As paint and sip franchise Wine & Design has grown over the years, so too has its offering—and potential revenue streams for its franchisees, as a result. Now with more than 70 units across 20 states and counting, much of Wine & Design’s success in bringing people and creativity together can be attributed to its business model that focuses on five distinct, branded divisions: On
Wheels, D.I.Y., Art Buzz Kids, Paint it Forward and Team Building.

“Coupled with our lean operating strategy, our five-division business model really sets us apart in the paint-and-sip space,” said Wine & Design founder Harriet Mills. “The majority of our competitors charge additional fees and royalty structures for different areas of the business, but every Wine & Design franchisee has access to all five revenue streams at no additional cost.”

Perhaps the largest revenue-driving division beyond its signature in-studio paint-and-sip classes, Wine & Design’s On Wheels division allows franchisees to partner with local businesses for off- site painting classes at a number of different venues. Through the On Wheels division, Wine & Design also travels for private parties of all kinds, as well, an aspect of the brand’s offering made
famous by its Shark Tank episode that featured a nude model as a painting subject at a bachelorette party.

Wine & Design On Wheels is attractive to prospective partners because the brand takes care of all the details, from registration and payment to supplies and setup to artist instruction and even cleanup. The partnership also benefits partner businesses by attracting and engaging new and existing customers in their own space, extending the purchase opportunity.

The brand’s D.I.Y. (Design It Yourself) division offers painting classes for any medium beyond the canvas. Whether it be home decor or the perfect homemade gift, Wine & Design’s D.I.Y. classes cover the spectrum of creative activities. Some of the brand’s most popular items to paint include chunky blankets, barn stars, wood pallets, wreaths, wine glasses and more. Melody Buchanan, a Wine & Design franchisee in Snohomish, Washington, said that she makes it a priority to utilize all of the brand’s divisions at her studio because of their collective ability to attract customers who may have not otherwise attended a Wine & Design class. The D.I.Y. division is one of great importance for her personally, and she tries to hold at least two D.I.Y
classes per week as often as she can.

“D.I.Y. classes are something I focus on a lot because I’m not a classical artist, per se, but wood projects and stenciling really engage my creativity,” Buchanan said, noting the chunky blanket class is hugely popular at her studio. “Our guests love that we offer more than just painting on canvas parties. It helps me bring a lot of different people through our doors who are craving that
variety. It also generates repeat business—I often have people attend a canvas class and D.I.Y piques their interest in coming back.”

Wine & Design has also tapped into a huge segment of the population that is not yet of drinking age with its Art Buzz Kids division, a series of programs designed to engage children’s creativity and imagination through art-centric birthday parties, after-school classes, mommy-and-me classes, summer camps, and more.

Multi-unit South Carolina Wine & Design franchisee Sarah Dubay learned the value of marketing the Art Buzz Kids division from the former franchisee who developed it at her nearby studio. As a mom herself, Dubay quickly recognized the allure of the program: sign up, show up with your children, contain the mess to a place that isn’t your home and everyone leaves with a self-crafted
masterpiece.

“Since most people don’t think of a paint-and-sip studio as a place for kids camps, we make sure to market it through word of mouth in our classes,” Dubay said. “We also always have Art Buzz Kids paintings up in our studio and make sure our artists call them out. Seeing the paintings and has really helped the division grow. Social promotion is also a huge aspect of our success—when moms see a group of kids at a birthday party in our studio and how simple it is for a party to be done well, it makes a big impact.”

To help franchisees make an impact on their own communities, Wine & Design created the Paint it Forward division, a philanthropic arm of the brand where local studios partner with nonprofit organizations to host fundraisers. Paint it Forward serves as a great way to raise money and bring awareness to any cause franchisees are passionate about. Since 2010, Wine & Design has
donated to over 10,000 non-profits nationwide, including Hearts and Hands of Haiti, March of Dimes, Habitat for Humanity, Project ALS—a cause close to brand founder Harriet Mills’ heart—and more.

Another unlikely revenue stream Wine & Design has tapped into involves the corporate space. The brand’s Team Building division is designed around activities that blend creativity and teamwork to build camaraderie among coworkers. Teams work together on a creative endeavor that is specifically tailored to their business in a fun environment, providing businesses with a
great opportunity to improve relationships and cohesiveness among team members to ultimately build a more successful work environment.

Through each of these divisions, Wine & Design has taken its franchise opportunity to a level that is unmatched throughout the space. As a result of these five proven revenue streams working together, the brand’s unit-level economics are growing consistently—since 2011, Wine & Design’s sales revenues have grown between 35 and 47 percent year over year. And as the brand continues to break into new markets across the U.S., it’s clear why savvy entrepreneurs are eager for a sip.

Start-up costs for a Wine & Design franchise range from $69,950 to $221,200, including a $25,000 franchise fee. For more information about franchising with Wine & Design, visit www.wineanddesign.com/franchise.

By: Madeline Lena

1851 – No Limit Agency