Billion dollar business groomed in Georgetown
Sport Clips CEO Gordon Logan wanted to fill a gap in the salon industry when he opened the first Sport Clips location in 1993.
I noticed a decline in barbershops. Men were being forced to go to salons. But it wasnt an environment they felt welcome in, he said. I felt there was a real opportunity, so we created a concept just for men and boys, tailored to their needs.
Logan, a Georgetown resident since 1985, opened the prototype store in Austin offering a place to make haircuts less of a chore for men. The location featured amenities such as height-adjustable shampoo chairs and stylists trained to address problems men typically have with their hair.
We operated there for two years, making sure policies and procedures were in place before we decided to roll out as a franchise, he said. We did a lot of market research, held focus groups with men and incorporated a lot of that [input].
Georgetown Sport Clips Manager Diana Garza said she believes customers appreciate the quick, consistent service offered by the business.
Its fast-paced, but were very detailed in our work, Garza said. [Customers are] around a bunch of guy-friendly hair stylists. We can talk sports and hold a conversation on any man topic.
More than 1,100 franchise stores in the U.S. and Canada and 28 corporate locations later, Logan has made Georgetown the headquarters for the billion-dollar business. Sport Clips has been ranked as one of the top 20-fastest growing franchises and in the top 10 percent of the Franchise 500 by Entrepreneur magazine.
Although the decor has been updated, the focus remains on making grooming an enjoyable experience for men.
On Jan. 17 the company received the Economic Development Cornerstone Award from the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce at the Georgetown Community Impact Summit.
We appreciate the recognition for the hard work people put in, Logan said. Its really a team effort.
Sport Clips brings prospective franchise owners and other employees to Georgetown throughout the year for training. In January between 70 and 80 people stayed in nearby hotels as they learned how to manage a franchise, he said.
Although Logan said the business will continue to expand its presence in the northeast this year, he said he intends to keep his headquarters in Texas.
Its a real pleasure to be part of a community like Georgetown, Logan said. Its just really been fun to watch [the city] evolve, but still have that good, small-town feeling.
Serving service members
Known for its male-friendly atmosphere, Sport Clips also works to give back to veterans.
CEO Gordon Logan has a seat on the Veterans Transition Franchise Initiative, or VetFran, committee, which helps Sport Clips offer discounts to veterans interested in owning a Sport Clips franchise.
We have a mentor program for veterans thinking of VetFran, he said We found franchising is a good fit for veterans. Theyre used to order and systems.
Sport Clips has also been named the official haircutter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, sponsored Honor Flights to take local veterans to the World War II memorial in Washington, D.C., and has raised about $2.5 million for VFW veteran scholarships, Logan said. Other projects include raising almost $2 million to benefit the VFW Operation Uplink free call days.
Its important to let active-duty servicemen and women know were grateful, he said. We think its important to thank [veterans] for their services.
Georgetown location:
1103 Rivery Blvd., Bldg. 1, Ste. 150, 512-863-2800
Hours: Mon.Fri. 9 a.m.8 p.m., Sat. 8 a.m.8 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.6 p.m.
Sport Clips headquarters:
110 Briarwood Drive, 512-869-1201
www.sportclips.com, Twitter: @SportClips
