Article - Founder Story - Big Frog
Search For A
Franchise For Sale
SELECT FRANCHISE TYPE:

Types of Franchises:

  • Area Development Opportunities
  • Best Franchises for Women
  • Consumer Services
  • Earth Friendly
  • Existing Franchises for Sale
  • Fast Start-Up
  • Fastest Growing
  • Food & Restaurant
  • Home-Based
  • Mobile, Van-Based
  • Retail
  • SBA Approved Franchises
  • Sell to Businesses
  • Top Franchises for Students
  • Under $100,000 Start-Up Investment
  • Under $50,000 Start-Up Investment
Get Started

Article - Founder Story - Big Frog

The History of the BIG FROG

BIG FROG Custom T-shirts & More grew as a result of three entrepreneurs wanting to build a lifestyle business.  In 2005, the ground work was set to start an internet business specializing in Geek Novelties.  The principals involved where Leeward J. Bean, President; Dr. Christina Bacon, Vice President; and Ron DeFrece, Vice President, with seed capital of $60,000.  The principals had all worked together for over 12 years at a Tampa Bay based scientific instrument manufacturer.

In January 2006, “Dream Niche, LLC” was created as a holding company for a variety of businesses specializing in marketing niche products over the internet.  The business model was formulated and “Uniquely Geek” was the first company to be launched to sell Geek Novelties through a new web site.  In the spring of 2006 the idea of selling Geek t-shirts came up, but was quickly shunned, due to the problems associated with screen printing and inventory control.  The idea of selling novelty t-shirts was fundamentally sound, but the inventory and printing issues were a nightmare; until the discovery of a new technology call “Direct to Garment Printing.”  The DTG technology was introduced by the Brother International Printer Company in the spring of 2006.  The technology is a digital based, ink jet-type printer that uses fabric dyes instead of inks, and prints on cotton instead of paper.  A two minute digital printing process produces a high quality permanent image on a variety of different types of garments and accessories.

The technology eliminated the need for large quantities of inventory.  Hundreds of designs could be created and only printed when orders were received.  Dream Niche purchased one of the first Brother DTC machines and was off and running as Bay Area Custom T-shirts.  Two shirts were printed with the “Charlie’s World” logo and sent to Charlie Belcher, an on-air celebrity of the local FOX news station, along with the bios on the three ex-scientists marketing Geek Novelties on the internet.  Mr. Belcher was immediately impressed with his new custom t-shirts and called to schedule an interview and story.

The day after the story aired the direction of Dream Niche changed forever.  The phone started ringing that morning, but no one was interested in the Geek Novelties, they wanted the t-shirts.  So the idea of a retail, custom T-shirt store was born – BIG FROG. 

 

The custom t-shirts business began in the summer of 2006 with the concept of No Minimums, No Artwork Charges and No Set-up Fees.  A direct mail advertising campaign was created and directed to trades, schools, churches and charities.  The business started growing and customers started showing up at the humble back room location.

In September 2007, a newly renovated retail store was opened on Gulf to Bay Blvd. in Clearwater, Florida, and the business took off. The concept of No Minimums, No Artwork Charges and No Set-up fees created an entirely new business model, and a gigantic niche market with pent up demands.  Never before could a customer get a high quality, custom printed garment produced at an affordable price within 24 hours.  Literally, every person is a prospective customer and the markets are endless. 

The original idea was to create a small chain of five or six retail stores in the Tampa Bay area.  However, within three months of opening the first store, a customer from Tampa inquired about opening a store just like the Gulf to Bay store in Tampa, and the idea of franchising the BIG FROG concept was born.

In October 2008, The BIG FROG Custom T-shirt Franchise Group issued its Franchise Disclosure Document and started issuing franchises.  Within the first full year of franchising there were 10 BIG FROG franchises located in Clearwater, Tampa, Oldsmar, Wesley Chapel, Orlando, Miami, and Plantation, Florida, as well as Cumming & Snellville, Georgia, and St. Louis, Missouri.

Plans are to sign 24 to 30 franchises in 2010, and to have over 300 franchise stores opened domestically in the next five years.