SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA · FY1991–PRESENT · ALABAMA
Bruster'S franchise in Alabama: what the public record shows
Franchisees of Bruster'S in Alabama have taken 12 SBA loans since 1991 (average $382,541), and of the 10 loans whose story has ended, 30.0% were charged off — versus 14.8% for Bruster'S nationally and 14.8% across all rateable franchise brands.
Loans in AL
12
Resolved
10
Local charge-off
30.0%
National charge-off
14.8%
Source: SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA files (data.sba.gov), borrower state = AL. Charge-off rate = charged-off ÷ (charged-off + paid-in-full); open loans excluded. A local rate is published only when the resolved cohort clears our floor.
Businesses in this industry
7,968
statewide, all operators
Per 100k residents
154.5
national 179.9
Versus the country
-14%
thinner
Every business in Bruster'S's industry operating in Alabama — franchised and independent — from the Census Bureau's County Business Patterns (2023), against 2024 population estimates. Counter-intuitively, density is not a warning: across 198 brand-state cells in our loan data, the densest quartile charges off at 5.6% versus 18.1% in the thinnest. A crowded market is usually proven demand; an empty one is often empty for a reason.
| System | Loans in AL | Local charge-off | Units in AL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zaxby's | 40 | 0.0% | — |
| Domino's Pizza | 32 | 11.1% | — |
| Quiznos | 27 | 42.3% | — |
| HUDDLE HOUSE | 14 | 8.3% | — |
| Jimmy John's | 13 | 23.1% | — |
| Smoothie King (Health Food Store) | 12 | thin | — |
| Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen | 11 | thin | — |
| Blimpie | 10 | thin | — |
| Church'S Fried Chicken | 10 | thin | — |
| Cicis Pizza | 10 | thin | — |
| Culver's | 10 | thin | — |
| Little Ceasar'S Pizza | 10 | thin | — |
Same sector, same state, same public records — how Bruster'S compares to the systems a buyer in Alabama would actually be choosing between. Local rates under 10 resolved loans are marked thin, not hidden.
A broker is paid by the franchisor to place you. An independent CPA is paid by you — and the job is pressure-testing Bruster'S's numbers, including talking you out of a bad deal.
Talk to an independent CPA before you buy →