SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA · FY1991–PRESENT · ILLINOIS
Merlin'S Muffler franchise in Illinois: what the public record shows
Franchisees of Merlin'S Muffler in Illinois have taken 58 SBA loans since 1991 (average $219,370), and of the 52 loans whose story has ended, 15.4% were charged off — versus 12.3% for Merlin'S Muffler nationally and 14.8% across all rateable franchise brands.
Loans in IL
58
Resolved
52
Local charge-off
15.4%
National charge-off
12.3%
Source: SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA files (data.sba.gov), borrower state = IL. 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
4,609
statewide, all operators
Per 100k residents
36.3
national 30.2
Versus the country
+20%
denser
Every business in Merlin'S Muffler's industry operating in Illinois — 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 IL | Local charge-off | Units in IL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meineke | 49 | 24.3% | — |
| Midas Muffler Shop | 29 | 22.2% | — |
| Citgo Service Station | 25 | 35.3% | — |
| All Tune and Lube | 24 | 33.3% | — |
| Maaco Auto Painting Center | 21 | 27.8% | — |
| JIFFY LUBE | 20 | 0.0% | 100 |
| Shell Service Station | 19 | 15.4% | — |
| Mobil Oil (Stations) | 18 | 12.5% | — |
| World Fuel Services, Inc Wholesale Supply Agreement | 18 | thin | — |
| Carstar | 15 | thin | — |
| Amoco (Gas Station) | 13 | thin | — |
| Milex/ Mr. Transmission | 13 | 45.5% | — |
Same sector, same state, same public records — how Merlin'S Muffler compares to the systems a buyer in Illinois 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 Merlin'S Muffler's numbers, including talking you out of a bad deal.
Talk to an independent CPA before you buy →