Who is responsible for securing the Option Location for development as an Apricot Lane Specialty Store?
Apricot_Lane Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
-
- The granting of this Option by FRANCHISOR is not a guaranty or assurance that the Option Location will be available to FRANCHISEE to develop as a Specialty Store within the term of this Option or at any time thereafter. FRANCHISOR has not secured the Option Location for development as a Specialty Store and FRANCHISEE shall have the sole and exclusive responsibility for doing so. The granting of this Option is not a final approval of the Option Location by FRANCHISOR. FRANCHISEE will need to comply with all terms and conditions of the Option Franchise Agreement relative to securing the site, leasing of the site, and construction of the site and obtain all approvals of FRANCHISOR required in the Option Franchise Agreement with respect to these matters.
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPTS (FDD pages 51–222)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Apricot Lane's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the franchisee bears the responsibility for securing the Option Location for development as a Specialty Store. The franchisor, Country Visions, Inc., does not guarantee the availability of the Option Location for the franchisee to develop into an Apricot Lane store, either during the option term or at any point in the future.
This means that while Apricot Lane may grant an option to develop a store at a specific location, it is ultimately up to the franchisee to secure the site. This includes complying with all terms and conditions outlined in the Option Franchise Agreement related to site acquisition, leasing, and construction. The franchisee must also obtain all necessary approvals from Apricot Lane as stipulated in the Option Franchise Agreement.
This arrangement places the onus on the franchisee to conduct thorough due diligence on the location, negotiate lease terms, and manage the construction process. The franchisee also bears the risk that, despite having an option, they may not be able to secure the location for development. This is a fairly common practice in franchising, as the franchisee typically has more local knowledge and incentive to find a suitable site.