Franchise · SBA lending record
THE BAR METHOD: how its 33 SBA loans actually performed
Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers · 51 units financed with SBA 7(a) loans since 2010 · 21 lenders have funded this brand.
6 of 33 SBA loans to this brand were charged off
That is 18.2% — roughly 3 times the 5.7% average across all SBA 7(a) loans. That is an outcome, not a verdict on the business itself — but a default record like this is what makes lenders cautious, so expect fewer of them and stiffer terms.
See the 6 charged-off loans behind this number — every one, straight from the federal recordShow list ↓Hide list ↑
| Business | Location | Charged off | SBA loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raising the Barre Company LLC | Boston, MA | 2024 | $841,523 |
| SSBarre, LLC | Mishawaka, IN | 2023 | $359,678 |
| Central Valley Barre Studio, LLC | Clovis, CA | 2021 | $260,583 |
| FYP Productions, LLC | Houston, TX | 2023 | $177,840 |
| Raising the Barre Company LLC | Boston, MA | 2024 | $32,956 |
| NoCo Bar Inc. dba The Bar Method Solana Beach | Solana Beach, CA | 2022 | $31,827 |
Each row above is an SBA 7(a) loan tied to this brand, charged off (defaulted) within seven years of approval — a few businesses appear more than once. Names, cities and loss amounts are exactly as they appear in the SBA’s FOIA release of 2026-06-30; street addresses are omitted by choice. Count them: there are 6 loans.
How this brand compares
share of owners who defaulted within seven yearsFranchise disclosure documents are not required to tell you how many owners failed. This is computed from the federal record of every SBA loan made to this brand, so it is the outcome, not the pitch.
When owners got into trouble
share of failures by yearFailures usually cluster once the opening cash is spent and the first rent increase lands. Plan working capital for that window, not for month one.
Who still lends on it
last two fiscal years| Lender | Units funded |
|---|---|
| The Huntington National Bank | 1 |
| Coastal States Bank | 1 |
| Citizens Bank | 1 |
Fewer active lenders means less competition on your rate, and a harder time if the first bank declines.
Each year's owners, as they aged
cumulative % of loan dollars charged offNot enough history yet to build a triangle.
Each row is one year's crop of new owners. Read across to watch them age; read down a column to compare different years at the same point in their life. Blank cells are simply too recent to know.
Brands worth comparing against this one
A default rate only means something next to its neighbours. These are the brands yours is being compared against.
Before you sign anything
This page tells you how past owners fared with SBA debt. It does not tell you whether this brand suits you, what the territory looks like, or how the franchisor behaves. Ask for Item 19, talk to at least five current franchisees and two who left, and run your own numbers.
Check whether the numbers work → What the SBA Franchise Directory is →
Common questions
What percentage of THE BAR METHOD franchises default on their SBA loans?
Of the 33 THE BAR METHOD SBA 7(a) loans old enough to judge, 6 — 18.2% — were charged off within seven years. That is well above the roughly 5.7% average across all SBA 7(a) loans.
Is THE BAR METHOD a good franchise to buy with an SBA loan?
This page can only tell you how THE BAR METHOD's SBA loans have performed, not whether it will work for you. A high default rate does not by itself mean a bad business — it usually means one that has been harder to finance profitably, which changes what a lender will offer you. THE BAR METHOD's 18.2% is well above the ~5.7% norm. Weigh it against the franchise disclosure document and your own numbers before deciding.
How much have lenders lost on THE BAR METHOD SBA loans?
Across the seasoned THE BAR METHOD loans in the federal record, 6 were charged off, with about $1,704,407 in SBA losses in total. Every one of those businesses is listed by name on this page — see the 6 that defaulted.