With four recent bar openings, 14 bars under development, and new international franchise agreements in the pipeline, Coyote Ugly is living up to its mission to Save the World One Drink at a Time!
Global Franchise magazine was able to catch up with Vice President of Global Franchising Justin Livingston and ask some of the initial questions which someone interested in Coyote Ugly would want answered.
Give me one good reason why I should master franchise with Coyote Ugly?
Well, it’s Coyote Ugly! I don’t know if you need much more than that, but it will allow the right partners to expand or to enter the bar and night club niche with a legendary brand. Franchising with Coyote Ugly allows a franchisee to introduce an already well-known name to their markets and bring the epic party and culture that is Coyote Ugly.
What makes this a different concept from other franchise opportunities?
Many things make this opportunity different from most franchises, but the main point of differentiation is the recognition created from locations in key cities, the famous movie and its sountrack, and the reality series. Name another business so amazing they made a movie from it? When you combine that world-wide recognition and over 20 years of operational experience from our corporate bars, as well as supporting our franchised bars, you have a unique opportunity. The best news is that Coyote Ugly has strategically timed the full launch of the global franchise opportunity so there are still many major world markets available!
The place looks a whole lot of fun but how professional is the organization?
Coyote Ugly is a well-oiled machine with one of the strongest support and training systems and teams in franchising. Customers see a party, they see the Coyotes, they see the familiar look and feel of the bar…there is an entire world behind the scenes to make things look that fun and effortless. Coyote Ugly provides its unique systems and methods for running the world-famous brand but also the flexibility to adapt to local cultures and traditions.
So who’s behind this operation?
There is a team of super stars on the operational team at Coyote Ugly! There is no other operations team with the passion, experience and commitment to the brand out there. Of course, the single person responsible for the Coyote Ugly Brand is THE Liliana (Lil) Lovell; she is the owner, founder, and original Coyote and current boss lady! She was so good at what she did, they made a movie about her and her story! She’s still very involved in everything, from interviewing international franchise candidates to helping with every new bar’s girl search, as well as running our corporate bars here in the US.
Okay, what kind of partner are you looking for?
Experienced. Owning a brand name this big is not for the faint of heart. There is little ramp-up in introducing the brand to a new market. Everyone knows the Coyote Ugly brand; for example, we typically have hundreds of girls audition to be Coyotes before a new opening and we’ve been selling-out our grand opening events. Knowledge of the local laws surrounding serving liquor and keeping everyone safe is key to a successful opening and operations.
Where are the Coyote Ugly locations now?
Currently, Coyote Ugly is open with 14 locations in the US as well as locations in the UK, Germany, Ukraine, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, and Japan. Next stop, the rest of the world!
Just how successful are they?
The most beautiful thing about the success of a new Coyote Ugly is that it happens fast and the numbers, business, and reputation are all amazing! Unlike a lot of other concepts that take months and even years to ramp up and establish themselves, we put the best-known bar in the world into the hottest locations in the world, which is a recipe for instant success! We sell out our openings and have queues of people wanting to get into the party!
Does every Coyote Ugly Saloon look the same, or is there some creative latitude?
When you walk into a Coyote Ugly, you know exactly where you are. The culture and energy is the same no matter what city or country you are in. That said, the bars are not cookie cutter and the look varies from market to market, but the most important things always remain the same…amazing Coyotes ready to serve up drinks and entertain the customers!
Tell me about my training – and how the Coyotes themselves are trained?
The training program is unrivaled. Managers and owners come to the US to train in our amazing corporate bars. We then come over and help with the Coyote Search and then the training begins on front of house, back of house, choreography, entertainment, bar tending and much more. Coyote Ugly has extremely high standards of speed and customer service for every bar we open. The robust training and operations system includes full training of owners, managers, and staff, assistance with site selection, store design, brand and marketing guidance, and ongoing support.
What’s the history of Coyote Ugly?
The founder and original Coyote, Liliana (Lil) Lovell, opened the first Coyote Ugly Saloon in New York City in 1993. In the late 90’s an article called The Muse of Coyote Ugly was published in GQ magazine followed by the movie in 2000 and then three seasons of a reality show. Since then, there has been steady expansion in the US and our first international bar (in Russia) in 2008. In the past two years, Coyote Ugly has set aggressive expansion plans for corporate-owned bars in the US and franchise locations in major markets around the globe.
So, I’m interested. What now?
The total investment in a Coyote Ugly Saloon franchise is between $500,000USD and $1,500,000USD dependent on location/market, size, and condition of the unit. Coyote Ugly is looking to expand the brand with franchisees who embrace the culture of Coyote Ugly Saloon and share their vision of offering the Coyote Experience to the market. Owners will benefit from the history of a world-wide legend in the industry and tested business model.
Think you may have what it takes to own the Most Famous Bar on the Planet? Do you want access to the knowledge, systems, and leadership of the world leader in the bar/nightclub industry? Do you want to be a part of the upcoming aggressive expansion of the Coyote Ugly Saloon brand? If you’d like to talk about the details and see if we are a good match for each other, you should visit the website at www.coyoteuglyfranchise.com and request information to Justin Livingston, Vice President of Global Development at justin@coyoteuglyfranchise.com.
AT A GLANCE
Name of Franchise: Coyote Ugly Saloon
Established: 1993
Number of franchised outlets: 15 franchised,
10 corporate owned
Location of units: United States, Germany, Wales, Russia,
Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Japan
Investment range: $500,000USD to $1,900,000USD
Minimum required capital: $250,000USD
Web: www.coyoteuglysaloon.com
Contact: Justin Livingston,
justin@coyoteuglyfranchise.com Tel: 720.442.7777
