Crock A Doodle is a paint-your-own-pottery studio built around in-store painting sessions and a steady stream of birthday parties and group events booked months in advance — so a resale isn't just about the studio space and kiln, it's about whether the forward-booked party calendar and customer deposits transfer cleanly to the new owner.
Crock A Doodle resales follow the franchisor's own approval process on top of the usual purchase mechanics — here's how the two run together.
Getting approved
The offer sets price and structure, conditioned on franchisor consent and a review of the studio's kiln, equipment, and forward-booked event calendar.
1–2 weeks†The franchisor reviews the proposed buyer and may exercise a right of first refusal before the sale can proceed.
several weeks, typically†A franchise disclosure document may still be required for this resale — Ontario courts read the resale exemption narrowly, so franchisor involvement in the sale can trigger it even where it's called a private deal.
assessed early†Getting to closing
The studio lease needs landlord consent to assign, and the kiln's ventilation and electrical setup typically needs sign-off given the specialized power and exhaust requirements.
2–6 weeks†Forward-booked birthday parties and group events, along with the deposits taken for them, need a clear handover plan, alongside brand training on studio operations and glazing techniques.
1–3 weeks†Funds and keys change hands, kiln and inventory condition are confirmed, and the franchisor confirms the transfer is complete.
1 day, once conditions are met†CFA Look For A Franchise listing confirms an active Canadian franchise network, CFA member since 2006, in business since 2002
Ontario paint-your-own-pottery studios among its established Canadian franchise network (provincial breakdown not published)
This is the first real decision in a Crock A Doodle resale — and it changes what you're buying, what you're taking on, and how the franchise agreement moves.
| Question | Asset purchase | Share purchase |
|---|---|---|
| What you buy | The studio's assets — kiln and equipment, pottery-blank and glaze inventory, leasehold improvements, and the franchise agreement's benefit, subject to franchisor consent. | The shares of the operating company — everything it owns, and everything it owes. |
| Seller's liabilities | Generally stay behind with the seller's existing corporation. | Generally come with the company, known and unknown. |
| Franchise agreement | Consent required for the specific unit, often paired with a current-form agreement. | Consent required for the change of control itself. |
| Forward-booked events & deposits | Party and event bookings taken before closing, along with any customer deposits, need to be clearly allocated between seller and buyer as part of the purchase agreement. | Deposits and forward bookings generally stay with the company as its own obligations and receivables. |
| The lease & kiln setup | Needs the landlord's written consent to assign, plus confirmation the space still supports the kiln's power and ventilation requirements. | Usually stays in place, unless the lease has its own change-of-control clause. |
| Typical use | The default for most single-studio resales. | Less common — occasionally used where an operator holds several studios under one company. |
The studio's assets — kiln and equipment, pottery-blank and glaze inventory, leasehold improvements, and the franchise agreement's benefit, subject to franchisor consent.
The shares of the operating company — everything it owns, and everything it owes.
Generally stay behind with the seller's existing corporation.
Generally come with the company, known and unknown.
Consent required for the specific unit, often paired with a current-form agreement.
Consent required for the change of control itself.
Party and event bookings taken before closing, along with any customer deposits, need to be clearly allocated between seller and buyer as part of the purchase agreement.
Deposits and forward bookings generally stay with the company as its own obligations and receivables.
Needs the landlord's written consent to assign, plus confirmation the space still supports the kiln's power and ventilation requirements.
Usually stays in place, unless the lease has its own change-of-control clause.
The default for most single-studio resales.
Less common — occasionally used where an operator holds several studios under one company.
We tell you which structure fits — before you sign anything.
No open-ended hourly surprises — the cost is confirmed in writing before any work begins.
| Type of work | Fee | How it's confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| Straightforward purchase or sale | Starting from $3,388.87 Our charges · taxes included | Confirmed in writing once we see the agreement. |
| Larger or more complex deal | Quoted to scope | Short call → fixed written quote before any work begins. |
| Searches, filings & third-party fees | At cost | Itemized on your invoice, not marked up. |
A single Crock A Doodle studio changing hands between one buyer and one seller, with a clean lease and a straightforward handover of upcoming party bookings.
Start my file →A multi-studio operator adding a location to an existing portfolio, or a resale where a large book of forward-booked events and deposits needs to be allocated before terms are final.
Book a consultation →Not sure which you are? That's our job to figure out, not yours. As a rough guide, most deals under a couple of million dollars are the first kind — above that, you're usually in Mergers & Acquisitions territory.
This is one of the more distinctive parts of a Crock A Doodle resale — the purchase agreement needs to spell out who honours pre-closing bookings and who keeps the deposits tied to them, since customers booked those events with the studio, not with a particular owner.
The kiln's electrical draw and ventilation setup are specific enough that landlord and, in some cases, local permitting sign-off can be part of assigning the lease — it's worth confirming early rather than assuming the existing setup automatically carries over.
Not necessarily — the franchisor's training covers studio operations and glazing techniques directly, though prior experience running an events-heavy small business is generally more relevant than an art background.
The space itself is fairly typical retail/strip-plaza square footage, but the kiln's power and ventilation needs, plus the layout for hosting group parties, are studio-specific factors that don't come up in an ordinary retail lease review.
Possibly. Ontario courts have read the resale-disclosure exemption narrowly, and franchisor involvement in matching a buyer to a seller can be enough to trigger a full disclosure requirement even where the deal is framed as a private resale.
Related
Where we close franchise resale deals
Treadstone Law is an independent law firm. We act for buyers and sellers of franchise businesses. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or retained by Crock A Doodle or its franchisor.
Tell us about your Crock A Doodle resale — we'll point you the right way and confirm the cost in writing before any work begins.