AR Workshop Franchise FDD, Costs & Fees (2025)

AR Workshop offers DIY crafting workshops nationwide, providing materials and guidance for creating custom home decor and gifts.

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.

Initial investment

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.

Type of Expenditure Amount
Franchisor$5,530
Leasehold – first 3 months$12,621
Brochures and Other Printed Materials$20,105
Furniture, fixtures, and equipment$1,964 - $2,144
Deposits and Licenses$8,387
Initial Inventory for DIY-to-Go$500 - $5,000
Training living expenses$165 - $1,100
Insurance$150 - $500
Computer/iPad, Software, Printers, Credit Card Processor, and Design Equipment$5,710
Accounting and Legal Services$7,660
Initial Inventory$500 - $1,500
Marketing Launch Fee$2,000 - $3,000
Local Advertising$1,350
Technology Fee$405
Grand Opening Marketing and Events$4,675
Additional Funds — 3 Months$20,000 - $40,000
Email Accounts, Social Media Management Tools, and Marketing Software Fee$10,200
Total$94,312 - $174,208

Franchise Disclosure Document

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Training

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:

  1. Initial Pre-Opening Training: The franchise includes training for up to two people as part of the initial franchise fee. This training must be conducted in a single session, and is mandatory for the designated Operations Principal or manager. If additional attendees are requested, a fee of $250 per person per day applies, along with travel and lodging expenses.
  2. Optional Post-Opening Additional Training: Franchisees may request extra training after opening. This is charged at a rate set by AR Workshop and requires 30 days' advance notice and payment before the training begins.

Territory Protection

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.

Number of units

2023
Franchised units

138

144

123

Company-owned units

2

1

1

Total units

140

145

124

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