me at Lynda.Gutierrez@Nielsen.com and I'll see what can be done.