TIMELESS launches regional franchise offer with investment starting at RUB 180 million

Premium lounge bar brand TIMELESS has launched a franchise offer for Russia’s regional markets. According to a report published by Kommersant on 29 October, expansion has already begun with a project in Novosibirsk. The stated investment starts at RUB 180 million, including the initial franchise fee, and the company allows 12 months for preparation and opening.

From Moscow venues to regional projects

According to the report, TIMELESS currently has six franchised venues in central Moscow and one in Dubai. The company is preparing to open another international location in Abu Dhabi in 2026. The regional offer therefore builds on existing franchised venues rather than marking the brand’s first experience of working with franchise partners.

In Russia, the company intends to expand into cities with populations of over one million, as well as major tourist and cultural centres. These plans cover the coming years. The Novosibirsk location is described as the starting point for this expansion, but the published information does not establish that the venue is already welcoming guests.

For those following Russia’s franchise market, the main significance is that an established premium concept is moving beyond the capital. However, the stated geographical focus indicates the direction of expansion, not a list of confirmed openings. The report gives no specific opening dates for subsequent regional venues.

The project selection process is also significant. TIMELESS does not describe its regional expansion as selling an identical package for any city: before a contract is signed, the team is expected to study the local market and identify the future venue’s target audience.

Investment and payback projections are tailored to each location

Total investment starts at RUB 180 million. The initial franchise fee is included in this amount, so the figure should be treated as a starting estimate for the project rather than a separate charge for the right to operate under the brand. The report does not disclose the fee itself.

The company allows 12 months to prepare and open a venue. The target payback period is two to four years. It is important to distinguish this target from the actual outcome for any future franchisee: it is a projected benchmark, not a guaranteed return of the investment.

The team calculates the financial projections for each new TIMELESS venue individually. The financial model is intended to reflect the local market and the chosen premises. The general terms of the offer are therefore no substitute for city-specific calculations, which should form the basis of discussions about a prospective project.

The figure of ‘from RUB 180 million’ does not mean that every venue will have the same final cost. For a prospective franchisee, the practical approach is to establish the requirements of their location first, then assess the bespoke financial model against the stated preparation and payback periods. Until then, comparing projects solely on their starting investment would be insufficient.

How responsibilities are divided between the franchisee and the network

Before entering into a partnership, TIMELESS studies the region, identifies the target audience and develops a business plan. Under the procedure described by the company, the franchise agreement is signed after these stages, and work on the project then begins.

Finding premises and signing the lease are the franchisee’s responsibility. The management company supplies technical requirements and approves the selected site. This makes assessment of the premises a distinct stage of preparation: finding an address that the entrepreneur considers suitable does not, in itself, mean the brand has approved the location.

A launch team from the management company supports the franchisee. The offer includes assistance with building the team, setting up service operations and financial oversight. The franchisor provides solutions that, according to the company, have already been tested across its operating venues.

Digital management is based on the company’s proprietary COSMOS IT system. It brings together finance, bookings, the guest database and staff management. For a prospective franchisee, this is one of the offer’s tangible components, alongside launch support, technical requirements for the premises and preparation of the business plan.

Moscow performance is a benchmark, not a regional forecast

The company estimates average monthly footfall across its Moscow network at more than 45,000 visits. According to its figures, 65–70% of guests visit at least twice a month during the peak season. These figures relate to the existing Moscow venues and are presented specifically as TIMELESS estimates.

They should not be applied directly to projections for a regional bar: network-wide footfall is not the same as footfall at a single venue, and the repeat-visit figures relate to the peak season. The company’s stated approach of developing a separate financial model is therefore particularly important when assessing the offer.

The practical takeaway for prospective franchisees is to begin discussions with TIMELESS by assessing the city and premises together with the brand’s team. The next step is to examine the bespoke business plan, the investment breakdown and the assumptions behind the target payback period.