SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA · FY1991–PRESENT · TENNESSEE
MERLE NORMAN COSMETICS franchise in Tennessee: what the public record shows
Franchisees of MERLE NORMAN COSMETICS in Tennessee have taken 6 SBA loans since 1991 (average $75,910)— too few resolved loans in-state to publish a local failure rate (we require a resolved cohort, never extrapolate), so the brand's national rate of 19.3% is the better guide. Its latest FDD Item 20 state table reports 49 franchised outlets in Tennessee (fiscal 2025) — about 0.68 per 100k residents.
Loans in TN
6
Resolved
6
Local charge-off
thin
National charge-off
19.3%
Source: SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA files (data.sba.gov), borrower state = TN. 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 of 30 loans.
| Fiscal year | Franchised | Company-owned |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 53 | 0 |
| 2024 | 52 | 0 |
| 2025 | 49 | 0 |
| System | Loans in TN | Local charge-off | Units in TN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subway | 49 | 2.4% | 524 |
| DAIRY QUEEN | 35 | 7.7% | — |
| QUALITY INN | 30 | 11.8% | 69 |
| Matco Tools | 18 | 68.8% | — |
| SLEEP INN | 16 | 8.3% | 21 |
| ECONO LODGE | 14 | 40.0% | 35 |
| HOTWORX | 14 | thin | 26 |
| Country Inn | 13 | thin | 13 |
| Sport Clips | 13 | 0.0% | 46 |
| Blimpie | 12 | thin | — |
| JERSEY MIKE'S | 12 | thin | 69 |
| MASSAGE ENVY | 9 | thin | 23 |
Same sector, same state, same public records — how MERLE NORMAN COSMETICS compares to the systems a buyer in Tennessee 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. I'm paid by you — and the job is pressure-testing MERLE NORMAN COSMETICS's numbers, including talking you out of a bad deal.