Pigtails & Crewcuts

Seven months ago,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/warin-epstein-099893a/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=husband-and-wife-franchisees-acquired-3-pigtails-crewcuts-7-months-in-theyre-opening-a-4th-2726091" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Warin Epstein</a> and his wife&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/martha-j-epstein-9667933/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=husband-and-wife-franchisees-acquired-3-pigtails-crewcuts-7-months-in-theyre-opening-a-4th-2726091" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Martha</a> acquired three&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/pigtails-and-crewcuts/info">Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts</a> salons in Central Florida. They’re now preparing to open their fourth location of the children’s hair salon franchise.The couple had been considering venturing into franchising for a while. When they were sitting at their children’s hair appointment at their favorite place, they had an epiphany.“We looked at each other and said, ‘This place is always busy and seems to be doing well. I wonder if it’s a franchise.’ As we left the salon I began researching on my phone for information on the franchise. After that it all clicked into place very quickly,” Epstein said.The Epstein family’s love of the brand dates back to their middle son, Sebastian’s, first haircut, which took place at the Dr. Phillips&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pigtailsandcrewcutsfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=husband-and-wife-franchisees-acquired-3-pigtails-crewcuts-7-months-in-theyre-opening-a-4th-2726091" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts</a> location, which they now own.We knew we wanted to take him to a special place for his ‘first haircut experience, and we could not have been happier.’ We loved the stylist, Mary, that we were paired with, and to this day she is still the only one that has ever cut Sebastian’s hair,” Epstein said.&nbsp;When the opportunity to acquire three thriving locations in their area became available, the Epsteins leaped at the chance. The couple has been operating the three Orlando area locations for seven months now and have loved every minute. In fact, they’ve enjoyed the experience so much that they’ve decided to expand with a fourth location, opening later this year.1851 Franchise spoke with Warin Epstein about his journey into franchising with Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts and his plans for the future.1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us.&nbsp;What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?Epstein:&nbsp;I am a real estate attorney and my wife is a property manager, and that's how we met. We met in Brooklyn court actually; she was my witness in a trial. We moved from New York to Florida in 2012, and I had my own law firm and she continued working in property management.Over time, we realized that with our combined knowledge of real estate that the next obvious step for us would be to invest in rental properties. We built a portfolio of properties, but also knew we wanted to diversify our investments. That is when we began exploring franchise opportunities.We wanted to do something without having to reinvent the wheel. We wanted some sort of safety and support, but we also wanted something that meant we didn’t necessarily have to give up our careers or be there in person every single day.My wife and I have brought our kids to Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts, as customers since we moved to Florida. It was such a great experience. We were sitting there, looked at each other and said, ‘This place is always busy and seems to be doing well. I wonder if it’s a franchise.’ As we left the salon I began researching on my phone for information on the franchise. After that, it all clicked into place very quickly.Soon enough, we began talking to the franchise about a potential location, but unfortunately, there wasn’t any availability in our local market. We were seriously considering opening a new location approximately an hour-and-a-half away from where we live, but before we did so, as part of our due diligence, I spoke to the now prior owner of the three locations in our market. Although she had loved her time with the brand, she was ready to move on to the next chapter of her life. After that conversation my wife and I knew that instead of one, we had to figure out a way to acquire three locations, and that is what we did!We acquired the three locations about seven months ago, and we’ve been loving every second of it. It's been an absolute blast so far. Now we are getting ready to open a fourth location.&nbsp;1851: What was your perception of franchising before becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?Epstein:&nbsp;As a native New Yorker, I grew up with a bit of negativity towards franchises. I liked the uniqueness of local mom-and-pop businesses and always sought to support them. What I didn’t understand yet, was that most franchises&nbsp;are mom-and-pop family businesses. They are locally owned. My wife and I knew that we wanted the structure and guidance of an established business model, but we also wanted it to be ours. Franchising allows us to have the best of both worlds.&nbsp;1851:&nbsp;What made you choose this brand? What excites you most about this company?Epstein:&nbsp;We were customers of Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts first; Our son, Sebastian’s, first haircut, took place at the Dr Phillips&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pigtailsandcrewcutsfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=husband-and-wife-franchisees-acquired-3-pigtails-crewcuts-7-months-in-theyre-opening-a-4th-2726091" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts</a> location, which we now own. We knew we wanted to take him to a special place for his first haircut experience, and we could not have been happier. We loved the stylist, Mary, that we were paired with, and to this day she is still the only one that has ever cut Sebastian’s hair.It's really nice to provide a safe and fun space for children to get haircuts. We are really enjoying this new chapter. It is so rewarding to see kids smiling after their cut or playing with the toys while they wait their turn. I just walk around the salon in a good mood every time I am there.1851: What do you like most about the brand?&nbsp;&nbsp;When I first reached out asking about franchise opportunities, they were extremely responsive and quick. The support is great.1851:&nbsp;What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?&nbsp;Epstein:&nbsp;We want to keep growing and be able to support our family and our employees' families. That is why we have decided to go straight to our fourth location. We have appreciated the opportunity to take over the three locations that were already up and running, but we wanted a chance to experience opening a new P&amp;C salon too. We have also been very lucky to have an incredible general manager, Amber Rogers, who has taught us so much about the salon business; she's been with our salons for over 10 years. We honestly don’t know what we would do without her and we are very grateful to have her as part of our team. I don't think you can do this successfully without good people on your team.1851:&nbsp;What is the one thing about your story you want us to know?Epstein:&nbsp;For many years we had a dream of becoming franchise owners. During our journey to make the dream become a reality, we faced many obstacles. Many doors were closed, but we never gave up, we would change direction and knock on the next door until the right combination of doors opened for us. We are grateful to now be part of the Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts story.&nbsp;1851:&nbsp;What advice do you have for others thinking about becoming a franchise owner?Epstein:&nbsp;Don’t be scared off by the word franchise. It may sound like a daunting task to undertake, but if you do your research and put your head to it, you will find that it is achievable.&nbsp;About Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts:&nbsp;Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts is a children’s hair salon franchise created by parents for kids to offer a stress-free haircutting experience for the whole family. In addition to hair care services, Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts offers a custom line of kid-centric hair products, accessories and gifts. To learn more or to find a salon near you, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.pigtailsandcrewcuts.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=husband-and-wife-franchisees-acquired-3-pigtails-crewcuts-7-months-in-theyre-opening-a-4th-2726091" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.pigtailsandcrewcuts.com</a>. To learn more about franchise opportunities, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.pigtailsandcrewcutsfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=husband-and-wife-franchisees-acquired-3-pigtails-crewcuts-7-months-in-theyre-opening-a-4th-2726091" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.pigtailsandcrewcutsfranchise.com</a>.

Pigtails & Crewcuts Franchisees Set to Open 4th Location

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Martha and Warin Epstein went from loyal customers to multi-unit owners with the kids salon franchise and have been “loving every second of it.”

Husband-and-Wife Franchisees Acquired 3 Pigtails & Crewcuts – 7 Months In, They’re Opening a 4th

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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;

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

Pigtails & Crewcuts Franchise Owner Champions Children’s Literacy in Salon and Beyond

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How Pigtails & Crewcuts Franchisees Like Angel Putnam Are Making a Difference Beyond the Salon

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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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Husband-and-Wife Franchisees Acquired 3 Pigtails & Crewcuts – 7 Months In, They’re Opening a 4th

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