HOUSTON — Several Adam & Eve franchise store owners walked away from last night’s AEFC Awards dinner in tears of gratitude after general manager David Keegan announced that all the franchisees in attendance would be gifted with a new store.
Adam & Eve gives away one franchise every year at its annual meeting and vendor round-up event. The generous gift covers up to $30,000 of the fees and costs associated with franchising a new location.
“Want to end the show with a big bang?” Keegan asked the crowd of franchisees. “This is the time of the awards where I usually give away a free franchise. Would you guys like to win a free franchise? Usually I pick the name out of a fishbowl — well I’m tired of doing that.”
This year, it was an “Oprah moment” when Keegan instructed everyone to look under their chairs to find a piece of paper that would indicate who wins. To everyone’s surprise, sheets of paper were attached to all of the chairs in the ballroom.
“If you are a franchise operator or a general manager and you found a piece of paper under your chair you just won a free franchise,” Keegan told the crowd that appeared to be in disbelief. “In case you haven’t realized what just happened, you all just won a free franchise. Congratulations!”
Keegan also announced the location of next year’s Adam & Eve Franchise Meeting, which will be heading westward to host its growing family of franchisees in sunny San Diego, Calif.
The AEFC Awards show featured a “Night at the Oscars” theme complete with red carpet, a bright Hollywood sign, giant Oscar statues and attendees decked out in their finest outfits.
“These operators need to be recognized for all of their hard work and for building the brand,” Keegan said at the beginning of the show.
The vendors also participated in a raffle to give away a selection of prizes to franchisees. Winners walked away with everything from smart watches, Apple AirPods and free product.
“It’s truly an honor to work with all of you and we want to show you how much we appreciate you. All of us working as a team is what makes us who we are — and we’re one hell of a team,” said Chad Jenny, Adam & Eve Stores’ national business consultant before announcing the award winners.
The winners of the AEFC Awards are as follows:
Mystery Shop Score (Best mystery shop score in 2017)
- Store #165 Garden City, Texas (score: 106%) — Mike Konja
- Service Awards — 10 Years (Awarded to all stores that celebrated a 10-year anniversary in 2017)
- Store #41 Louisville, Ky. — Scott Weis
- Store #42 Elizabethtown, Ky. — Scott Weis
- Store #76 Concord, N.C. — Sactacular Group
- Store #86 Coeur D’alene, Idaho — Kraig and Kara McGee
- Store #97 McAllen, Texas — Ramiro Armendariz
Beat Last Year Award (Best percentage in store increase from one year over the next)
- Store #93 Spokane, Wash. — Kraig and Kara McGee
Gold Awards (Stores that have reached a certain revenue mark, provided excellent service and helped to enhance the brand)
- Store #9 Raleigh, N.C.
- Store #21 Seekonk, Mass.
- Store #22 Norwood, Mass.
- Store #43 Louisville, Ky.
- Store #58 San Antonio, Texas
- Store #76 Concord, N.C.
- Store #144 Tomball Rd., Houston
- Store #174 Chesapeake, Va.
Platinum Awards (Stores that have reached a certain revenue mark, provided excellent service and helped to enhance the brand)
- Store # 88 Boise, Idaho
- Store #87 Reno, Nev.
- Store #17 SR 16 St., Augustine, Fla.
- Store #36 Nampa, Idaho
- Store #74 Billings, Mont.
- Store #145 The Woodlands, Texas
- Store #146 Westheimer Rd., Houston
