Salman and Komal Noordin are bringing Blo Blow Dry Bar to the Memphis market. The move expands the couple’s portfolio that already includes gas stations and hotels, as well as restaurant franchises such as Subway and Papa Johns.
Salman and Komal Noordin know what it’s like to build from the ground up, and they’ll be relying on that experience as they introduce Blo Blow Dry Bar to the Memphis market.
The husband-and-wife team signed a deal in July to develop a location of the hair styling brand in west Tennessee, with the intention of opening more in the future. It’s the latest venture for people who’ve built their careers with a strong work ethic they adopted from their parents.
Salman Noordin was new to the Memphis area in 1999. That was the year his family moved to Tennessee from Pakistan when he was 11.
“We didn’t start with much,” he said. “But my parents worked day and night to put us through school. Eventually I started working, too, and I did just about everything. I’ve worked at jewelry stores and gas stations. I’ve been a cleaning boy, cashier, janitor and manager before getting into office jobs.”
It was a similar story for Komal Noordin, who was born in the U.S., but whose parents also immigrated.
“I saw my parents go through that same struggle, working nights and doing it all for us,” she said. “The main reason was they wanted us to get an education.”
Both Noordins did just that, earning master’s degrees, with Salman studying accounting while Komal became a behavioral therapist. Later working in finance, Salman started investing in gas station and truck stop businesses, along with restaurants, and is a franchisee of Checkers, Subway, Baskin-Robbins and Papa Johns, with 24 locations across the four brands.
Komal said what her husband has done was inspiring, and it pushed her in the direction of wanting to find a franchise of her own. “I had always wanted to get in the business world after seeing Salman do it,” she said. “I also had gone to a Blo Blow Dry Bar and loved the concept. I realized we didn’t have anything like this in Memphis, so I started getting on Salman’s case, saying ‘we need to do this.’”
Since getting started as a franchisee, Komal said the experience with Blo has been “beyond impressive.”
“Our franchise business coach was amazing,” she said. “We still feel empowered as owners, but at the same time, they’re here to help. I’ve also loved learning about the different styles and products they have to offer. But the best thing is every guest is so valued. I love that commitment to excellence.”
Vanessa Yakobson
Construction started in early August for the new unit and the location is set to open this fall. For the location, Salman said they leased a space in an area he referred to as “mom central.”
“There’s a Trader Joe’s, nail salons, restaurants, a shopping center and it’s always busy,” he said. “Komal called me after going to the Trader Joe’s and said, ‘this is it. This is where I would want to go to get my hair done because I can do all these other things while I’m here.’”
The initial costs to open a location range from $309,031 to $379,502. Average gross sales in 2022 were $345,130.
The new Memphis location is in a region being looked at heavily by Blo Blow Dry Bar. The brand, founded in 2007 and now with more than 140 locations throughout the U.S. and Canada, is looking to develop in Tennessee, Georgia and Kentucky.
“It’s so exciting for us to enter new markets,” Blo Blow Dry Bar CEO Vanessa Yakobson said. “Being able to do so with such engaged and committed franchisees who have a great background to bring to our model is really great for us.”
In addition to their experience, Yakobson said Komal Noordin adds more value as a Blo Blow Dry Bar customer herself.
“She brings the understanding of the customer perspective on what the value proposition is that Blo offers,” Yakobson said. “She knows the female customer experience. She understands that for busy moms or working professionals, that the service offering is compelling because of the convenience and affordability. You combine that with Salman’s experience, that’s a powerful combination for us.”
“This is not a brand we will have to sell; this is going to sell itself,” Salman said. “That’s why we have immediate plans after we open this one to expand and build more locations in the surrounding areas.”