AR Workshop was born out of Maureen Anders and Adria Ruff’s 2010 company Anders Ruff Designs ® , a popular graphic design, party styling, DIY blog and online shop. Anders Ruff® quickly evolved from an Etsy shop, to their own branded e-commerce platform and blog where thousands would visit and shop their online store for printable party goodies.

These two had so many demands over the years from fans and clients to offer hands-on workshops where they could teach their skills to others. So in 2016 their dream of coming out from behind the screen to offer DIY workshops for home decor and other creative skills came true! The vision was to create an inspiring and charming boutique workshop that not only offers classes but sells unique and beautiful retail items that Maureen and Adria use in their styling jobs and photoshoots for magazines and celebrities!  AR Workshop® was born! Their DIY loving audience quickly noticed the AR Workshop® brand and concept, and started asking to open their own locations. Now here we are, over 4 years later with more than 150 franchise locations across the country!

The total investment necessary to begin buildout of an AR Workshop location ranges from $89,247 to $163,207. This includes the $30,000 that must be paid as an initial franchise fee to the franchisor. That fee makes opening your workshop as seamless as possible, and our leadership team will be there with you every step of the way. The development team will guide you through location selection and buildout, the marketing team will ensure your workshop opens with a bang, and the operations team will turn you into an expert at operating your store efficiently. 

Each AR Workshop pays

• 6% of gross sales toward the royalty fee or a minimum of $500
• 1% of gross sales toward the brand fund or a minimum of $200
• $100 technology fee

Every AR Workshop partner attends a 3-4 day training session where you will meet the leadership team and learn all the components to running your business. From how to make the projects and lead the class, to graphic design editing, staffing, class scheduling, marketing, and day to day operations. We also offer virtual learning as refreshers and ongoing guidance throughout your first year in our smARt stARt program. See more information on our training here.

This can vary from location to location and depends on the season as well but a workshop will have anywhere between 8-20 part-time employees. Some workshops operate with full-time managers depending on their needs.

We ARe family, Each of our owners bring so much to the company and we believe the tide raises all boats. By working together we can make our workshops and community involvement even better. We work hARd – play hARd and truly want to get to know each family behind each location

The process typically takes 4-6 months to complete. There are a lot of variables that can swing the timeline sooner as well as later. Two key factors in that are funding and the length of time to secure a lease and complete the buildout. Find out more about or Steps to Franchise here.

We provide the necessary training to learn all of the operational components to operating your workshop. Even if you do not have previous business ownership experience we are here to guide you through the entire process.

We do recommend that you utilize a commercial broker to help you locally in finding a space and negotiating the lease terms. We are an active part of that process and can guide you through options, recommended negotiation terms and ultimately we will review and approve your final choice prior to signing a lease agreement.

While we do not offer internal financing for your franchise, we do have working relationships with funding partners who can assess and assist you with your funding needs. We are also SBA approved and those loans can be obtained through your local bank as well.