Lemstone Books vs Little Professor Book Center
Lemstone Books vs Little Professor Book Center: Lemstone Books costs $82K to $166K to open; Little Professor Book Center costs $120K to $480K. Lemstone Books has 7 units, Little Professor Book Center has 21. SBA loan history: Lemstone Books = 14 loans (50.0% default); Little Professor Book Center = 26 loans (15.4% 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.
Lemstone Books vs Little Professor Book Center: 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
Lemstone Books requires the lower minimum capital commitment ($82K vs $120K for Little Professor Book Center), a 31% spread.
System Scale & Tenure
On scale, Little Professor Book Center operates 21 units to Lemstone Books's 7, roughly 3× the system size.
SBA Lending Profile
Little Professor Book Center has the deeper SBA lending track record, with 26 7(a) approvals compared with 14 for Lemstone Books. Lemstone Books's peak SBA year was 1996 (3 loans); Little Professor Book Center's peak was 1996 (5 loans). Little Professor Book Center's more recent peak generally indicates fresher lender appetite. Lemstone Books has the most SBA funded units in TX, with 3. Little Professor Book Center leads in OH, with 4. Borrowers should pick the brand whose strongest SBA state matches their own state for warmer lender introductions. Average SBA loan size on funded Lemstone Books deals is $130K vs $245K for Little Professor Book Center, useful as a sizing anchor when modeling your own unit.
Risk Signal
SBA default rates are 50.0% for Lemstone Books and 15.4% for Little Professor Book Center, Little Professor Book Center has the cleaner SBA loss record by 34.6 points. PeerSense FPI scores come in at 32 (Fair) for Lemstone Books and 33 (Fair) for Little Professor Book Center, giving Little Professor Book Center the stronger composite signal across SBA performance, lender appetite, and operational consistency.
Health & Performance
FPI Score | 32/100 | 33/100 |
Health Tier | Limited | Limited |
Confidence | N/A | N/A |
Lending Trend | N/A | Declining |
SBA Lending
SBA Loans | 14 | 26 |
SBA Volume | – | – |
Default Rate | 50.0% | 15.4% |
Peer Tier | growing | established |
Investment & Costs
Total Investment | $82K to $166K | $120K to $480K |
Franchise Fee | $25K | N/A |
Royalty Rate | 4% | N/A |
Ad Fund | 1% | 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 | 7 | 21 |
Franchised Units | 7 | 21 |
Company Owned | – | – |
Term Length | N/A | N/A |
Brand Information
Year Founded | 1981 | N/A |
Franchising Since | N/A | N/A |
Years Franchising | N/A | N/A |
Headquarters | MEMPHIS, TN | ASHLAND, OH |
Category | Book Stores | Book Stores |
Website | ||
FDD Year | N/A | N/A |
Which Is Better, Lemstone Books or Little Professor Book Center?
Lower upfront capital required
Tie
Lemstone Books: $82K starting · Little Professor Book Center: $120K starting
More SBA lender confidence
Little Professor Book Center
Lemstone Books: 14 SBA loans · Little Professor Book Center: 26 SBA loans
Lower SBA default rate
Little Professor Book Center
Lemstone Books: 50.0% · Little Professor Book Center: 15.4%
Larger system & brand presence
Tie
Lemstone Books: 7 units · Little Professor Book Center: 21 units
More lender financing options
Little Professor Book Center
Lemstone Books: 12 unique lenders · Little Professor Book Center: 17 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
Lemstone Books vs Little Professor Book Center: Franchise Funding Comparison
Comparing Lemstone Books and Little Professor Book Center is about more than brand preference. It's about which franchise fits your financial profile and funding strategy. Investment ranges from $82K to $480K.
Lemstone Books has 14 SBA loans on record and Little Professor Book Center has 26. 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.
Lemstone Books vs Little Professor Book Center, Frequently Asked Questions
Which is a better franchise investment, Lemstone Books or Little Professor Book Center?
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Which has a lower SBA default rate, Lemstone Books or Little Professor Book Center?
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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