Wendy Steele said she has that business gene, that entrepreneurial spirit.

And when she chose to open a restaurant in Augusta, she chose to buy into a franchise chain -- and in the middle of a recession.

In April, Ms. Steele and two partners, Stuart and Marian Gertman, opened Einstein Bros. Bagels on Washington Road.

"It's wonderful to have a franchise because all the creativity has already been done. I am a very creative person but I think in this instance, it makes it easier. It flows, very simply," Ms. Steele said.

The franchising industry has grown "pretty significantly" over the past two years, said Alisa Harrison, a spokeswoman for the International Franchise Association.

"Buying a franchise business can be a good investment in both good times and bad ... because it provides a terrific way for people to get into business for themselves, but not necessarily by themselves," Ms. Harrison said.

Historically, she said, more people become interested in franchises during an economic downturn.

"The only thing that is holding people back from buying the franchises is the credit issue," she said.

Similar to past recessions, she expects franchises to outperform nonfranchise businesses, though at a lower rate compared to previous downturns, "primarily because of the lack of financing that is available."

"The advantages of buying into a franchise are buying power and constant support from the franchiser. It's the best way to go. If a franchiser has 300 or 400 franchisees, if it works for them, why wouldn't it work for you?" said Bud Evans, the owner of ColorTyme of Augusta, a rent-to-own furniture and appliance store that opened on Windsor Spring Road in May.

Rather than starting his own store, he decided on a franchise to "have national recognition." ColorTyme Inc. operates 206 stores in 33 states.

"There are a lot of franchisers out there, but you want to go with one that has a very good rating. A financially stable company that's got a good track record and has some history behind it," Mr. Evans said.

Five Guys Burgers and Fries started franchising in 2003 and has grown to 430 franchise or corporate-owned stores. One opened on Washington Road in March.

"With the growth of franchises, we're currently opening around 200 stores a year. That in itself is amazing, considering the economy," said Ramon Almodovar, the store's director of operations.

In June, Allen Baer opened a Little Caesars franchise on Washington Road. He has 25 years' experience in the food service industry, and this isn't his first franchise store.

"It's the biggest commitment you'll ever make in your life, besides marriage and buying a house. You've got to be totally focused on what you're doing," he said. "You have to do your homework. Every business has got its own quirks, so you've got to figure out what your skill set is and what you think you're capable of doing."

Mr. Baer said he considered several franchising opportunities but he decided to stick with the food industry.

"With the economy we're in, people are looking for a value. I believe Little Caesars has a great product for the money," he said.

Einstein Bros. Bagels has 350 company-owned stores nationwide, and the company also owns Manhattan Bagel and Noah's Bagels. There are perks to owning a franchise, said Roger Weiss, who serves as Ms. Steele's franchise attorney.

"They're constantly innovating and coming out with new products that would be difficult for an individual to come up with. They're constantly revising their menu," he said.

Ms. Steele said she has received corporate support from the start, including suggestions about advertising and marketing.

"That's something that most mom-and-pop operations don't know anything about -- how to spend your advertising dollars wisely," Mr. Weiss said.

"Einstein's has been wonderful in their training and their complete and total support," Ms. Steele said. "Their brand is so important to them that they want whoever is going to represent their brand, they want it to be perfect."

Before they entered the franchise agreement, Mr. Weiss spoke with other franchisees about their experiences.

"This is not a simple business," Mr. Weiss said. "For someone to come out of college and expect to be able to run a franchise like this might be a little bit overly optimistic. ... You need to understand profit and loss statements, how to purchase and how to control food and labor costs.

"It's difficult in this type of operation, but there may be simpler franchises where that might not be the case."

Reach LaTina Emerson at (706) 823-3227 or latina.emerson@augustachronicle.com.