Ed Wolak, Chairman of the Maine Franchise Owners Association contributed the following letter to Bangor Daily News and it ran in the paper and online today March 11, 2014. By Ed Wolak, Special to the BDN Posted March 10, 2014, at 11:47 a.m. Last modified March 10, 2014, at 12:07 p.m. BDN The Maine Small Business Investment Protection […]
Franchised Units Increase in Iowa 300% More than Adjacent States
The graphic below compares the growth of franchised Units in Iowa from 2004- 2007 to adjacent states and the nation. In 1994 Iowa passed a Franchise Practices act, the reaction from the IFA and Franchisors was to boycott Iowa, in an effort to show other states what could happen if you pass a Franchise Practice […]
Failure to Pass Franchise Protections 20 Years Ago Cost Maine More Franchised Units
In 1994, Legislative document 1916, or as some people remember it — The Franchise Practices Act, was shot down by Governor John R. McKernan, Jr. even after it passed both the Maine House of Representatives and the Maine Senate. Leonard Kovit, owner of 5 Meineke’s in Maine and New Hampshire in 1994, remembers the bill […]
Letter from Maine Franchise Owners Chairman Ed Wolak
February 21, 2014 Dear Maine Franchise Owners, I am writing to you as the Chairman of the Maine Franchise Owners Association “MFOA”. We represent Maine franchised small businesses. Most are owned and operated by Maine families. MFOA supports the Minority Report, Senator Patrick’s amendment to LD 1458 to strengthen franchising, not harm or limit it. […]
7-ELEVEN Aggressively Seizes Franchisee Equity
Unhappyfranchisee.com has been covering the aggressive tactics of 7-11 Corporation in seizing the assets of its franchisees. The story of the Patels from Riverside, California who lost their store after 19 years of operation, stands out, mostly because of the reaction from the Riverside Community in protesting 7-11 seizure of the Patels 7-11 franchise. SIGN […]
Franchisee Protections Exist Across the Maine Border in Canada
Five provinces in Canada have passed franchise disclosure and fair franchise relationship laws: Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Ontario, and Prince Edward Island. British Columbia is also considering franchise disclosure and franchise relationship legislation. In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requires the use of a Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) in all 50 states […]
William Whipple of Kittery Reads the Franchisee Bill of Rights
A lively William Whipple joined Maine franchise Owners, and legislators from all across the state to read the Universal Franchisee Bill of Rights (UFBOR) on Wednesday, January 29th at the Senator Inn in Augusta. Whipple was born January 14, 1730 in Kittery, Maine. By the late 1750’s, he was heavily involved in the Patriot movement, […]
Maine Small Business Investment Protection Act Moves on to the House!
LD 1458 was reported out of committee by five Democrats. The Maine Franchise Owners Association is pleased that The Maine Small Business Protection Act (LD 1458) will move on to the house. The final vote of the Labor, Commerce and Economic Development Committee was as follows: Voting for Ought to Pass for Senator Patrick’s Amended […]
Maine Restaurant Association & Maine Association of Realtors Oppose Fair Franchising in Maine
The Maine Restaurant Association has vehemently come out against the Maine Small Business Investment Protection Act (LD 1458), the Maine Association of Realtors is also opposing the bill. Both the Maine Restaurant Association and the Maine Association of Realtors have taken the same position as the International Franchise Association (IFA), McDonalds, and Marriott Hotels against […]
Maine Bill Aims to Protect Franchise Owners
By J. Craig Anderson, Portland Press Herald, Staff Writer L.D. 1458 seeks to offer added protections to franchisees of many companies. Franchise owners in Maine are supporting a bill going before a legislative committee Tuesday in Augusta that they say would prevent companies from terminating agreements with their franchise owners without warning, among other provisions. […]