Pigtails & Crewcuts

On a recent episode of the&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pigtails-crewcuts-wade-brannon-on-scaling-a/id1701687149?i=1000716648147&utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=emerging-franchise-brands-podcast-how-wade-brannon-scaled-pigtails-crewcuts-into-a-national-brand-2729865" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">“Emerging Franchise Brands” podcast</a>, host&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankfiume/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=emerging-franchise-brands-podcast-how-wade-brannon-scaled-pigtails-crewcuts-into-a-national-brand-2729865" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Frank Fiume</a> spoke with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/wade-brannon-a1553418/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=emerging-franchise-brands-podcast-how-wade-brannon-scaled-pigtails-crewcuts-into-a-national-brand-2729865" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Wade Brannon</a>, President and CEO of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pigtailsandcrewcutsfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=emerging-franchise-brands-podcast-how-wade-brannon-scaled-pigtails-crewcuts-into-a-national-brand-2729865" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts</a>, about his unexpected transition from leading Heavenly Ham to launching one of the most recognized kids’ hair salon franchises in the United States.Brannon recounts how, after selling Heavenly Ham in 2002, he took time off to focus on family. But after a few years and a chance visit to a children's salon with his son, he saw an opportunity. The experience, which was radically different from the traditional barbershop his son dreaded, sparked the idea to transform the brand into a scalable franchise. He purchased&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/pigtails-and-crewcuts/info">Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts</a> in 2004 when it had just one location and spent the next year building the foundational systems to support franchising.The conversation touches on the challenges of turning a single-location concept into a national brand, including the importance of developing replicable systems and staying focused on the franchise model rather than company-owned growth. Brannon also discusses navigating the 2008 economic downturn and how moments like those shaped his perspective on sustainable growth.Today, Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts boasts 81 locations with more on the way, thanks to a strong support system and a clear vision for delivering a stress-free experience for parents and kids alike.Listen to the full episode&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pigtails-crewcuts-wade-brannon-on-scaling-a/id1701687149?i=1000716648147&utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=emerging-franchise-brands-podcast-how-wade-brannon-scaled-pigtails-crewcuts-into-a-national-brand-2729865" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">here</a>.To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://1851franchise.com/pigtailsandcrewcuts">1851franchise.com/pigtailsandcrewcuts</a>.&nbsp;

graphic image of wade brannon from pigtails and crewcuts on a podcast called emerging franchise

How Wade Brannon Grew Pigtails & Crewcuts Into a National Franchise

1851 Franchise

Franchise veteran Wade Brannon discusses how he transformed a local kids’ hair salon into a growing franchise network and the lessons he brought from his first brand, Heavenly Ham.

Emerging Franchise Brands Podcast: How Wade Brannon Scaled Pigtails & Crewcuts Into a National Brand

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 A Year of Expansion, Heart and Momentum: Pigtails & Crewcuts Looks Ahead to an Even Brighter 2026

Marketing Professional Grows Multi-Unit Pigtails & Crewcuts Presence Across Metro Atlanta

Pigtails & Crewcuts Targets St. Louis for Growth, Seeking Family-Focused Entrepreneurs To Lead Expansion

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<a href="https://www.pigtailsandcrewcutsfranchise.com/">Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts</a>, the 85-plus unit kids salon franchise, is partnering with&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ronaldmcdonaldhouseatl.org">Ronald McDonald House Atlanta</a> to support families with children undergoing intensive medical treatment in Atlanta. On June 17,&nbsp;<a href="https://pigtailsandcrewcuts.com/location/buckhead/">Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts of Buckhead</a> will host the first of a series of quarterly partnership events to provide a fun and memorable outing for children going through medical challenges and free haircuts for their families. Each event will include activities and refreshments, with the goal of providing a bit of respite for the entire family and bringing a sense of normalcy to children whose lives have been upended by a major illness.“We’re a home away from home for families when they need it the most,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/cori-weatherford/">Cori Weatherford</a>, Family Services Manager at Ronald McDonald House. “These families, a lot of times, don’t take a minute to take care of themselves or the siblings of the patients. We’re excited because these events in partnership with Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts give them that exact opportunity to be taken care of."<a href="https://1851franchise.com/pigtails-and-crewcuts/info">Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts</a> has long supported clients looking to donate hair to organizations like Locks of Love and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wigsforkids.org/">Wigs For Kids</a>, with the Buckhead salon facilitating donation cuts since 2016. Over the years, Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts has sent over 500 hair donations to Wigs For Kids alone, contributing to wigs for children experiencing hair loss."For many years, our salons have served as donation places for Wigs For Kids. If anyone comes in for a haircut and wants to donate their hair, they can do so as long as they meet the length stipulations,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-swanson-ab4a3a143/">Hannah Swanson</a>, Franchise Development Coordinator at Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts. “Historically, the Buckhead salon used to compile those hair donations and physically put them on my desk to send out. Now, each individual location manages that directly. It’s been a wonderful national partnership for many years, but this new initiative takes it a monumental step further."After years of handling donation cuts, Charmaine Hayes, Salon Manager for Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts of Buckhead, looked deeper into Wigs For Kids and the wig fitting and application process. Now, she is a Certified Service Provider, along with two salon stylists, Kat and Jose. They have become specially trained on how to measure a child’s head and crown for a properly fitting wig.&nbsp;“Charmaine has been a stylist for decades and the manager at Buckhead for about ten years,” Swanson said. “She’s been a staple of our brand for a very long time, and this advanced certification just beautifully adds to the elite level of care and service she has already been providing to children for years.”Once children are approved through the Wigs For Kids application, they can have their measurements taken by Hayes in a warm, familiar environment and sent to Wigs For Kids to begin the hairpiece production process. And when their custom wig arrives, they can return to Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts to have it cut and styled to their exact liking.“When a child loses their hair to cancer, alopecia or for any other medical reason, they often lose a piece of their identity,” Hayes said. “Providing a wig helps to restore not only their appearance, but their confidence, hope and smile, and I’m honored to be a part of that.”“We don’t know for sure how many of our families will utilize the Wigs For Kids service, but we feel it will be a valuable resource for the families we serve who have oncology kids,” Weatherford said. “Going through something like that can drastically change your body and appearance. As a child, you have all of these questions, and other people may also be asking you questions that you don’t know how to answer. Nothing in your life feels normal anymore. Being able to ‘look normal’ and go about their day without anyone staring at them or wondering if they’re okay gives these kids a sense of normalcy, which is absolutely priceless.”While the partnership with Ronald McDonald House is central to Atlanta, Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts is also actively working to grow the Certified Service Provider program throughout the network, encouraging stylists across the country to earn their credentials and further contribute to the Wigs For Kids mission and bring normalcy to families in medical crisis across the country.To donate directly to Ronald McDonald House Atlanta, click&nbsp;<a href="https://ronaldmcdonaldhouseatl.org/?form=FUNNLWNZRYU&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=20417729943&amp;gbraid=0AAAAADlstjcH-olhQmQIsi11ia3L7oX1d&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjw857RBhAgEiwAI-1yKDiYoMexUrOwcQpps4HCtOU3iiSvF3kau5xFSvNY8FSpdSJEp_eupxoCg20QAvD_BwE">here</a>.To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/pigtails-and-crewcuts.">https://1851franchise.com/pigtails-and-crewcuts.</a>&nbsp;

Pigtails & Crew Cuts Team at the RMH Partnership Event

The kids salon franchise is launching a quarterly event at its Buckhead, Georgia location, offering haircuts for the whole family.

Pigtails & Crewcuts Partners With Ronald McDonald House Atlanta to Provide Comfort, Care and Support to Families

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<a href="https://www.pigtailsandcrewcutsfranchise.com/">Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts</a>, the children’s hair salon franchise, is targeting Miami and the rest of the Southeast Florida market for franchise development. Currently, the franchise has a strong presence in Central Florida, but no existing locations in the southern part of the state.&nbsp;“Our existing Florida locations are doing fantastic, so there’s a lot of validation,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-holliman-2132313/">Michelle Holliman</a>, Vice President of Franchise Development. “All of southern Florida is still available, and they have great demographics. We’ve been doing market analysis and we see a lot of kids and population growth, and the median and average household incomes really match our target audience.”&nbsp;Florida's population has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thecentersquare.com/florida/article_4c96744e-c143-11ef-829c-bb17727f2977.html">grown by over 8% since 2020</a>, with Southeast Florida being the most densely populated region in the state,&nbsp;<a href="https://floridadep.gov/southeast">home to more than 7 million people</a>, about one-third of Florida's total population. Almost 30% of households in&nbsp;<a href="https://statisticalatlas.com/county/Florida/Miami-Dade-County/Household-Types">Miami-Dade County</a> alone have children under the age of 18.&nbsp;“You have so many different types of families in Southeast Florida. There’s so much diversity in different types of hair and the opportunity to be able to cut children's hair in that market is fantastic,” Holliman said. “This would be great not only for our haircuts, but also for our other services, like ear piercing. We do a lot of different things that would match the market.”<a href="https://1851franchise.com/pigtails-and-crewcuts/info">Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts’</a> existing Florida owners have been successful, and most have expanded. For example, Warin Epstein has grown to five units in Central Florida, while&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/hmarnold2018/">Heather Arnold</a>, who started with one location in Clermont, added a second in Davenport last year.&nbsp;“The franchise system has been a very important part of our growth,” Epstein said. “From branding to operational tools, the support provided by the corporate team helps us daily. Having access to established systems, vendor relationships and marketing resources is the exact reason we looked to get into the franchise space and not go it alone.”The franchise encourages prospective Florida owners to talk to these franchisees themselves to get a real idea of what it's like.&nbsp;“They do a fantastic job not only explaining their experience of what it took for them to open their own business, but also what kind of support they get,” Holliman said. “I tell my franchise prospects, I want them to give you the good, the bad and the ugly of what it means to own a business.”<h3>Why Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts Succeeds No Matter Where It Goes</h3>One of the best things about opening a children’s hair salon is that demand never goes away. No matter the situation, kids need haircuts.&nbsp;“You might go six to eight weeks to get a haircut, but you need a haircut,” Holliman said. “It’s a service that any family needs. We make the experience worthwhile. That's why our customers love coming to Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts. Getting a haircut might be scary for their child, or their child might have sensory sensitivities. We make them feel more comfortable. And that's the beauty of our brand.”Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts wants to ensure it's offering that experience in markets it believes would be a great fit. Southeast Florida is wide open, and there’s plenty of room for single or multi-unit operators to reach as many families as possible in areas like Miami, St. Pete, Tampa, Sarasota, Naples and more.&nbsp;To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/pigtails-and-crewcuts">https://1851franchise.com/pigtails-and-crewcuts</a>.

The franchise has already seen success in other parts of the Sunshine State. Now, it is looking to expand in southern areas like Miami, where there are no locations yet and plenty of opportunity.

Pigtails & Crewcuts Sees Southeast Florida as a Strong Market for Kids Hair Salon Franchise Development

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At&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pigtailsandcrewcutsfranchise.com/">Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts</a>, a haircut has never been "just a haircut." It's a milestone, a memory and for many little ones, a moment that takes a little courage. Now, the brand is doubling down on that philosophy with two exciting new initiatives: its very first children's book,&nbsp;<a href="https://pigtailsandcrewcuts.com/stylechat/pigtails-crewcuts-publishes-first-childrens-book-be-brave-today/">“Be Brave Today: Charlie's Haircut Day,”</a> and the launch of Pigtails University, a custom-built learning management system designed to strengthen its franchise network.<h2>A Story Born from Real Conversations</h2>“Be Brave Today” tells the story of Charlie, a young boy who’s nervous about going in for a haircut. The sound of clippers and the sight of scissors can feel overwhelming at first, something many kids (and parents) can relate to. With help from his friend Penny, Charlie starts to relax and see the experience differently. By the end, he’s not only gotten through it, he’s genuinely proud of himself.The idea for the book grew out of authentic conversations within the&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/pigtails-and-crewcuts/info">Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts</a> team about how to make children feel comfortable and prepared before they ever set foot in the salon."All of our conversations went back to how families prepare prior to coming in, and how we make them feel good once they’re in the salon," said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/theresa-underwood305/">Theresa Vona</a>, Vice President of Franchise Support. “And out of all of those conversations,‘Be Brave Today’ came about so that parents could read this to their children before coming to the salon.”Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts has been thoughtful about how the book reaches families. Individual franchise locations have the flexibility to sell it as retail, use it to read aloud to kids in the salon or donate copies to local elementary schools. Many Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts locations have also installed&nbsp;<a href="https://littlefreelibrary.org/">Little Free Library</a> in front of their stores, and have been placing copies in community book boxes so families everywhere can access the story, no salon visit required."It's a nice way to introduce our brand to the community in a positive way," Vona said. "And it's something our competitors don't have. We are the first to produce our own book in our category."<h2>Pigtails University: Training Built to Scale</h2>While “Be Brave Today” speaks to families, Pigtails University is built for the people behind the scissors. The new learning management system is designed to standardize and streamline training across the entire franchise system for franchisees, salon managers and stylists.The platform organizes learning into curated, role-specific paths. New hires, for example, are greeted with a welcome video from the brand's CEO and Presdient, giving them immediate context about Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts' history and values before they ever pick up a pair of shears. From there, courses cover everything from brand culture and customer experience to marketing, operations and leadership development. The courses are all structured in digestible steps with quizzes and checkpoints to reinforce learning along the way.“We did a survey and our franchisees ranked us really high in some categories, like our trustworthiness. But one of the things they wanted to see more of was tools for training,” Vona said. "So we made this project a priority and are proud to be implementing it and rolling it out to our system."The team vetted platforms, developed content and collaborated with a marketing firm to bring Pigtails University to beta. Content is contributed not just by the corporate support team, but by franchisees and a newly appointed group of brand ambassadors, including two licensed cosmetologists who will help build out stylist-specific programming.<h2>The Right Kind of Growth</h2>Pigtails University is designed to support the brand's growth without sacrificing the quality of franchisee relationships that has made Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts a trusted business in their communities in the first place."The more salons we have, the more these tools will help franchisees get answers faster," Vona said. “To have answers at their fingertips will help us grow in the way we should grow, where franchisees can log on and watch a video at midnight, if that’s the best time that works for them.”As the franchise continues to grow, both of its new initiatives reinforce the same goal: creating an environment where kids feel comfortable, parents feel confident and franchisees feel supported.To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/pigtails-and-crewcuts">https://1851franchise.com/pigtails-and-crewcuts</a>.&nbsp;

Pigtails & Crewcuts Takes a Bold Step Forward with a New Children's Book and Training Platform

From a heartwarming story about bravery to a cutting-edge learning hub, the beloved children's salon brand is investing in its community inside and out.

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Pigtails & Crewcuts Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2026

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In Happy Valley, Arizona,&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/a-safe-haven-for-kids-haircuts-yvette-stumpf-marks-four-years-of-pigtails-crewcuts-in-phoenix-arizona-2729794">Yvette Stumpf</a>, a franchisee with&nbsp;<a href="http://www.pigtailsandcrewcutsfranchise.com">Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts</a>, the 85-plus unit kids salon franchise, is turning an ordinary haircut experience into a learning and community engagement opportunity. Stumpf, who earned an education degree before starting her family, came to&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/pigtails-and-crewcuts/info">Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts</a> after spending time as a stay-at-home mom. As she has grown her business, she’s blended her own passion for learning and reading with her care for her community and the families in it.“I’ve always been an advocate for education; I think that ignorance is not bliss,” she said. “It benefits everyone to be educated. I like Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts because it’s a part of the community with the mom-and-pop type feeling, and one of my goals was to give back. That’s always been near and dear to my heart. With these two things in mind, the Little Free Library was the perfect idea. I’m in a great little shopping center, and people from neighboring establishments come check out the book selection, too.”When Stumpf started the Little Free Library, she built it with her kids’ own used books. Over time, though, those have been “checked out,” and the community has kept the Little Free Library alive.“I didn’t do this because it draws people back to the salon,” she said. “I did it because it makes the community more kid-friendly and more family-oriented. It’s being utilized.”<h2>A Lifelong Advocate for Education</h2>Stumpf’s passion for reading goes back to her own childhood. With a Colombian mother and Hungarian father, she grew up in a multilingual household."I speak three languages, and it was English that helped me move forward," she said. "When I was younger, my parents didn't help me separate all three languages. When you speak the other two, you don’t use pronouns. You just conjugate the verb. School for me was beneficial because English explained the pronouns, and reading was a big component to figure it all out."As a child, reading felt like a chore for Stumpf because she was navigating the language learning aspect in addition to trying to understand the story itself, but over time, she came to love “reading to read.” Encouraging her own children to read for pleasure showed Stumpf a new side of things.“My kids love books so much,” she said. “Reading is one of their ‘fun things’ to do. We go to the bookstore, and I can’t say no to books!”This informed her current understanding of how kids approach reading, and it was a key driver for her not only to establish the Little Free Library but also to incorporate the Yoto Player, a screen-free audio player, into the salon experience.&nbsp;“A lot of parents don’t want their kids to have phones, iPads or TVs now,” she said. “With the Yoto Player, a kid can hear a story and use their imagination to visualize what’s happening. It’s also a helpful tool for the kids who have a sensory need. With the Yoto Player, they’re able to sit there and focus on the story. Maybe it’s the vibration of the box or the voice of a specific reader, but they love these stories.”“I think the books and Yoto Player are a natural fit for kids — especially all the different kinds of kids,” she continued. “We have the hardcover books with sensory elements, and the Yoto Player as an auditory option for kids who have different sensory needs. Some kids like visuals, some use their imaginations and some like to be read to. It’s about mixing it up so we can serve everyone.”<h2>The Little Free Library as a Shared Community Investment</h2>Stumpf spurred the literacy push in her salon and community, but its continued success has been driven by the passion and contributions of the entire community.To stock the Little Free Library initially, she drew on her own family’s collection of children’s books, but the response from her team and community was immediate.“Even our stylists were getting excited about the books,” she said. “There are beautifully illustrated books that the kids get really excited about. We had clients who got so engaged with the Little Free Library that they were just glowing and so happy about these books. It’s awesome.”Over time, co-tenants at the shopping center have gotten involved in the effort, too. For example, there is a Bricks &amp; Minifigs location in the same center, and they have contributed Lego books to the Little Free Library.“That helps because our neighbors are encouraging reading, too,” she said. A couple of people locally have pitched in, and it’s been so worth it.”<h2>Purpose Beyond Profit</h2>The Little Free Library and Yoto Player may have brought more attention to Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts of Happy Valley, but Stumpf said that was never the point. For her, giving back is simply part of how she wants the salon to show up in the community.“We like giving back. It benefits us, but to me, it’s not a monetary benefit,” she said. “In the long term, it’ll be great for the kids. It’s something for the mind and the heart.”To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/pigtails-and-crewcuts.">https://1851franchise.com/pigtails-and-crewcuts.</a>&nbsp;

Photo of Yvette Stumpf, Pigtails & Crewcuts of Happy Valley franchise owner

Yvette Stumpf brings literacy into her Happy Valley, Arizona, kids salon with a Yoto Player and a Little Free Library outside the shop.

Emerging Franchise Brands Podcast: How Wade Brannon Scaled Pigtails & Crewcuts Into a National Brand

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