Few franchise categories offer the kind of built-in demand and recurring revenue that men’s grooming does. Haircuts aren’t optional; they’re routine, and that consistency has created one of the most scalable, resilient business models in franchising today.
Sport Clips Haircuts has spent more than 30 years proving how powerful that model can be. Now, with nearly 1,800 locations across North America and a renewed focus on expansion in 2026, the category leader is entering a new phase and opening the door for experienced operators and growth-minded entrepreneurs to step in and scale.
“We’re in a place now where we are ready to really accelerate our franchise expansion, focusing on net positive growth with our store counts after slowing down for the past few years following the pandemic,” said Brent Greenwood, vice president of franchise development. “Our leadership team is focused on expanding into both open territories and mature markets, making it a strategic moment for savvy entrepreneurs to get involved.”
When Sport Clips was founded in 1993, the company saw an opportunity. While most salons were trying to be everything to everyone, Sport Clips decided to focus exclusively on men and boys. They recognized a major gap in the market and built an experience specifically for that underserved customer. That early decision to be different helped Sport Clips become a leader in the category, and over the last three decades, the brand has perfected and expanded its model.
“I’ve been in this industry since 1979, and in the early ’90s, no one was going after the men and boys’ market,” said Gordon Logan, founder and chairman of Sport Clips. “We felt like there was a real opportunity, and it turns out we were right.”
That focused positioning continues to serve as a competitive advantage. Today, Sport Clips is easily one of the most recognized names in men's grooming, having generated billions in total haircut sales and established a massive presence across the United States and Canada.
According to market research, the global male grooming market is expected to reach $110 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 5.5%. Haircuts are not discretionary purchases that can be delayed indefinitely. This creates a level of demand stability that is difficult to replicate in other industries.
“This is a recession-resistant business,” Greenwood said. “I’m not going to say pandemic-proof, but it certainly is resilient, and it is also resistant to AI as well, which offers stability that is more important than ever.”
Because customers typically return every three to four weeks, franchisees benefit from predictable traffic patterns and recurring revenue streams.
“The recurring revenue opportunity is tremendous,” Greenwood said. “As long as men and boys have hair, they’re going to need a place like Sport Clips.”
This frequency not only supports steady top-line performance but also allows operators to build strong relationships with their customer base over time. And with an ongoing male loneliness epidemic, that social interaction is becoming increasingly important to customers.
A defining feature of the Sport Clips franchise opportunity is its manager-led operating structure, which is intentionally designed to support multi-unit growth. Franchisees, referred to as “Team Leaders,” are not required to have experience as stylists. Instead, their role centers on leadership, team development and operational oversight, while licensed professionals handle the technical aspects of the service.
“Our model is designed to allow investors to keep their full-time careers as they grow,” Greenwood said. “It’s about leading managers, building culture and driving performance.”
This setup gives franchisees room to expand beyond one store without having to manage every daily task themselves. As they grow, they can develop a team to oversee several locations and help deliver a consistent experience across the business. Sport Clips owners usually run around nine stores, which really shows just how well this model supports opening multiple units.
“After being in six different franchise systems, Sport Clips stands out because the model is so simple and easy to manage that I can focus on the big picture instead of the day-to-day, which is what’s allowed me to scale across multiple states,” said Jesse Keyser, a multi-unit franchisee who currently owns more than 30 locations.
In addition to the inherent strengths of the model, Sport Clips provides comprehensive support throughout the lifecycle of the business. From site selection and lease negotiation to training, marketing and ongoing operational guidance, franchisees are equipped with the resources needed to build and grow their locations successfully.
“We only open as many salons as we can support,” Greenwood said. “We want our team leaders to do well over the long term.”
At the unit level, Sport Clips reports an estimated initial investment of approximately $226,800 to $580,500 per location, including franchise fees and startup costs. Stores averaged $528,535 in net sales systemwide, according to the brand’s 2026 FDD.
In an industry where many franchise systems are backed by private equity firms, Sport Clips has intentionally maintained its independence. This decision reflects a broader philosophy centered on long-term relationships and sustainable growth rather than short-term financial gains.
“We’re a huge brand without any sort of private equity influence,” Greenwood said. “We have no interest in taking PE dollars.”
This independence lets the company focus on creating a supportive, team-oriented atmosphere for franchisees — something it internally calls a “family feel.” For the operators, this means a closely aligned partnership with the franchisor, where choices are made to benefit the whole system, not just to meet the demands of outside investors.
“We want a different type of relationship with our franchisees,” Greenwood said. “ It's more personal, and you lose that with private equity influence.”
When it comes to deciding on a franchise investment, timing is everything, and the leadership at Sport Clips believes right now is a particularly good moment. The brand has come through the system-wide adjustments following the pandemic with a sharper growth strategy and is eager to expand. New opportunities are also opening up in established markets, and the current economic climate continues to highlight the value of a recession-resistant business model.
“We’re opening up mature markets for single-unit entry points,” Greenwood said, “primarily to create bench strength for what we know is going to be demand for future acquisitions.”
This strategy lets new operators enter established territories and build toward future expansion. At the same time, Sport Clips continues to identify white space opportunities across the country, particularly in regions where population growth and demographic trends support long-term demand, such as the Pacific Northwest, the Northeast, California, Michigan (including greater Detroit) and select Southern and Midwest markets.
“We have an optimization plan that gives us a runway for growth over the next 15 to 20 years,” Greenwood said. “We could technically more than double in size.”
For prospective franchisees, this convergence of factors, including stabilized operations, expanded territory availability and consistent demand, creates a compelling case for entering the system now. However, leadership emphasizes that these opportunities will not remain open indefinitely as markets continue to fill.
“The runway is not going to last forever,” Greenwood said. “At some point, those who waited are going to miss out. The timing couldn’t be better.”
As the brand grows, Sport Clips remains highly selective in its approach to franchise development. The company prioritizes candidates who bring strong leadership capabilities, a commitment to team building and a desire to scale their business over time. While prior experience in haircare is not required, success within the system depends heavily on the ability to lead people, manage operations and foster a positive culture within each location.
“We’re very discerning,” Greenwood said. “It’s a people business, and success depends on how well you lead your team.”
Many of the brand’s most successful franchisees have backgrounds in multi-unit retail, operations or franchising, allowing them to leverage their experience as they expand within the system.
With more than 30 years of proven success and a forward-looking strategy focused on growth and innovation, Sport Clips is well-positioned for its next chapter. For entrepreneurs seeking a franchise opportunity that combines stability, scalability and long-term potential, the brand offers a compelling path forward.
“We’ve been successful for over 30 years,” Greenwood said. “But we still have a lot of runway left.”
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://sportclipsfranchise.com/.
Sport Clips
SPONSORED
With nearly 1,800 locations, a manager-driven model and new entry points in mature markets, Sport Clips is opening the door for the next generation of franchise owners.
Few franchise categories offer the kind of built-in demand and recurring revenue that men’s grooming does. Haircuts aren’t optional; they’re routine, and that consistency has created one of the most scalable, resilient business models in franchising today.
Sport Clips Haircuts has spent more than 30 years proving how powerful that model can be. Now, with nearly 1,800 locations across North America and a renewed focus on expansion in 2026, the category leader is entering a new phase and opening the door for experienced operators and growth-minded entrepreneurs to step in and scale.
“We’re in a place now where we are ready to really accelerate our franchise expansion, focusing on net positive growth with our store counts after slowing down for the past few years following the pandemic,” said Brent Greenwood, vice president of franchise development. “Our leadership team is focused on expanding into both open territories and mature markets, making it a strategic moment for savvy entrepreneurs to get involved.”
When Sport Clips was founded in 1993, the company saw an opportunity. While most salons were trying to be everything to everyone, Sport Clips decided to focus exclusively on men and boys. They recognized a major gap in the market and built an experience specifically for that underserved customer. That early decision to be different helped Sport Clips become a leader in the category, and over the last three decades, the brand has perfected and expanded its model.
“I’ve been in this industry since 1979, and in the early ’90s, no one was going after the men and boys’ market,” said Gordon Logan, founder and chairman of Sport Clips. “We felt like there was a real opportunity, and it turns out we were right.”
That focused positioning continues to serve as a competitive advantage. Today, Sport Clips is easily one of the most recognized names in men's grooming, having generated billions in total haircut sales and established a massive presence across the United States and Canada.
According to market research, the global male grooming market is expected to reach $110 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 5.5%. Haircuts are not discretionary purchases that can be delayed indefinitely. This creates a level of demand stability that is difficult to replicate in other industries.
“This is a recession-resistant business,” Greenwood said. “I’m not going to say pandemic-proof, but it certainly is resilient, and it is also resistant to AI as well, which offers stability that is more important than ever.”
Because customers typically return every three to four weeks, franchisees benefit from predictable traffic patterns and recurring revenue streams.
“The recurring revenue opportunity is tremendous,” Greenwood said. “As long as men and boys have hair, they’re going to need a place like Sport Clips.”
This frequency not only supports steady top-line performance but also allows operators to build strong relationships with their customer base over time. And with an ongoing male loneliness epidemic, that social interaction is becoming increasingly important to customers.
A defining feature of the Sport Clips franchise opportunity is its manager-led operating structure, which is intentionally designed to support multi-unit growth. Franchisees, referred to as “Team Leaders,” are not required to have experience as stylists. Instead, their role centers on leadership, team development and operational oversight, while licensed professionals handle the technical aspects of the service.
“Our model is designed to allow investors to keep their full-time careers as they grow,” Greenwood said. “It’s about leading managers, building culture and driving performance.”
This setup gives franchisees room to expand beyond one store without having to manage every daily task themselves. As they grow, they can develop a team to oversee several locations and help deliver a consistent experience across the business. Sport Clips owners usually run around nine stores, which really shows just how well this model supports opening multiple units.
“After being in six different franchise systems, Sport Clips stands out because the model is so simple and easy to manage that I can focus on the big picture instead of the day-to-day, which is what’s allowed me to scale across multiple states,” said Jesse Keyser, a multi-unit franchisee who currently owns more than 30 locations.
In addition to the inherent strengths of the model, Sport Clips provides comprehensive support throughout the lifecycle of the business. From site selection and lease negotiation to training, marketing and ongoing operational guidance, franchisees are equipped with the resources needed to build and grow their locations successfully.
“We only open as many salons as we can support,” Greenwood said. “We want our team leaders to do well over the long term.”
At the unit level, Sport Clips reports an estimated initial investment of approximately $226,800 to $580,500 per location, including franchise fees and startup costs. Stores averaged $528,535 in net sales systemwide, according to the brand’s 2026 FDD.
In an industry where many franchise systems are backed by private equity firms, Sport Clips has intentionally maintained its independence. This decision reflects a broader philosophy centered on long-term relationships and sustainable growth rather than short-term financial gains.
“We’re a huge brand without any sort of private equity influence,” Greenwood said. “We have no interest in taking PE dollars.”
This independence lets the company focus on creating a supportive, team-oriented atmosphere for franchisees — something it internally calls a “family feel.” For the operators, this means a closely aligned partnership with the franchisor, where choices are made to benefit the whole system, not just to meet the demands of outside investors.
“We want a different type of relationship with our franchisees,” Greenwood said. “ It's more personal, and you lose that with private equity influence.”
When it comes to deciding on a franchise investment, timing is everything, and the leadership at Sport Clips believes right now is a particularly good moment. The brand has come through the system-wide adjustments following the pandemic with a sharper growth strategy and is eager to expand. New opportunities are also opening up in established markets, and the current economic climate continues to highlight the value of a recession-resistant business model.
“We’re opening up mature markets for single-unit entry points,” Greenwood said, “primarily to create bench strength for what we know is going to be demand for future acquisitions.”
This strategy lets new operators enter established territories and build toward future expansion. At the same time, Sport Clips continues to identify white space opportunities across the country, particularly in regions where population growth and demographic trends support long-term demand, such as the Pacific Northwest, the Northeast, California, Michigan (including greater Detroit) and select Southern and Midwest markets.
“We have an optimization plan that gives us a runway for growth over the next 15 to 20 years,” Greenwood said. “We could technically more than double in size.”
For prospective franchisees, this convergence of factors, including stabilized operations, expanded territory availability and consistent demand, creates a compelling case for entering the system now. However, leadership emphasizes that these opportunities will not remain open indefinitely as markets continue to fill.
“The runway is not going to last forever,” Greenwood said. “At some point, those who waited are going to miss out. The timing couldn’t be better.”
As the brand grows, Sport Clips remains highly selective in its approach to franchise development. The company prioritizes candidates who bring strong leadership capabilities, a commitment to team building and a desire to scale their business over time. While prior experience in haircare is not required, success within the system depends heavily on the ability to lead people, manage operations and foster a positive culture within each location.
“We’re very discerning,” Greenwood said. “It’s a people business, and success depends on how well you lead your team.”
Many of the brand’s most successful franchisees have backgrounds in multi-unit retail, operations or franchising, allowing them to leverage their experience as they expand within the system.
With more than 30 years of proven success and a forward-looking strategy focused on growth and innovation, Sport Clips is well-positioned for its next chapter. For entrepreneurs seeking a franchise opportunity that combines stability, scalability and long-term potential, the brand offers a compelling path forward.
“We’ve been successful for over 30 years,” Greenwood said. “But we still have a lot of runway left.”
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://sportclipsfranchise.com/.
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