FRANCHISE·WATCH·DESK

SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA · FY1991–PRESENT · MICHIGAN

Fantastic Sams franchise in Michigan: what the public record shows

Franchisees of Fantastic Sams in Michigan have taken 30 SBA loans since 1991 (average $103,182), and of the 23 loans whose story has ended, 34.8% were charged off — versus 22.1% for Fantastic Sams nationally and 14.8% across all rateable franchise brands.

SBA loan outcomes · Michiganvs national

Loans in MI

30

Resolved

23

Local charge-off

34.8%

National charge-off

22.1%

Source: SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA files (data.sba.gov), borrower state = MI. Charge-off rate = charged-off ÷ (charged-off + paid-in-full); open loans excluded. A local rate is published only when the resolved cohort clears our floor.

Market density · Michigan vs nationalTypical density

Businesses in this industry

2,326

statewide, all operators

Per 100k residents

22.9

national 26.6

Versus the country

-14%

thinner

Every business in Fantastic Sams's industry operating in Michigan — franchised and independent — from the Census Bureau's County Business Patterns (2023), against 2024 population estimates. Counter-intuitively, density is not a warning: across 198 brand-state cells in our loan data, the densest quartile charges off at 5.6% versus 18.1% in the thinnest. A crowded market is usually proven demand; an empty one is often empty for a reason.

Same-sector systems with SBA loan history in Michigan4 systems
SystemLoans in MILocal charge-offUnits in MI
GREAT CLIPS270.0%
Image Sun11thin
European Wax Centers-Galleria9thin
MassageLuXe Spa9thin10

Same sector, same state, same public records — how Fantastic Sams compares to the systems a buyer in Michigan would actually be choosing between. Local rates under 10 resolved loans are marked thin, not hidden.

Before you sign anythingfree · 30 min · no commission

A broker is paid by the franchisor to place you. An independent CPA is paid by you — and the job is pressure-testing Fantastic Sams's numbers, including talking you out of a bad deal.

Talk to an independent CPA before you buy →