The UPS Store Non-Traditional Franchise Opportunities
Steve Chambers, Vice President of Franchise Development at The UPS Store, discusses our non-traditional Store in Store opportunity.
Store in Store Non-Traditional Locations
The UPS Store launched our Non-traditional concept in the 1980s to set up freestanding centers inside hotels, convention centers and other businesses. In 2016, we expanded this idea to allow franchise owners to set up centers in smaller businesses like pharmacies and hardware stores. The real value of the Store in Store model is that it allows business owners to provide additional services to their existing customer base and become a one-stop shop, especially in smaller communities that may lack shipping and printing services.
By opening a non-traditional franchise center with The UPS Store, existing business owners can provide their customers the following additional services:
- Packing and Shipping
- Mailbox Services
- Moving Supplies
- Packaging Materials
- Digital Printing and Document Services
- Faxing, Notary and Computer Services
- Custom Crating and Freight Shipping
- Alternative Delivery Services
Below are just a few examples of current our Store in Store franchise locations. If you have an idea for a similar opportunity or are interested in opening a The UPS Store center in your business, contact us today to talk to our Franchise Development team.
Parkland Health Mart Pharmacy
In the rural community of Desloge, Missouri, about an hour south of St. Louis, the locally-owned and operated Parkland Health Mart Pharmacy meets the vital health needs of the community, offering a range of goods and services from prescriptions and medical equipment.
Because of the tremendous community support the first three pharmacy locations received, the pharmacy has continued to grow and opened a brand-new store within the pharmacy. The 400-square foot The UPS Store location inside the pharmacy provides the packing and shipping services one would expect along with many other services for the local community. The UPS Store within a store location provides a one-stop shop experience for area residents and works in synergy with the pharmacy.
Local Hardware Store

Michael Collins, the owner of a local hardware store in Margate, NJ, needed a way to differentiate his business from his larger competitors. And, since Margate is a small beach community, the town had a strong need for centralized packing and shipping services.
The solution? Collins expanded his business model by opening a non-traditional The UPS Store center in his hardware store to provide his customers a convenient place to check off a variety of items on their to-do lists.
The result? Local consumers loved the new expanded services and the ability to get more done without running additional errands. The hardware store’s existing customer base of local handyman and contractors could handle their business needs in the same place they picked up their tools and supplies.
Learn more about Store in Store franchise opportunities.
Other Non-traditional Franchise Locations
Hotels and Convention Centers
The UPS Store centers at hotels and convention centers serve as a vital cog in the property’s daily operation. Stores handle inbound and outbound shipments, as well as provide professional, on-site printing services.
Military Bases
The UPS Store centers on military bases provide a convenient and valuable resource for the community. Most importantly, it helps families stay in touch with their loved ones. Limited franchise opportunities are available.
Colleges and Universities
Opening a The UPS Store on college campuses provides a valuable service to students, faculty and staff. The UPS Store helps facilitate pre-semester package receiving for residential students, and storage of items during summer break and post-semester move-out.
For example, The UPS Store partnered with Arizona State University (ASU) to help them manage the massive number of packages delivered to students in the resident halls. ASU's campus housing accommodates one of the largest residential populations in the nation with more than 13,000 residents.
The university had used a manual system to deliver mail individually to mailrooms inside each residence hall. ASU had to hire students to sort and deliver mail to multiple locations throughout campus, without a database or tracking system. The process caused plenty of packages to get lost and mail to be misplaced, leading to unpredictable replacement costs for the university.
The solution? ASU administrators partnered with The UPS Store to streamline their mailbox services. The UPS Store condensed 14 delivery locations into two non-traditional franchise centers that could manage approximately 9,000 student mailboxes. The UPS Store also implemented a state-of-the-art Parcel Management System to monitor and track packages during shipment.
The result? The UPS Store non-traditional locations virtually eliminated lost mail and packages, while implementing additional solutions to make students’ lives easier like “home-to-home” delivery and summer storage options.
“We are very pleased with our partnership with The UPS Store. The store provides a customer service oriented solution to mail management – interacting with our residents daily, while also providing added services by having a fully functional The UPS Store with printing and packing services.”
- ASU Senior Director Melissa Krewson
Interested in a non-traditional franchise opportunity with The UPS Store? Contact us today.
The UPS Store franchisee Ben Hertz shares the benefits of opening a Store in Store location in his community's local pharmacy.