“Read the small print. Understand what you’re getting yourself into, because for the first two years, you will eat, sleep and drink it, and it will consume you.”
Thomas Ennis understands how to work within a franchise model better than most. After all, his eponymous Thomas Ennis Group owns six Spar outlets and one larger Eurospar supermarket, making him one of the largest operators within the BWG family. He also owns three service stations that operate under the Maxol franchise brand. Ennis has managed to work within the strict demands of the franchise brand while also constantly innovating. He was the first Spar franchisee to have a barista on-premises, and he was also among the first to cook all food fresh in the store. In this episode of Franchise Matters, he talks to Alison Cowzer about building a franchise business, how he innovates within the system, and the current state of the retail market. He also reflects upon his own journey - from training as a butcher with FX Buckley to working for the late retail legend Feargal Quinn to getting his chance from the businessman John Clohisey to open his own Spar.
