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May 27, 2005 Charlotte Business Journal
A head for franchising: New barbershop has men in mind Larry Bonhaus longed for a manlier place to get his hair cut — and he hopes other men feel the same. So he's bringing a chain of traditional style barbershops — albeit with modern amenities such as manicures, pedicures and hair coloring — to the Charlotte area. Bonhaus, a former marketing executive, recently acquired the franchise rights for Roosters Men's Grooming Centers in Mecklenburg County from Lapeer, Mich.-based Roosters MGC Inc. He plans to open two this year: the first at Sharon Corners in SouthPark in July and the second in Ballantyne Corporate Park in November. He's looking at uptown and the Arboretum for next year. Stocked with leather chairs, men's magazines and TVs tuned only to news or sports, Roosters will offer the men of Charlotte an alternative to salons geared toward women and the discount haircut salons. "Discount salons make their money by getting you in and out in 10 minutes or less, and your hair looks like it," says Bonhaus. Customers at Roosters get a free beverage of their choice (including beer) and a free shoeshine. For many services such as hair coloring and waxing, separate rooms are used for privacy. "If barbershops would have evolved over the last 30 years, this is what they'd look like," Bonhaus says. Each Roosters costs more than $100,000 to upfit, stock and open. Between eight and 12 employees are needed for each location. agibson@bizjournals.com | (704) 973-1131 |
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