Clothes Mentor vs Pickles & Ice Cream Maternity
Clothes Mentor vs Pickles & Ice Cream Maternity: Clothes Mentor costs $305K to $429K to open; Pickles & Ice Cream Maternity costs $60K to $149K. Clothes Mentor has 113 units, Pickles & Ice Cream Maternity has 5. SBA loan history: Clothes Mentor = 66 loans (3.0% default); Pickles & Ice Cream Maternity = 8 loans (25.0% 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.
Clothes Mentor vs Pickles & Ice Cream Maternity: 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
Pickles & Ice Cream Maternity requires the lower minimum capital commitment ($60K vs $305K for Clothes Mentor), a 408% spread. Initial franchise fees come in at $25K for Clothes Mentor versus $30K for Pickles & Ice Cream Maternity, Clothes Mentor has the lower entry fee.
System Scale & Tenure
On scale, Clothes Mentor operates 113 units to Pickles & Ice Cream Maternity's 5, roughly 23× the system size. Pickles & Ice Cream Maternity has been operating 29 years (founded 1997) versus 25 for Clothes Mentor (founded 2001), a 4-year tenure gap that affects unit-economics maturity and FDD revision history.
SBA Lending Profile
Clothes Mentor has the deeper SBA lending track record, with 66 7(a) approvals compared with 8 for Pickles & Ice Cream Maternity.
Risk Signal
SBA default rates are 3.0% for Clothes Mentor and 25.0% for Pickles & Ice Cream Maternity, Clothes Mentor has the cleaner SBA loss record by 22.0 points. PeerSense FPI scores come in at 51 (Moderate) for Clothes Mentor and 17 (Fair) for Pickles & Ice Cream Maternity, giving Clothes Mentor the stronger composite signal across SBA performance, lender appetite, and operational consistency.
Health & Performance
FPI Score | 51/100 | 17/100 |
Health Tier | Moderate | Limited |
Confidence | N/A | N/A |
Lending Trend | Declining | Declining |
SBA Lending
SBA Loans | 66 | 8 |
SBA Volume | – | – |
Default Rate | 3.0% | 25.0% |
Peer Tier | established | emerging |
Investment & Costs
Total Investment | $305K to $429K | $60K to $149K |
Franchise Fee | $25K | $30K |
Royalty Rate | 4% | N/A |
Ad Fund | 5% | N/A |
Liquid Capital | N/A | N/A |
Net Worth Required | N/A | N/A |
Financial Performance (Item 19)
Item 19 Status | Disclosed | Not Disclosed |
System Size & Operations
Total Units | 113 | 5 |
Franchised Units | 113 | 5 |
Company Owned | – | – |
Term Length | 10 yrs | N/A |
Brand Information
Year Founded | 2001 | 1997 |
Franchising Since | 2006 | N/A |
Years Franchising | 20 yrs | N/A |
Headquarters | Minnetonka, MN | DALLAS, TX |
Category | Women's Clothing Stores | Women's Clothing Stores |
Website | ||
FDD Year | 2025 | N/A |
Which Is Better, Clothes Mentor or Pickles & Ice Cream Maternity?
Lower upfront capital required
Tie
Clothes Mentor: $305K starting · Pickles & Ice Cream Maternity: $60K starting
More SBA lender confidence
Clothes Mentor
Clothes Mentor: 66 SBA loans · Pickles & Ice Cream Maternity: 8 SBA loans
Lower SBA default rate
Clothes Mentor
Clothes Mentor: 3.0% · Pickles & Ice Cream Maternity: 25.0%
Larger system & brand presence
Tie
Clothes Mentor: 113 units · Pickles & Ice Cream Maternity: 5 units
More lender financing options
Clothes Mentor
Clothes Mentor: 30 unique lenders · Pickles & Ice Cream Maternity: 4 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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About These Franchises
Clothes Mentor vs Pickles & Ice Cream Maternity: Franchise Funding Comparison
Comparing Clothes Mentor and Pickles & Ice Cream Maternity is about more than brand preference. It's about which franchise fits your financial profile and funding strategy. Investment ranges from $60K to $429K.
Clothes Mentor has 66 SBA loans on record and Pickles & Ice Cream Maternity has 8. 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.
Clothes Mentor vs Pickles & Ice Cream Maternity, Frequently Asked Questions
Which is a better franchise investment, Clothes Mentor or Pickles & Ice Cream Maternity?
How much does a Clothes Mentor franchise cost compared to Pickles & Ice Cream Maternity?
Can I finance Clothes Mentor or Pickles & Ice Cream Maternity with an SBA loan?
Which has a lower SBA default rate, Clothes Mentor or Pickles & Ice Cream Maternity?
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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