Among all large Florida cities, the First Coast has the highest percentage of franchised businesses, according to an analysis of U.S. census data by LendingTree. With 823 franchises, 6.1% of Jacksonville’s businesses are franchised operations.
The impact on the city, however, is more complicated, combining a greater number of more accessible opportunities for entrepreneurship with a commercial landscape that more closely resembles that of other cities across the country.When Firehouse Subs was founded in 1994 by brothers Chris and Robin Sorensen, Jacksonville was a different place. With under 700,000 residents — more than a quarter of a million fewer than today, per the U.S.
Indeed, when one looks at personal finance website’s 2022 ranking of America’s best large cities to start a business, Jacksonville comes in at #7, out of 100 cities ranked — but its “business costs” are ranked more favorably than any other city in the top 21 cities. Per the U.S. Census Bureau, Jacksonville had a median age of 35.9 in 2020, compared to 42.2 in the state as a whole. For comparison, Miami’s median age is 40.1, Tampa’s is 35.9 and Orlando’s is 33.9.
Mayor Lenny Curry, for instance, celebrated over the Business Journal’s July 13 story that Jacksonville is Florida’s top city for franchises, sharing the story on Twitter with applause emojis the morning it was published. In the comments, though, users bemoaned chains replacing independent, local businesses.