Pop-A-Lock

The vendor opportunity at Pop-A-Lock

Pop-A-Lock operates 380 total units in the home services sector, with 373 franchised locations and 7 company-owned units. The system is entirely single-unit operators—76 mapped operators run 76 located units, with no multi-unit operators reported. Year-over-year unit growth declined by 2.865%, suggesting a mature network with potential churn or consolidation. For software vendors, the addressable market is 373 franchised locations, concentrated in top states Louisiana (12), Texas (8), Florida (6), New York (5), and California (3). The franchise is independently owned, with no parent company on file.

Average unit volume (AUV) is not disclosed in the most recent FDD. The royalty rate is 7.0% of gross revenue, and the initial franchise term is 10 years. These economics shape the operator's willingness to invest in new technology, but the centralized purchasing dynamic means vendors sell into HQ, not individual franchisees.

Who controls software purchasing

The 2025 FDD lists five executives in Item 1: Don Marks (Chief Executive Officer), Leslie Carter (Chairman of the Board), Steve Gremillion (Vice President of Research and Development), Carl Vincent (Vice President of Business Development), and Michael Kleimeyer (Director of Franchise Development). For software vendors, Steve Gremillion and Carl Vincent are the most relevant contacts—Gremillion oversees R&D, which likely includes technology evaluation, while Vincent's business development role may encompass vendor partnerships and system-wide initiatives. Don Marks as CEO holds ultimate budgetary authority. The absence of a named CIO or CTO suggests technology decisions flow through these existing leadership roles.

Mandated and current tech stack

Pop-A-Lock mandates a proprietary "Pop-A-Lock computer system" across all franchised units, as disclosed in the FDD. No third-party POS, CRM, or operational software vendors are named as required or recommended. This proprietary system likely handles core locksmith dispatch, job management, and possibly billing. Vendors offering complementary or replacement solutions should understand this existing mandate—any pitch must address integration with or migration from the in-house system. The FDD does not disclose cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, or back-office software providers.

Procurement, renewals, and timing

Item 8 of the FDD contains no procurement extract, meaning the franchise does not publicly disclose whether it designates specific suppliers, maintains an approved vendor list, or allows open purchasing. This opacity means vendors must engage HQ directly to understand procurement pathways. Item 17 outlines renewal conditions: franchisees must be in good standing and sign the then-current Franchise Agreement, which "may contain materially different terms than those contained in the agreement attached to this Disclosure Document." This clause creates natural re-evaluation windows every 10 years, when franchisees must accept new terms—potentially including updated technology mandates. Vendors should monitor renewal cycles and any system-wide technology upgrades tied to agreement updates.

How to read the Pop-A-Lock FDD

The 2025 Pop-A-Lock Franchise Disclosure Document is filed with state franchise regulators and available for review below. Key sections for software vendors: Item 1 identifies the executive team and corporate structure; Item 11 details the mandated computer system and any other technology requirements; Item 8 (when present) reveals procurement restrictions; Item 17 defines renewal terms and potential contract changes. Because Pop-A-Lock is independently owned with no parent company, all decision-making authority rests with the HQ team listed above. For a ranked target list of franchise systems matched to your software category, FranCloud can help.