Mr. Handyman plans to open five more locations in St. Louis by the end of the year, adding between 25 and 50 jobs.
The Ann Arbor, Mich.-based home repair company is scouting for sites and franchise owners.
Mr. Handyman currently has three St. Louis-area locations owned by Bill and Barbara Harrison, Michael Fitzsimmons and B.J. Myers.
The total investment for each franchisee is about $125,000, including $50,000 in cash, Chief Executive Todd Recknagel said. Each franchisee must have a net worth of at least $250,000.
Franchisees do not need to have prior experience in the construction industry, Recknagel said. Some of the best current franchisees include a former Wachovia banker, Hollywood screenwriter, computer programmer and educator, he said. The owners supervise four or five technicians who operate out of Mr. Handyman vans, he said.
