Bricks And Minifigs vs Hobbytown Usa
Bricks And Minifigs vs Hobbytown Usa: Bricks And Minifigs costs $241K to $570K to open; Hobbytown Usa costs $66K to $252K. Bricks And Minifigs has 9 units, Hobbytown Usa has 123. SBA loan history: Bricks And Minifigs = 11 loans (18.2% default); Hobbytown Usa = 134 loans (12.7% default). The franchise with more SBA funded units, a lower SBA default rate, and a lower royalty load is the safer financing bet; see the comparison below.
Bricks And Minifigs vs Hobbytown Usa: Capital, Scale & Lending Analysis
Analysis based on FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan level data. Each pairing reflects a unique combination of capital intensity, system scale, and financing path.
Capital Intensity
Hobbytown Usa requires the lower minimum capital commitment ($66K vs $241K for Bricks And Minifigs), a 266% spread. Initial franchise fees come in at $40K for Bricks And Minifigs versus $75K for Hobbytown Usa, Bricks And Minifigs has the lower entry fee. Ongoing royalty load is 6% for Bricks And Minifigs and 4.75% for Hobbytown Usa, giving Hobbytown Usa the lighter per-unit drag on operating income.
System Scale & Tenure
On scale, Hobbytown Usa operates 123 units to Bricks And Minifigs's 9, roughly 14× the system size. Hobbytown Usa has been operating 57 years (founded 1969) versus 16 for Bricks And Minifigs (founded 2010), a 41-year tenure gap that affects unit-economics maturity and FDD revision history.
SBA Lending Profile
Hobbytown Usa has the deeper SBA lending track record, with 134 7(a) approvals compared with 11 for Bricks And Minifigs. Bricks And Minifigs's peak SBA year was 2017 (5 loans); Hobbytown Usa's peak was 2004 (13 loans). Bricks And Minifigs's more recent peak generally indicates fresher lender appetite. Bricks And Minifigs has the most SBA funded units in WA, with 3. Hobbytown Usa leads in TX, with 13. Borrowers should pick the brand whose strongest SBA state matches their own state for warmer lender introductions. Average SBA loan size on funded Bricks And Minifigs deals is $116K vs $155K for Hobbytown Usa, useful as a sizing anchor when modeling your own unit.
Risk Signal
SBA default rates are 18.2% for Bricks And Minifigs and 12.7% for Hobbytown Usa, Hobbytown Usa has the cleaner SBA loss record by 5.5 points. PeerSense FPI scores come in at 22 (Fair) for Bricks And Minifigs and 37 (Fair) for Hobbytown Usa, giving Hobbytown Usa the stronger composite signal across SBA performance, lender appetite, and operational consistency.
Health & Performance
FPI Score | 22/100 | 37/100 |
Health Tier | Limited | Fair |
Confidence | N/A | N/A |
Lending Trend | Declining | Declining |
SBA Lending
SBA Loans | 11 | 134 |
SBA Volume | – | – |
Default Rate | 18.2% | 12.7% |
Peer Tier | growing | major |
Investment & Costs
Total Investment | $241K to $570K | $66K to $252K |
Franchise Fee | $40K | $75K |
Royalty Rate | 6% | 4.75% |
Ad Fund | 4% | N/A |
Liquid Capital | N/A | $60K |
Net Worth Required | N/A | $150K |
Financial Performance (Item 19)
Item 19 Status | Not Disclosed | Disclosed |
System Size & Operations
Total Units | 9 | 123 |
Franchised Units | 9 | 123 |
Company Owned | – | – |
Term Length | 10 yrs | 5 yrs |
Brand Information
Year Founded | 2010 | 1969 |
Franchising Since | N/A | 2023 |
Years Franchising | N/A | 3 yrs |
Headquarters | Orem, WA | TYLER, TX |
Category | Hobby, Toy, | Hobby, Toy, |
Website | ||
FDD Year | N/A | 2025 |
Which Is Better, Bricks And Minifigs or Hobbytown Usa?
Lower upfront capital required
Tie
Bricks And Minifigs: $241K starting · Hobbytown Usa: $66K starting
More SBA lender confidence
Hobbytown Usa
Bricks And Minifigs: 11 SBA loans · Hobbytown Usa: 134 SBA loans
Lower SBA default rate
Hobbytown Usa
Bricks And Minifigs: 18.2% · Hobbytown Usa: 12.7%
Larger system & brand presence
Tie
Bricks And Minifigs: 9 units · Hobbytown Usa: 123 units
Lower ongoing royalty load
Hobbytown Usa
Bricks And Minifigs: 6% · Hobbytown Usa: 4.75%
More lender financing options
Hobbytown Usa
Bricks And Minifigs: 2 unique lenders · Hobbytown Usa: 72 unique lenders
Decision matrix uses publicly disclosed FDD and SBA loan data. Not a recommendation. Your best franchise depends on capital, market, operating capacity, and risk tolerance.
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Bricks And Minifigs vs Hobbytown Usa: Franchise Funding Comparison
Comparing Bricks And Minifigs and Hobbytown Usa is about more than brand preference. It's about which franchise fits your financial profile and funding strategy. Investment ranges from $66K to $570K.
Bricks And Minifigs has 11 SBA loans on record and Hobbytown Usa has 134. Those totals are cumulative history rather than a measure of current appetite. Recent lending activity is trending down for at least one of these brands, so current lender appetite has to be checked deal by deal rather than assumed from the totals.
SBA 7(a) loans are the most common franchise funding vehicle, offering up to $5M with as little as 10% down. PeerSense connects franchise buyers with the specific lenders who have approved loans for these brands, not generic referrals, but lenders with actual franchise lending track records.
Data sourced from SBA loan records, Franchise Disclosure Documents, and public filings. Updated regularly. Not financial advice, consult with a lending professional before making investment decisions.
Bricks And Minifigs vs Hobbytown Usa, Frequently Asked Questions
Which is a better franchise investment, Bricks And Minifigs or Hobbytown Usa?
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Which has a lower SBA default rate, Bricks And Minifigs or Hobbytown Usa?
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Page Review
Reviewed by Edward L. Freeman, Founder and Managing Director, PeerSense
- PeerSense is a capital advisory firm that places commercial financing with direct capital sources; the capital source sets final terms.
- Edward L. Freeman founded PeerSense in January 2020.
- He is a Registered Franchise Consultant with Business Alliance, Inc., a credential issued in March 2022, and worked as a franchise consultant there from March 2022 to May 2023.
- His recorded experience includes a $22 million SBA construction loan, with about $16 million funded on the deal.
- In the 12 months through September 30, 2026, PeerSense tracked 912 publicly announced financings with a disclosed size of $361.32 billion. PeerSense Capital Data Report · Methodology page
Last reviewed LinkedIn profileAbout Edward Freeman