What is considered an 'Open Area' for an Engineering For Kids franchise?
Engineering_For_Kids Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
erate inside your Territory if you did not directly solicit such participants. If you receive an inquiry to conduct a Program to be located in an
Assigned Area, you must refer that Program to the Engineering For Kids Business operating in that Assigned Area.
- 1.2.3. You may directly solicit participants from, and conduct Programs in, areas located outside the Territory if those participants and/or Programs are not located in an Assigned Area (an "Open Area") and the following requirements are met. You may only solicit participants from, and conduct Programs in, Open Areas located within twenty-five (25) miles of your Territory. If you are conducting a Program in an Open Area (an "Outside Program") and that area later becomes an Assigned Area, then you must immediately give control of the Outside Program to the Engineering For Kids Business franchisee for that Assigned Area.
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPTS (FDD pages 53–138)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Engineering For Kids' 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, an 'Open Area' is defined as areas located outside of a franchisee's assigned territory where the franchisee can directly solicit participants and conduct programs, provided that these areas are not already assigned to another Engineering For Kids franchisee. However, there are limitations to this.
The FDD states that franchisees may only solicit participants from and conduct programs in Open Areas located within twenty-five (25) miles of their territory. This means that while a territory might be considered 'open' because it is not assigned, franchisees are restricted in their ability to market and operate in those areas based on proximity to their own territory.
Furthermore, if a franchisee is conducting a program in an Open Area and that area subsequently becomes an Assigned Area, the franchisee must immediately transfer control of the program to the Engineering For Kids franchisee who has been assigned that area. Once an Open Area becomes an Assigned Area, the original franchisee can no longer directly solicit participants from or conduct programs in that area, except to complete any existing commitments.