CANDLEMAN vs Country Clutter (Bed & Breakfa
CANDLEMAN vs Country Clutter (Bed & Breakfa: CANDLEMAN costs $175K to $225K to open; Country Clutter (Bed & Breakfa costs $93K to $218K. CANDLEMAN has 43 units, Country Clutter (Bed & Breakfa has 27. SBA loan history: CANDLEMAN = 48 loans (43.8% default); Country Clutter (Bed & Breakfa = 50 loans (46.0% 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.
CANDLEMAN vs Country Clutter (Bed & Breakfa: 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
Country Clutter (Bed & Breakfa requires the lower minimum capital commitment ($93K vs $175K for CANDLEMAN), a 88% spread. Initial franchise fees come in at $35K for CANDLEMAN versus $25K for Country Clutter (Bed & Breakfa, Country Clutter (Bed & Breakfa has the lower entry fee. Ongoing royalty load is 6% for CANDLEMAN and 5.5% for Country Clutter (Bed & Breakfa, giving Country Clutter (Bed & Breakfa the lighter per-unit drag on operating income.
System Scale & Tenure
On scale, CANDLEMAN operates 43 units to Country Clutter (Bed & Breakfa's 27. Country Clutter (Bed & Breakfa has been operating 35 years (founded 1991) versus 34 for CANDLEMAN (founded 1992), a 1-year tenure gap that affects unit-economics maturity and FDD revision history.
SBA Lending Profile
Country Clutter (Bed & Breakfa has the deeper SBA lending track record, with 50 7(a) approvals compared with 48 for CANDLEMAN.
Risk Signal
SBA default rates are 43.8% for CANDLEMAN and 46.0% for Country Clutter (Bed & Breakfa, CANDLEMAN has the cleaner SBA loss record by 2.2 points. PeerSense FPI scores come in at 22 (Fair) for CANDLEMAN and 23 (Fair) for Country Clutter (Bed & Breakfa, giving Country Clutter (Bed & Breakfa the stronger composite signal across SBA performance, lender appetite, and operational consistency.
Health & Performance
FPI Score | 22/100 | 23/100 |
Health Tier | Limited | Limited |
Confidence | N/A | N/A |
Lending Trend | Declining | Declining |
SBA Lending
SBA Loans | 48 | 50 |
SBA Volume | – | – |
Default Rate | 43.8% | 46.0% |
Peer Tier | established | established |
Investment & Costs
Total Investment | $175K to $225K | $93K to $218K |
Franchise Fee | $35K | $25K |
Royalty Rate | 6% | 5.5% |
Ad Fund | N/A | N/A |
Liquid Capital | N/A | N/A |
Net Worth Required | N/A | N/A |
Financial Performance (Item 19)
Item 19 Status | Not Disclosed | Not Disclosed |
System Size & Operations
Total Units | 43 | 27 |
Franchised Units | 43 | 27 |
Company Owned | – | – |
Term Length | N/A | N/A |
Brand Information
Year Founded | 1992 | 1991 |
Franchising Since | N/A | N/A |
Years Franchising | N/A | N/A |
Headquarters | Charleston, SC | ALBANY, CA |
Category | All Other Miscellaneous Store Retailers | All Other Miscellaneous Store Retailers |
Website | ||
FDD Year | N/A | N/A |
Which Is Better, CANDLEMAN or Country Clutter (Bed & Breakfa?
Lower upfront capital required
Tie
CANDLEMAN: $175K starting · Country Clutter (Bed & Breakfa: $93K starting
More SBA lender confidence
Country Clutter (Bed & Breakfa
CANDLEMAN: 48 SBA loans · Country Clutter (Bed & Breakfa: 50 SBA loans
Lower SBA default rate
CANDLEMAN
CANDLEMAN: 43.8% · Country Clutter (Bed & Breakfa: 46.0%
Larger system & brand presence
Tie
CANDLEMAN: 43 units · Country Clutter (Bed & Breakfa: 27 units
Lower ongoing royalty load
Country Clutter (Bed & Breakfa
CANDLEMAN: 6% · Country Clutter (Bed & Breakfa: 5.5%
More lender financing options
CANDLEMAN
CANDLEMAN: 24 unique lenders · Country Clutter (Bed & Breakfa: 15 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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CANDLEMAN vs Country Clutter (Bed & Breakfa: Franchise Funding Comparison
Comparing CANDLEMAN and Country Clutter (Bed & Breakfa is about more than brand preference. It's about which franchise fits your financial profile and funding strategy. Investment ranges from $93K to $225K.
CANDLEMAN has 48 SBA loans on record and Country Clutter (Bed & Breakfa has 50. 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.
CANDLEMAN vs Country Clutter (Bed & Breakfa, Frequently Asked Questions
Which is a better franchise investment, CANDLEMAN or Country Clutter (Bed & Breakfa?
How much does a CANDLEMAN franchise cost compared to Country Clutter (Bed & Breakfa?
Can I finance CANDLEMAN or Country Clutter (Bed & Breakfa with an SBA loan?
Which has a lower SBA default rate, CANDLEMAN or Country Clutter (Bed & Breakfa?
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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; it does not lend, fund, or approve loans, and 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