One-stop franchise shopping

So you want to start your own business?

Maybe a cleaning service or an event-planning company. Perhaps you want to help people lose weight. Or maybe you have no idea what kind of business you want to open.

Enter FranchiseMart, an actual brick-and-mortar store that displays more than 100 franchises like cars at an auto dealership.

Much like car salesmen, consultants are on-site to help you, the prospective franchisee, pick which franchise is right for you.

Barry Bodiford recently opened Australia-based FranchiseMart's third U.S. location, in North Charleston at 3032 Montague Ave. in The Markets at Montague. The grand opening is scheduled for Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

A visit to the center, where you can sit in the lobby, have a cup of coffee, chat with a consultant and receive advice on franchises based on your work history, skills, hobbies and investment capabilities, is always free; the franchisors that FranchiseMart represents pay them, not you.

Usually, consultants are able to narrow your franchise options to three or four companies based on your profile and interviews. After you choose the one that's right for you, FranchiseMart will contact the company, and one of its salespeople will follow up with you.

Sign a check or two. Find a place to lease. Hire a few employees. And voila! You're a business owner.

Warning: It's not as easy as it sounds.

Donuts on the rise

Speaking of franchises, Dunkin' Donuts is scheduled to open six new locations in the Charleston area in the next 60 days, the first of which is set to open today.

The location at 7013 Dorchester Road in North Charleston starts serving sweet treats and coffee at 5 a.m., with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 1 p.m., kicking off an aggressive expansion plan.

The franchisee, Coastal Franchising, which already owns four Dunkin' Donuts in Charleston, Summerville and North Charleston, plans to own a total of 14 Dunkin' Donuts restaurants by the end of the year.

"We anticipate hiring about 300 employees and are working extremely hard to use as many local supplies and vendors as possible, as we grow in this community," George Ross, president of Coastal Franchising, said in a statement.

Street moves

After about a decade of selling its clothing line within the confines of Charleston Place, United Colors of Benetton is stepping out of the hotel and retail complex and into a nearby King Street storefront. The operator of the store has inked a seven-year deal for more than 3,000 square feet of space at 231 King St. An opening date was not available Friday.

Buddy Bebergal and Kit Regnery of NAI Batten & Moore represented the tenant, Bella Idea Inc. Andy Matsick of Shoreline International represented the landlord.

Reach Abi Nicholas at 937-5524 or anicholas@postandcourier.com.