Let’s talk about the franchise barbershop. There aren’t very many of them, which can make it difficult for men and boys to know where to go for a quality haircut.
Modern-day salons seem to cater to women, girls, or small children. Except, that’s not entirely true. There’s one salon that, while not a franchise barbershop by definition, can still give men and boys haircuts they’ll love.
What Do Men Look For in a Barbershop?
Not all barbershops are created equal. To first understand what kind of barbershop franchises do well, we must understand what type of barbershops appeal to men in the first place. What traits of a barbershop are appealing?
Experience and Expertise
Men want what everyone wants in a haircut: to look fantastic! The best way to achieve that is to go to stylists who are experts at their craft. Not only are they skilled with the tools, but they’re knowledgeable about styles, trends, and grooming tips.
Cleanliness and Maintenance
The best barbershop franchises are clean and well-maintained. A man may not mind his mechanic’s place with some grime around the edges, but an unkempt barbershop will not attract repeat business. The best barber shop franchises are clean, and hygienic, and the tools are well cared for and sanitized properly.
Consistency
One of the promises made by the traditional barbershop of the past was that barbers could give quality haircuts every single time. Hair grows consistently, so men need regular, frequent haircuts and may not want to change their appearance every time. A consistent haircut is part of a man’s identity even today.
Affordability
Even if price isn’t the most important factor for every man, for many providing for families or saving for the future, affordability counts, men’s haircuts can add up thanks to how often they must have a haircut, so a barbershop franchise that provides good value will always inspire loyalty among customers.
Tradition
Many men like the idea of the old-fashioned barbershop, with services like hot shaves, old-fashioned hot lather, scalp massage, and hot towels. Some of today’s franchise barbershops even include a full-service bar to up their game on customer treatment. By increasing these value-added services, men’s barbershop franchises are building on nostalgia while creating room for a modern twist in their offerings.
Bonding
Many men look forward to developing bonding time with their sons by taking them to a master barber for a haircut cut, as they get older, a good old-fashioned shave. The best barbershop franchises will treat these experiences with respect for the good memories they’ll become and not just another transaction.
According to the Hollywood Institute of Beauty Careers, men are incredibly loyal to their barber shops, particularly because they’re social hubs where they share stories, laugh, and build connections.
What Makes a Franchise Barbershop Stand Out?
Barbershop franchise opportunities are often attractive to investors because they’re recession-resistant businesses. Hair keeps growing no matter what the economy’s doing. Barbershops, in particular, are a simpler business model to operate.
It’s common for a barbershop franchise opportunity not to require their franchise owners to have cosmetology training; it’s not necessary! A barber shop can attract clients without offering salon services.
Focusing on men’s grooming products and habits in the modern day is a wise decision. Men, now more than ever, are paying attention to grooming. Statista# shows men worldwide spent nearly $80 billion in 2022 on personal care products. It’s no longer strange for men to be discerning about how they look or what products they use, and barber shop franchises are taking notice.
Investing Beyond the Niche of the Barber Shop
When considering what kind of business to invest in within the beauty industry, it may not be the best idea to cater only to one population segment. Yes, men deserve special treatment, just like the ladies. But that doesn’t have to mean a franchise brand excludes half the population.
In fact, at Fantastic Sams, we believe we can cater to men, women, and children in a way that celebrates the whole family. We do this by offering customers expertise that fits them by training our people in all specialties of salon services.
In this way, our franchise owners can reliably offer their customers the very best, including hairdressing, color, styling, treatments, and waxing (depending on the location).
We also provide our franchisees with everything they need to operate a Fantastic Sams franchise location, including:
- Expert advice on site selection and build-out based on extensive demographic data.
- Extensive training in technology and operations to smoothly run each Fantastic Sams brand location.
- Technology tools to assist with modern business practices, including software to track inventory, scheduling, accounting, and more.
- Facilitating vendor and supplier relationships.
- On-site launch and grand opening support.
- Continued support beyond opening for ongoing training, on-site visits, and further assistance as necessary.
- Marketing support and access to marketing collateral for a consistent message across the brand.
At Fantastic Sams, we also intend to create an empowering place for our franchisees, where they have everything they need to build an exciting future for a business owner.
We seek qualified investors to become franchisees passionate about building a business and embracing a modern take on the traditional barbershop. We are a legacy brand that has been in business for more than 50 years for a reason.
If joining a franchise team that has built a franchise model intent on helping our franchises be the best they can be, whether that’s catering to men’s hairdressing and beyond, sounds like the sort of recession-resistant industry you’d like to join. Contact us to get started!