Tierra Encantada Opens First Ohio Centers

Tierra Encantada has opened its first two centers in Ohio, in Powell and Columbus, bringing the Spanish immersion childcare brand to its 21st location nationwide. Both sites are corporate-owned, a pattern the company uses to prove out a market before recruiting franchise operators to build alongside it.

Corporate-First, Then Franchise

Founded in 2013, Tierra Encantada runs 20 centers open across 14 states with another 48 in development, and it consistently opens new markets with company-owned locations first. That sequencing lets the brand demonstrate its operating model and generate local enrollment data before pitching franchise candidates on the economics, which the company reports produce a $2.6 million average unit volume once a center clears 24 months.

Why Ohio, and Why Now

Demand for licensed childcare capacity continues to outpace supply in many U.S. metro areas, and Ohio ranks among the states franchise developers are targeting most aggressively this year for favorable business conditions and population growth. Entering with two centers instead of one gives Tierra Encantada faster brand visibility in the Columbus market before it opens the territory to franchise buyers.

What Franchise Candidates Should Watch

Premium early education concepts carry higher build-out and staffing costs than standard daycare, so unit economics depend on sustained enrollment and tuition pricing that supports the model. Prospective operators evaluating Ohio territory should watch how quickly the Powell center fills before betting on the same trajectory in a new location.