SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA · FY1991–PRESENT · ILLINOIS
Once Upon a Child franchise in Illinois: what the public record shows
Franchisees of Once Upon a Child in Illinois have taken 6 SBA loans since 1991 (average $114,833)— 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 3.5% is the better guide.
Loans in IL
6
Resolved
5
Local charge-off
thin
National charge-off
3.5%
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 of 30 loans.
| System | Loans in IL | Local charge-off | Units in IL |
|---|---|---|---|
| THE UPS STORE NON-TRADITIONAL | 100 | 2.8% | 187 |
| Play It Again Sports (Retail Sports) | 18 | 8.3% | — |
| Naturals2Go | 9 | thin | — |
| Batteries Plus Bulbs | 8 | thin | — |
| Golf U.S.a. (Retail Golf Equip.) | 8 | thin | — |
| HobbyTown | 8 | thin | — |
| Cartridge World | 7 | thin | — |
| FLOWERAMA | 7 | thin | — |
| Iga Food Stores | 6 | thin | — |
| Save - a - Lot | 6 | thin | — |
Same sector, same state, same public records — how Once Upon a Child 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 Once Upon a Child's numbers, including talking you out of a bad deal.
Talk to an independent CPA before you buy →