AR Workshop is a boutique DIY workshop franchise founded in 2016 by graphic designers Maureen Anders and Adria Ruff in Pineville, North Carolina. It began as a platform to showcase their design work and quickly evolved into a destination where guests create custom home décor using raw materials like wood, canvas, textiles, and non-toxic paints and stains.
Headquartered in Pineville, NC, AR Workshop Franchising LLC officially formed in May 2017 and began franchising the same year. AR Workshop offers hands-on, instructor-led workshops where participants design personalized wood signs, canvas pillows, blankets, seasonal décor, and more.
It also provides private events, youth camps, and a curated retail line of DIY kits, artisan paints, stains, and boutique gift items. The brand also introduced its mobile “Crafty Cruiser” model, bringing creative experiences to schools, corporate events, and community markets.
What sets AR Workshop apart is its combination of creative accessibility and community-driven social atmosphere. Each studio features signature décor elements—such as custom-built hammer chandeliers and paint bars—that reinforce the brand’s lifestyle aesthetic.
Here's what you would need to invest if you were to start this franchise. These costs are provided by the franchisor in the Franchise Disclosure Document.
AR Workshop provides franchisees with structured pre-opening and optional post-opening training programs to prepare them for operating their creative DIY studios effectively. These programs are as follows:
AR Workshop grants franchisees a Protected Area defined by a 3-mile radius or an area encompassing at least 40,000 residents, based on U.S. Census data. Within this territory, the franchisor agrees not to open or license another AR Workshop studio under its system and marks.
This territorial protection remains in effect throughout the term of the franchise agreement, provided the franchisee remains compliant and active. However, the protection is limited to brick-and-mortar establishments.
AR Workshop reserves the right to sell goods and services within the Protected Area through other channels such as online sales, catalogs, or mobile platforms. The franchisor may also operate or license businesses under different branding and without the AR Workshop marks, even within a franchisee’s territory.
KEY FRANCHISE STATS
All you need to know about this franchise
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AR Workshop
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Arts / Sports
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