Turtle Jack's built its identity on Muskoka cottage-country branding — lake-house décor, patio seating, and a sports-bar setup with wall-to-wall screens — which means a resale here usually carries the AGCO liquor licence transfer and a patio permit alongside the usual lease and franchisor consent, plus confirming the audio-visual and screen equipment that defines the room is actually included in the sale rather than leased separately.
Turtle Jack's Muskoka Grill 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, the AGCO liquor licence transfer, and the patio's municipal permit — not just financing.
1–2 weeks†Turtle Jack's reviews the incoming operator and the proposed terms, and may hold a right of first refusal before consenting to the transfer.
3–6 weeks†A franchise disclosure document may still be required for this resale — Ontario courts read the resale-disclosure exemption narrowly, so franchisor involvement in matching buyer to seller can trigger it even where the deal is framed as private.
assessed early†Getting to closing
The liquor licence transfer, the patio's municipal permit, and the landlord's consent to assign the lease typically move in parallel, and any one of them can become the pacing item.
4–10 weeks†The incoming owner or a designated manager typically completes Turtle Jack's operations training before or shortly after taking over.
2–4 weeks, overlapping other steps†Funds and keys change hands, alongside an inventory count of bar stock and confirmation of what audio-visual and screen equipment transfers versus what's under its own vendor agreement.
1 day, once conditions are met†CFA Look For A Franchise listing confirms 18 Canadian franchise units, in business since 1992, and actively recruiting franchisees
Brand identity built on its 'Muskoka roots' (Ontario cottage country), with locations across its Canadian network
This is the first real decision in a Turtle Jack's Muskoka Grill 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 location's assets — kitchen and bar equipment, patio furniture, leasehold improvements, inventory, and the franchise agreement's benefit, subject to consent. | The shares of the operating company — everything it owns, and everything it owes. |
| Franchisor consent & ROFR | Required for the specific location changing hands. | Required for the change of control itself. |
| The liquor sales licence | Transfer application to AGCO, or a new licence bridged by an interim authorization to keep serving. | Stays with the corporation, but AGCO must be notified of the ownership change. |
| Patio permit | Typically reissued or updated in the new operator's name, especially on municipal or shared parking-lot land. | Stays tied to the corporation, though the municipality is generally notified. |
| Screen & audio-visual system | Often supplied under its own vendor or sports-package agreement rather than owned outright — confirmed and, if needed, reassigned separately from the asset purchase. | The vendor agreement stays with the corporation; a change-of-control notice may still be required. |
| The lease | Needs landlord consent to assign. | Usually stays in place unless the lease has its own change-of-control clause. |
The location's assets — kitchen and bar equipment, patio furniture, leasehold improvements, inventory, and the franchise agreement's benefit, subject to consent.
The shares of the operating company — everything it owns, and everything it owes.
Required for the specific location changing hands.
Required for the change of control itself.
Transfer application to AGCO, or a new licence bridged by an interim authorization to keep serving.
Stays with the corporation, but AGCO must be notified of the ownership change.
Typically reissued or updated in the new operator's name, especially on municipal or shared parking-lot land.
Stays tied to the corporation, though the municipality is generally notified.
Often supplied under its own vendor or sports-package agreement rather than owned outright — confirmed and, if needed, reassigned separately from the asset purchase.
The vendor agreement stays with the corporation; a change-of-control notice may still be required.
Needs landlord consent to assign.
Usually stays in place unless the lease has its own change-of-control clause.
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 Turtle Jack's location changing hands between one buyer and one seller, with a straightforward lease and an existing liquor licence.
Start my file →A multi-location operator selling several units as one company, or a resale where the screen/AV equipment's vendor agreement needs its own review 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.
Not always in full — some of that equipment is supplied under its own vendor or sports-package agreement rather than owned by the location outright, so we confirm what's actually included in the asset purchase versus what needs its own transfer request to the equipment vendor.
Often, yes — where the patio sits on municipal or shared parking-lot land, the permit is typically reissued in the new operator's name. We time this so it's in place before patio season if closing falls near it.
Often, yes — an interim authorization can let the premises keep serving under temporary authority while the full transfer application works through AGCO. What applies to your specific licence gets confirmed before closing, not assumed.
Not necessarily. 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 anyway. We assess this early rather than assume it.
Often, yes — buying an operating company that holds several locations is more commonly done as a share purchase, so every location's franchise agreement, licence, and lease stay intact through one transaction rather than several.
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 Turtle Jack's Muskoka Grill or its franchisor.
Tell us about your Turtle Jack's Muskoka Grill resale — we'll point you the right way and confirm the cost in writing before any work begins.