Great Clips

Great Clips
Name	Great Clips
Type	Private
Industry	Hair care
Founded	1982
Founders	David Rubenzer, Steve Lemmon
Headquarters	Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Area served	United States, Canada
Key people	Bruce Hennes (CEO), Mike Lavin (President)
Num locations	~4,400 (2025)
Num employees	Franchise employees

Great Clips

Great Clips is a North American hair salon franchise group founded in 1982 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The company expanded rapidly through franchising into thousands of locations across the United States and Canada, competing with chains such as Supercuts, Sport Clips and Fantastic Sams. Known for value-oriented haircut services, the firm integrates appointment technologies and local marketing to serve suburban and urban markets, often near shopping centers, transit corridors, and anchor tenants like Walmart, Target and Costco.

History

The founders David Rubenzer and Steve Lemmon opened the first store during a decade of retail consolidation alongside chains such as McDonald's in fast service and Taco Bell in franchising. Early growth in the 1980s paralleled expansion trends seen in Interstate Bakeries and Dunkin' Donuts franchises, leveraging a standardized service model rooted in efficiency and repeat business. During the 1990s and 2000s, the company scaled through partnerships with regional franchisees and adopted appointment and queuing technologies promoted by firms like Aloft Hotels and Starbucks for customer throughput optimization. Strategic corporate moves in the 2010s included executive hires from consumer services backgrounds tied to Procter & Gamble and McKinsey & Company, and expansion into Canadian markets alongside cross-border retailers such as Shoppers Drug Mart and Hudson's Bay Company.

Business model and operations

Great Clips operates on a franchise model similar to systems used by Subway and 7-Eleven, where independent franchise owners manage day-to-day salon operations under brand standards enforced by corporate support centers. Site selection often targets shopping centers anchored by Kroger, Safeway, or Albertsons chains to capture grocery foot traffic. The company deploys point-of-sale, payroll, and scheduling integrations comparable to those adopted by Square and PayPal ecosystems to streamline franchise accounting. Centralized corporate teams supply training protocols influenced by vocational frameworks like those of Redken academies and regulatory compliance practices found in retail chains such as Home Depot.

Services and products

Primary offerings include walk-in and appointment haircuts for men, women, and children, echoing service mixes offered by competitors such as Great Clips competitor Supercuts and Fantastic Sams franchise system. Retail product assortments commonly feature salon-branded shampoos, conditioners, and styling aids from suppliers used by chains including Matrix, Paul Mitchell, and Wella. Seasonal promotions, gift cards, and loyalty programs integrate with digital platforms similar to those run by Sephora and Ulta Beauty, while salon operations utilize professional tools from manufacturers like Andis and Wahl.

Franchising and ownership

Franchising agreements follow established templates used across the franchise sector by companies like Yum! Brands and Dunkin' Brands, specifying royalties, territorial rights, and training commitments. Ownership structures vary: single-unit operators, multi-unit franchisees, and private equity-backed groups mirror investor patterns seen with Inspire Brands and Franworks. Franchisee support includes initial training academies, operations manuals, and marketing co-op programs similar to those employed by Marriott International for its franchisees. Regulatory oversight for franchising interactions aligns with disclosure practices under statutes referenced in franchise law cases involving companies like McDonald's.

Marketing and branding

Brand positioning emphasizes convenience, affordability, and consistency, using local advertising channels akin to strategies from Metro Newspapers and regional radio groups such as iHeartMedia. National partnerships and sponsorships have mirrored programs undertaken by consumer brands like PepsiCo and Nike to increase visibility in community sports and event sponsorships. Digital marketing leverages search and social platforms including Google Ads and Facebook for targeted campaigns; mobile appointment features reflect user-interface trends pioneered by OpenTable and DoorDash in consumer scheduling.

Corporate social responsibility and controversies

Corporate social initiatives have included community outreach and charity drives comparable to programs run by Bread for the World and corporate giving foundations linked to Target Corporation. The company has supported causes such as children's hospitals and local scholarship programs similar to philanthropy activities of Walmart Foundation and Kroger Community Rewards. Controversies in the wider salon franchising sector—paralleling disputes involving labor standards at entities like Uber and McDonald's—have prompted discussions about wage practices, franchisor-franchisee responsibilities, and compliance with occupational safety rules enforced by bodies such as Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Like many chains, the company has navigated public scrutiny concerning pricing, employee classification, and franchisee relations, which have been addressed through policy updates, training, and legal consultation with firms experienced in franchise litigation similar to those representing Subway franchisees.

Category:Hairdressing companies Category:Franchises in the United States