Are all Owners bound by the noncompete covenants in the Pearce Bespoke franchise agreement?
Pearce_Bespoke Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
We may require every general partner and limited partner, if you are a partnership or limited partnership; or every member, if you are a limited liability company, or every stockholder or other holder of equity interest, if you are a corporation (collectively, "Owners"), to personally guarantee your obligations under the franchise agreement or area development agreement and also agree to be personally bound by, and jointly and severally liable for the breach of, any provision of the franchise agreement or area development agreement. The Owners agree to discharge all of their obligations under the franchise agreement and area development agreement. Furthermore, all Owners are bound by all provisions of the franchise and area development agreements, including but not limited to, maintaining the confidentiality of proprietary information and trade secrets as described in Item 14 and the noncompete covenants described in Item 17.
Source: Item 15 — OBLIGATION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ACTUAL OPERATION OF THE FRANCHISED BUSINESS (FDD page 30)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Pearce Bespoke Franchise Disclosure Document, all Owners are bound by the noncompete covenants described in Item 17 of the franchise agreement. The FDD defines "Owners" as every general partner and limited partner if the franchisee is a partnership or limited partnership; every member if the franchisee is a limited liability company; or every stockholder or other holder of equity interest if the franchisee is a corporation.
During the term of the Franchise Agreement, the franchisee will receive proprietary information, materials, and trade secrets specifically geared to and utilized in the Pearce Bespoke tailoring business operations for all of Franchisor's franchised brands. To protect the valuable proprietary information and prevent Franchisee from using that information to operate a business that competes with any of Franchisor's clothing brands, Franchisee (and all Personal Guarantors and owners of all or part of Franchisee) will not, during the term of this Agreement, on their own account or as an employee, agent, consultant, partner, officer, director, or shareholder of any other person, firm, entity, partnership or corporation, own, operate, lease, franchise, conduct, engage in, be connected with, have any interest in, or assist any person or entity engaged in any Pearce Bespoke clothing business not offered by Pearce Bespoke involving the purchase and/or sale of custom clothing and accessories, without Franchisor's prior written consent.
After termination of the Franchise Agreement, the franchisee (and all Personal Guarantors and owners of all or part of Franchisee) will not, directly or indirectly, for a period of two (2) years after this Agreement expires or is terminated (except for a termination as a result of a Franchisor's breach), on their own account or as an employee, consultant, partner, officer, director, or shareholder of any other person, firm, entity, partnership or corporation, own, operate, lease, franchise, conduct, engage in, be connected with, have any interest in or assist any person or entity engaged in any resale of a mobile business not offered by Pearce Bespoke involving the purchase and/or sale of custom clothing and accessories located within the Franchised territory within a ten (10) mile radius of the thereof or any Pearce Bespoke Franchise.
This non-compete period can be extended if the franchisee is in breach of any of the provisions of Section 18(B). Pearce Bespoke emphasizes that damages alone may not adequately compensate them if these covenants are violated, and they are entitled to injunctive relief without needing to post a bond or security.