For many entrepreneurs, one successful location is the start — not the end — of the journey. That’s especially true for franchisees with Pigtails & Crewcuts, a brand designed for scalability, family balance and long-term impact. Whether they started with an existing salon or built from the ground up, these multi-unit owners all saw the same thing: a brand that not only delivered results but backed them every step of the way as they expanded.
For Mark Hammond and Ziggy Watrous, it started with a lifestyle change — and a realization that retirement wasn’t enough.
“I used to do hair before we moved to Costa Rica and retired,” Hammond said. “We got bored and came back and figured, ‘Let’s buy a hair salon.’”
Watrous, a former Army member and health care administrator, had never worked in a salon. But Hammond’s passion for the industry and their shared drive to start something new led them to explore the opportunity together. In October 2023, they purchased an existing Pigtails & Crewcuts location in the Alliance area of Fort Worth, Texas.
“We really liked the brand and what they stand for,” Watrous said. “Six months after we took over the first salon, we knew we wanted to grow with them.”
Their second location is now in development in Northlake, Texas — an underserved area where the demand for family services is booming. “They’re building 30,000 homes in that area,” Watrous said. “We’ll be the first salon in the neighborhood, and there are three elementary schools within a mile. It’s the perfect demographic.”
Along the way, the Pigtails & Crewcuts team made the expansion process easier, especially when lease negotiations delayed the buildout.
“They were flexible and understanding,” Watrous said. “We also appreciated the open conversations around shifting territories and the willingness to adapt as we grew.”
One standout aspect of the Fort Worth salon is a sensory room designed for neurodivergent children — something the brand wholeheartedly supports.
“We’ve created a quiet space for kids with autism or sensory sensitivities, and Pigtails & Crewcuts has provided resources to help our stylists work with these families,” Watrous said. “It’s a difference-maker in our community.”
Heather Arnold, a franchisee in Clermont, Florida, is preparing to open her second salon this summer. For her, franchising with Pigtails & Crewcuts offered something few other models could — the ability to grow a business while staying present for her family.
“I still work part-time and have two little kids. I’m very active in their schools and day-to-day needs,” Arnold said. “I still work a lot, but that’s just the way I choose to do it. I’ve chosen to be 100% involved in the day-to-day things with my kids, and sometimes that means working on my business late at night. But it’s nice that Pigtails & Crewcuts gives me that flexibility to ‘do my life’ and have this other thing that I’m very proud of.”
That flexibility made it easier for Arnold to consider expansion. Once her first location became self-sufficient, the timing felt right.
“Prior to about a year ago, I probably wouldn’t have seriously considered growth. I liked how everything was going. It was smooth and comfortable, and I didn’t want to put more on my plate,” Arnold said. “But recently, we decided we were ready for a little bit more. The first location was self-sufficient, so it was a good time to open a second.”
With support in site selection, marketing, training and operations, Arnold had the tools she needed to replicate her success in a new market without sacrificing her personal commitments.
For Shana Adler, the journey to multi-unit ownership began with a turnaround. She purchased a struggling Pigtails & Crewcuts salon in Montclair, New Jersey, and worked hard to turn it around while raising her growing family.
“I’ll always remember walking the streets of Montclair, pregnant with my fourth child, putting postcards into mailboxes to spread the word about the salon and its new ownership,” she said.
After years of success in Montclair, Adler opened her second location in Teaneck, New Jersey, in February 2025 — this time, starting fresh.
“The first was a clean-up job. This time, it was about site selection, hiring a great staff and getting the word out,” Adler said. “It’s been exciting.”
Throughout her journey, Adler credits the Pigtails & Crewcuts team for encouraging her and providing reliable support as she expanded.
“The Pigtails team has encouraged me for years now to open a second salon, and they were there for my questions and support along the way,” she said.
Warin Epstein and his team operate four Pigtails & Crewcuts salons in Central Florida — three of which were acquired as existing locations, with the most recent one built from the ground up. For Epstein, growth wasn’t just a business goal — it was a way to deepen his understanding of the brand and build a long-term, sustainable enterprise.
“We purchased our first three Pigtails & Crewcuts locations as existing, operational salons. It was a great way to jump in, learn the systems, and get a feel for what makes this brand so special,” Epstein said. “After gaining confidence in how we were operating the business and getting those locations used to the new ownership, we felt a strong pull to open one from the ground up.”
Opening a location from scratch gave Epstein’s team a more immersive look into the mechanics of the brand, from buildout to first customer, which helped them become more effective leaders.
“Through the opening process, we’ve gained a much deeper understanding of the foundational systems that make the Pigtails & Crewcuts brand successful,” he said. “That experience made us better owners, better leaders and more connected to the day-to-day work that drives long-term success.”
Managing four locations comes with its own challenges, but Epstein attributes consistency to both strong internal leadership and corporate support.
“We’re fortunate to have a strong, passionate General Manager who truly believes in the Pigtails & Crewcuts brand and oversees all four of our locations,” he said. “At the same time, we’re actively focused on growing leadership organically within each individual salon to help support our GM.”
One of the biggest lessons Epstein has learned is the value of thoughtful hiring. “We’ve become much more discerning in our hiring process,” he said. “It’s far better to be short-staffed than to bring in the wrong person. A poor experience — especially for a child’s first haircut — is hard to recover from.”
As for the corporate team, Epstein says their ongoing involvement has helped his business stay strong and prepared for growth.
“The franchise system has been a very important part of our growth,” he 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.”
Whether it’s Hammond and Watrous focusing on underserved families in Texas, Arnold juggling motherhood and entrepreneurship in Florida, Adler bringing new life to a second location in New Jersey, or Epstein building a four-location operation rooted in strong leadership and brand passion in Central Florida, each franchisee has found something special in the Pigtails & Crewcuts model: a business that fits their lives and values.
From flexible business hours to hands-on corporate support and a mission-driven culture, Pigtails & Crewcuts gives multi-unit owners the chance to scale with confidence and purpose. As the brand continues to grow, so do the opportunities for franchisees to make a meaningful impact, one location at a time.
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit 1851franchise.com/pigtailsandcrewcuts.
Pigtails & Crewcuts
SPONSORED
Pigtails & Crewcuts franchisees from around the country share their journey to multi-unit ownership and talk about the support that made expansion possible.
For many entrepreneurs, one successful location is the start — not the end — of the journey. That’s especially true for franchisees with Pigtails & Crewcuts, a brand designed for scalability, family balance and long-term impact. Whether they started with an existing salon or built from the ground up, these multi-unit owners all saw the same thing: a brand that not only delivered results but backed them every step of the way as they expanded.
For Mark Hammond and Ziggy Watrous, it started with a lifestyle change — and a realization that retirement wasn’t enough.
“I used to do hair before we moved to Costa Rica and retired,” Hammond said. “We got bored and came back and figured, ‘Let’s buy a hair salon.’”
Watrous, a former Army member and health care administrator, had never worked in a salon. But Hammond’s passion for the industry and their shared drive to start something new led them to explore the opportunity together. In October 2023, they purchased an existing Pigtails & Crewcuts location in the Alliance area of Fort Worth, Texas.
“We really liked the brand and what they stand for,” Watrous said. “Six months after we took over the first salon, we knew we wanted to grow with them.”
Their second location is now in development in Northlake, Texas — an underserved area where the demand for family services is booming. “They’re building 30,000 homes in that area,” Watrous said. “We’ll be the first salon in the neighborhood, and there are three elementary schools within a mile. It’s the perfect demographic.”
Along the way, the Pigtails & Crewcuts team made the expansion process easier, especially when lease negotiations delayed the buildout.
“They were flexible and understanding,” Watrous said. “We also appreciated the open conversations around shifting territories and the willingness to adapt as we grew.”
One standout aspect of the Fort Worth salon is a sensory room designed for neurodivergent children — something the brand wholeheartedly supports.
“We’ve created a quiet space for kids with autism or sensory sensitivities, and Pigtails & Crewcuts has provided resources to help our stylists work with these families,” Watrous said. “It’s a difference-maker in our community.”
Heather Arnold, a franchisee in Clermont, Florida, is preparing to open her second salon this summer. For her, franchising with Pigtails & Crewcuts offered something few other models could — the ability to grow a business while staying present for her family.
“I still work part-time and have two little kids. I’m very active in their schools and day-to-day needs,” Arnold said. “I still work a lot, but that’s just the way I choose to do it. I’ve chosen to be 100% involved in the day-to-day things with my kids, and sometimes that means working on my business late at night. But it’s nice that Pigtails & Crewcuts gives me that flexibility to ‘do my life’ and have this other thing that I’m very proud of.”
That flexibility made it easier for Arnold to consider expansion. Once her first location became self-sufficient, the timing felt right.
“Prior to about a year ago, I probably wouldn’t have seriously considered growth. I liked how everything was going. It was smooth and comfortable, and I didn’t want to put more on my plate,” Arnold said. “But recently, we decided we were ready for a little bit more. The first location was self-sufficient, so it was a good time to open a second.”
With support in site selection, marketing, training and operations, Arnold had the tools she needed to replicate her success in a new market without sacrificing her personal commitments.
For Shana Adler, the journey to multi-unit ownership began with a turnaround. She purchased a struggling Pigtails & Crewcuts salon in Montclair, New Jersey, and worked hard to turn it around while raising her growing family.
“I’ll always remember walking the streets of Montclair, pregnant with my fourth child, putting postcards into mailboxes to spread the word about the salon and its new ownership,” she said.
After years of success in Montclair, Adler opened her second location in Teaneck, New Jersey, in February 2025 — this time, starting fresh.
“The first was a clean-up job. This time, it was about site selection, hiring a great staff and getting the word out,” Adler said. “It’s been exciting.”
Throughout her journey, Adler credits the Pigtails & Crewcuts team for encouraging her and providing reliable support as she expanded.
“The Pigtails team has encouraged me for years now to open a second salon, and they were there for my questions and support along the way,” she said.
Warin Epstein and his team operate four Pigtails & Crewcuts salons in Central Florida — three of which were acquired as existing locations, with the most recent one built from the ground up. For Epstein, growth wasn’t just a business goal — it was a way to deepen his understanding of the brand and build a long-term, sustainable enterprise.
“We purchased our first three Pigtails & Crewcuts locations as existing, operational salons. It was a great way to jump in, learn the systems, and get a feel for what makes this brand so special,” Epstein said. “After gaining confidence in how we were operating the business and getting those locations used to the new ownership, we felt a strong pull to open one from the ground up.”
Opening a location from scratch gave Epstein’s team a more immersive look into the mechanics of the brand, from buildout to first customer, which helped them become more effective leaders.
“Through the opening process, we’ve gained a much deeper understanding of the foundational systems that make the Pigtails & Crewcuts brand successful,” he said. “That experience made us better owners, better leaders and more connected to the day-to-day work that drives long-term success.”
Managing four locations comes with its own challenges, but Epstein attributes consistency to both strong internal leadership and corporate support.
“We’re fortunate to have a strong, passionate General Manager who truly believes in the Pigtails & Crewcuts brand and oversees all four of our locations,” he said. “At the same time, we’re actively focused on growing leadership organically within each individual salon to help support our GM.”
One of the biggest lessons Epstein has learned is the value of thoughtful hiring. “We’ve become much more discerning in our hiring process,” he said. “It’s far better to be short-staffed than to bring in the wrong person. A poor experience — especially for a child’s first haircut — is hard to recover from.”
As for the corporate team, Epstein says their ongoing involvement has helped his business stay strong and prepared for growth.
“The franchise system has been a very important part of our growth,” he 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.”
Whether it’s Hammond and Watrous focusing on underserved families in Texas, Arnold juggling motherhood and entrepreneurship in Florida, Adler bringing new life to a second location in New Jersey, or Epstein building a four-location operation rooted in strong leadership and brand passion in Central Florida, each franchisee has found something special in the Pigtails & Crewcuts model: a business that fits their lives and values.
From flexible business hours to hands-on corporate support and a mission-driven culture, Pigtails & Crewcuts gives multi-unit owners the chance to scale with confidence and purpose. As the brand continues to grow, so do the opportunities for franchisees to make a meaningful impact, one location at a time.
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit 1851franchise.com/pigtailsandcrewcuts.
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