Great Clips Builds on Strong Momentum by Breaking into the Memphis, Tennessee Market for the First Time

With nearly 4,200 locations thriving across the globe and 35 years of experience raising the bar in the salon industry, Great Clips has positioned itself as an industry leader. And now, it’s bringing its proven concept to a new community for the first time: Memphis, Tennessee.

Demand for a brand like Great Clips is at an all-time high in the Memphis market. Instead of focusing on temporary fads, the brand honors its long-standing tradition of providing no-frills haircuts with exceptional customer service. It’s clear that Great Clips’ simple system is working—the brand has experienced 49 consecutive quarters of same-salon sales growth. And its new Memphis expansion is expected to help the brand build on its already impressive momentum.

“We’re incredibly excited about breaking into the Memphis market. It’s the only part of Tennessee where we don’t yet have a presence, so it’s a natural next step for us to target the city for development as the Great Clips brand continues to grow,” said Beth Caron, director of franchise development at Great Clips. “Before deciding to expand in Memphis, we took a look at the demographics that make up Memphis’ population. That’s why we’re confident that the area will be a great match for our brand—there’s a real demand here among families for convenient, affordable and quality haircuts.”

Great Clips already has a franchisee who has signed on board to bring the brand to the Memphis market: Kristy Beliew. She first decided to become a franchisee back in 2012 after both of her children were old enough to be in school. She discovered Great Clips’ business ownership opportunity through some online research, and hasn’t looked back since. Right now, Beliew operates two salons in Jonesboro, Arkansas. But to continue expanding her reach as an entrepreneur, she recently purchased the rights to open up three more locations in the new Memphis territory.

According to Beliew, it’s Great Clips’ model and potential for success that has inspired her to pursue multi-unit ownership.

“The Great Clips brand is backed by an amazing and proven system that every member of its team believes in. They really go above and beyond to support franchisees like myself and make their model work. That’s why I continue to open up more locations with the brand,” said Beliew. “At the end of the day, Great Clips provides me with all the tools that I need to be successful. And the brand is known for being the best in the business, which goes a long way when finding and creating lasting relationships with customers.”

Franchisees like Beliew are the backbone of the Great Clips brand. Even though there are salons operating all over the world, the brand is still incredibly selective when it comes to the cities and people with which it would like to partner. In fact, it’s that attention to detail that continues to fuel the brand’s long-term success. 

“Great Clips takes a very strategic approach to opening up in new markets—it’s all about steady and sustainable growth. Part of that approach is based on having a strong brand presence in neighboring markets, and another part is ensuring that we have the right corporate staff in place to support our franchisees,” Caron said. “We believe we have the tools and resources in place that franchisees like Kristy will need to succeed as they establish a presence in the Memphis community. And by combining our proven model with our franchisees’ passion for people, we’ll be able to reach our full potential as we expand.”

As those ongoing expansion initiatives get underway in Memphis, Great Clips is preparing to open up even more salons in the area down the line. Beliew says she’s planning to have her three locations up and running within the next 24 months, but there’s still plenty of room for both her and other franchisees to bring the Great Clips brand to new segments of the Memphis community.

“In order to make the most out of all that Great Clips has to offer, you need to think beyond your salon. Becoming an active part of your local community makes a huge difference, which is why I’m looking forward to introducing the brand to the people of Memphis,” said Beliew. “I couldn’t be happier with my decision to franchise with Great Clips. I never could have imagined that I’d be this successful as a business owner, but now that I’m a multi-unit franchisee, I can’t imagine doing anything else.”