1851

Like many business owners, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-martin-bb319955/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=why-this-great-clips-franchisee-bought-three-more-salons-during-the-pandemic-2715494" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Mike Martin</a>, a franchise owner with <a href="https://www.greatclipsfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=why-this-great-clips-franchisee-bought-three-more-salons-during-the-pandemic-2715494" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Great Clips, Inc.</a> had to temporarily close shop during the COVID-19 pandemic. But instead of sitting back and waiting&nbsp;for the pandemic to blow over, he decided to triple down and invest in three more locations.Martin says he felt empowered by his franchisor to take risks. Now, he says the risk has paid off.“I had been in business for three months with Great Clips when we had to shut down on March 18,” said Martin. “But I already had the wheels in motion to open additional salons.”At that point, Martin could continue to advance his plan to grow his business with additional Great Clips salons or play it safe. But Martin stayed the course, and according to <a href="https://www.greatclips.com/about-us/leadership/steve-hockett?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=why-this-great-clips-franchisee-bought-three-more-salons-during-the-pandemic-2715494" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Steve Hockett</a>, CEO of Great Clips, Inc., it was the right move.&nbsp;“On March 4, 2020, Great Clips had 4,501 salons open,” said Hockett. “On April 4, there were 17 salons open. But by May and June, we saw around a 25% increase in new customers.”For Martin, staying the course meant showing confidence in his investment and in his franchisor. Martin knew people would always need haircuts, and that Great Clips, Inc. has the inside track on how to best deliver that service. So he went ahead with his new locations despite the unprecedented pandemic.&nbsp;“I knew that I wanted to open at least two more salons and then ended up adding another because there was a location I was interested in,” he said. “I was already talking to a landlord about that fourth location, and rather than holding off, I just went ahead, finalized and opened. Things slowed down a little because of the pandemic, but I just kept rolling with it.”&nbsp;&nbsp;While Martin showed impressive resolve, his confidence stemmed from knowing he was going to get all the support and training he needed from a professional, flexible franchisor who understood his needs.&nbsp;“Great Clips is a tremendous franchisor,” said Martin. “They give you all the tools that you need to be a successful franchisee. They’ll do whatever they can for you and help you out in any way possible.”But the pandemic wasn’t just impacting business in the usual ways — it was also creating a scarcity of workers for Martin to pull from. Usually, Great Clips, Inc. offers strict guidance on hiring metrics before a salon can open based on the franchisor’s tremendous experience and knowledge. But the franchisor in this case was also willing to be flexible with the times, according to Martin.&nbsp;“Great Clips was very flexible because it was a really hard time to hire stylists,” said Martin. “There are still a lot of stylists who are scared to come back. We’re in very close contact with people; we’re touching them. Normally, you’re required to have a certain number of stylists hired to get your salon open, but the franchisor team has been flexible, knowing that we can make it work for where we are right now.”In the end, Martin is glad he took the risk&nbsp;and continued to invest. Now, Martin is poised to reap the rewards of grabbing up market share during uncertain times.“The support from Great Clips and my own experience made me confident that, yes, opening a new salon in the pandemic is going to be hard for probably a year, but the pandemic is going to end at some point. It’s going to get better,” said Martin. “There’s going to be more certainty, more confidence in the future, so let’s get this thing started so that we’re positioned to benefit from people having higher confidence of being out and getting their hair cut in the near future. I’ll be positioned to take advantage and already have the hard work behind me when the pandemic is over.”The total investment to open a Great Clips salon ranges from $136,900 to $259,400. For more information, visit <a href="https://www.greatclipsfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=why-this-great-clips-franchisee-bought-three-more-salons-during-the-pandemic-2715494" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://www.greatclipsfranchise.com/</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Why This Great Clips Franchisee Bought Three More Salons During the Pandemic

1851 Franchise

Mike Martin didn’t know how the pandemic would end up, but he knew he’d never find a better opportunity to launch three new Great Clips franchise locations.

why-this-great-clips-franchisee-bought-three-more-salons-during-the-pandemic

One Hour Heating and Air Conditioning

Why One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning Sees People as the Power Behind Franchise Growth

one-hour-heating-air-conditioning-franchise-growth

Lawn Doctor

Design with photo of John Perry and Lawn Doctor logo

How a 20-Year Industry Veteran Tripled His Sales With a Lawn Doctor Franchise

lawn-doctor-franchise-success-story-john-perry

Fitness Premier

The Secret to Fitness Franchise Success? It's Not Just the Workouts

fitness-premier-franchise-marketing-support

Fresh Coat

Photo of Fresh Coat vehicle with ladders on top

The Rise of Home Improvement Franchises: Why Now Is the Time to Invest

why-invest-home-improvement-franchise-fresh-coat

HomeTeam Inspection Service

Photo of HomeTeam inspector in red polo and khaki pants, walking by branded vehicle

Real Estate Today: Behind the Drywall: The Truth About Home Inspections

purpose-of-home-inspection

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Design with American and Federal Reserve flags against light blue background

Federal Reserve Expected To Cut Rates by Quarter Point, a Move That Could Boost Franchise Growth

fed-rate-cut-boosts-franchise-growth

Potbelly to be Acquired by RaceTrac in $566 Million Deal 

racetrac-acquires-potbelly-in-566-million-deal

Health Care Hiring Slowdown Highlights In-Home Care Franchise Opportunities - 1851 Franchise Agg

Health Care Hiring Slowdown Highlights In-Home Care Franchise Opportunities 

health-care-hiring-slowdown-in-home-care-franchise-opportunities

Caribou Coffee Names Scott Kennedy CEO, Eyes Continued Growth

caribou-coffee-names-scott-kennedy-ceo-eyes-continued-growth

McDonald’s Launches New Extra Value Meals as Consumer Demand for Value Continues to Climb

mcdonalds-launches-extra-value-meals

Hely and Hiral Patel Bring Their Longtime Dream to Life With The Brass Tap

brass-tap-franchise-pasadena-maryland-hely-hiral-patel

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Ricki Oberoi and Layne's Chicken Fingers logo

Multi-Unit Wendy’s Operator Signs 12-Unit Deal With Layne’s Chicken Fingers

ricki-oberoi-laynes-chicken-fingers-growth

graphic image of an 1851 franchisee spotlight brayden and johnny steven of teriyaki madness

Father-and-Daughter Team Bring Teriyaki Madness to Wichita, Kansas, With Big Expansion Plans

johnny-brayden-steven-teriyaki-madness-wichita

photo-of-laynes-chicken-fingers-dalton-dennis-southern-oregon

23-Year-Old Entrepreneur Brings Soon to Be Famous Chicken™ to Southern Oregon With 3-Unit Layne’s Chicken Fingers Franchise Signing

laynes-chicken-fingers-dalton-dennis-southern-oregon

1851 Keyword - The Secret To Succeeding With a Part-Time Franchise Is Picking the Right Model

The Secret To Succeeding With a Part-Time Franchise Is Picking the Right Model

part-time-franchises-picking-the-right-model

DevHub - Meet the Supplier - 1851 Franchise

DevHub: Scalable Digital Marketing for Franchises and Multi-Location Brands

devhub-meet-the-supplier

1851 Franchise Deep Dive graphic with Sparkle Squad logo

Sparkle Squad Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

franchise-deep-dive-sparkle-squad-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data

Design with school-aged child standing on pencil with text "Education Franchises" and "<$500K"

Top Education Franchises Under $500K To Explore in 2025

top-education-franchises-under-500k

Why This Great Clips Franchisee Bought Three More Salons During the Pandemic

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS