South Carolina Franchise Owner Shares Her Experience With The Kid-Friendly Franchise
For most parents, the prospect of taking their children for a haircut is enough to make them cringe. But Caroline Dover has helped transform this nerve-wracking experience into an enjoyable outing for families in her Greenville and Five Forks, S.C. community.
Since opening her first Pigtails & Crewcuts salon in May 2016, Dover has turned the screams and squirms of a typical children’s haircut into giggles and grins. “We exist to make that experience as pleasant as possible for kids. We have theme cars, TVs playing their favorite shows, bubbles, lollipops and animal crackers during the haircut and a treasure chest with prizes after the haircut. Our staff is amazing at getting kids through the process while having fun. We also offer a judgment-free zone for parents,” she says.
Dover’s journey into entrepreneurship began with founding and running a Pilates studio. In time, she decided to expand her portfolio with other business opportunities that were scalable and sellable. “As soon as I started considering franchise ownership, I encountered several people already on their franchise journeys. This helped me decide franchising was for me. After opening my Pilates studio all on my own, a franchise felt like a ‘business in a box.’ This was appealing to me.” Dover also liked the idea of having a team to support her and guide her in the decision-making processes. Upon researching various concepts, she was drawn to Pigtails & Crewcuts because of its classic, American-Girl-doll-like appeal, as opposed to the less appealing pink, plastic Barbie stuff vibe.”
The brand stood out to her not just for its child-friendly decor but also for its emphasis on core values like integrity and respect. In addition to owning two shops and serving as an area representative for the brand, she is looking to open a third shop in her area. “I am extremely excited about this because once a salon is in an area, people are much more aware of the brand,” she says.
After eight years with Pigtails & Crewcuts, Dover is still thrilled with her decision. “I never expected that alongside growing my business, I’d also be growing personally and forming such meaningful connections,” she says.
Community Engagement
Pigtails & Crewcuts franchisee Caroline Dover engages in community service with her team. They have been regular participants at the Summer on Augusta festival, a notable community event in her area, where they set up a booth featuring activities for children and giveaways. Additionally, Dover and her team participate in the local Heritage Park Halloween Trail, handing out candy and prizes and sponsoring the event.
Her team also contributes to Prisma Hospital’s Boo in the Zoo and the Trunk or Treat event at the Meyer Center, a school for special needs children. They support various school PTAs by donating to their galas and silent auctions. One of their most distinctive community service efforts involved hosting an electronic detection K9 named Queue at their salons, with a portion of their back-to-school haircut proceeds going towards the purchase of another K9 through the Defenders for Children initiative.
A Growing Industry
According to Pigtails & Crewcuts’ website, there are an estimated 46.7 million kids between the ages of zero and 12 in the United States, which is the target demographic for the haircut franchise. The hair care industry in the U.S. is worth $16.73 billion and is expected to reach $19.87 billion by 2029, according to Mordor Intelligence.
For more information about the Pigtails & Crewcuts franchise, visit https://www.pigtailsandcrewcutsfranchise.com/.
