Health & Beauty Franchise UK Archives

Businesswoman acquires UK franchise for national alterations company

September 13, 2021

Leeds businesswoman, Neluka Dunning, has acquired the UK franchise license for national alterations and repairs business store, The Zip Yard, in a six-figure deal.

The UK franchise deal will see Dunning take control of 15 The Zip Yard stores based across England, Scotland and Wales with ambitious growth plans already underway.

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Under her ownership, The Zip Yard has signed a deal with Tesco to trial the alterations stores within a number of its Tesco Extra stores, with the first opening last week in Stretford, Old Trafford, Manchester.

The second will open in Toton, Nottingham, next month.

Dunning – who is originally from Swansea but has lived in Leeds for the past 20 years – took over the Chapel Allerton The Zip Yard store in 2019, improving customer service and brand perception which saw monthly sales increase by 20% in the first few months.

The pandemic and lockdowns impacted the business severely but since reopening, sales have returned to normal levels.

This success led her to consider the potential for other Zip Yard stores and the deal for the UK franchise was struck earlier this year.

Dunning said: “The Zip Yard is a special business as it is the only national tailoring service that specialises in alterations and repairs, with spacious fitting rooms, specialist tailors and seamstresses on site in every store to ensure customer garments fit perfectly.

“For me, what sets The Zip Yard apart is our level of customer service. We want every customer to feel they’ve had a personal and highly professional experience.

“From the greeting they receive at the front desk, to the consultation, measuring and pinning by one of our expert seamstresses or tailors through to the care we take with each garment when it is left with us in store.

“Customers receive a text message as soon as their garment is ready. It’s a slick service, which we know our customers love.

“Sustainability is something we’re passionate about, with almost £140m worth of clothes being thrown away each year, we recognise the opportunity we have to make a difference by rescuing clothing from landfill.

Related: Zip Yard Franchise

“From zip repairs to altering trouser lengths or tailoring a favourite jacket or dress – our company mission is to give as many people as possible the opportunity to extend the life of their clothes and love and feel great in what they own.

“There are currently 40 Zip Yard stores in Ireland, so the potential for growth in GB is huge.

“As I see it, it’s my job to make The Zip Yard a nationally recognised brand, and nurturing our current franchisee relationships teamed with our relationship with Tesco and opening more stores across England, Scotland and Wales is key to fulfilling that potential.”

The Zip Yard is currently looking for new franchisees to join the company. The Ireland franchise remains under the ownership of The Zip Yard’s founder.

By Miran Rahman

Source: The Business Desk

The Massage Company prepares to launch London flagship

May 28, 2021

Membership-based massage franchise The Massage Company (TMC) is continuing its UK growth and gearing up to open its first London location at Putney Exchange, on 22 July 2021.

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Adding to its existing centres in Camberley, Tunbridge Wells, High Wycombe and Sutton Coldfield, the new destination will mark TMC’s fifth franchisee location in the UK and comes at a time where the business is seeing a marked increase in demand for massage services following the easing of lockdown restrictions.

Open seven days a week, TMC’s new 1,900sq ft location will house eight treatment rooms and a team of up to 20 highly trained therapists.

Greater London retail property expert and director of CBRE Matt Gillson once again collaborated with TMC on securing this venue and will continue to advise on additional territories where TMC is looking to open new facilities.

The Putney Exchange location will operate under a franchise agreement on a 10-year lease.

TMC was originally founded by Charlie Thompson and Elliot Walker with the goal of bringing high-quality massage to the mainstream. Its first location opened in Camberley in March 2016.

By emphasising the benefits of massages being a part of a healthier lifestyle, TMC aims to create accessible and purpose-built facilities that provide exceptional massage therapy by highly trained therapists – at an affordable price.

Walker commented: “The pandemic has been a source of great stress for many people, and TMC’s presence will help meet the increased demand for greater accessibility to quality massage therapy.

“We’re delighted to be working with CBRE as we continue to expand our centres across the UK to meet the demand of wellness services, especially as lockdown restrictions ease and people are looking for ways to continue their self-care journey as part of a regular healthy lifestyle.”

By Megan Whitby

Source: Leisure Opportunities

The Massage Company centres will reopen on the 30th July 2020

July 23, 2020

Planning has been in place for The Massage Company to reopen once the UK government gave the go ahead that the beauty and wellness sector could do so.

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Communication has been the foundation of the planning, making sure that everyone in the business has been kept informed from the staff teams through to the member and non-member customer base.

All of the members of The Massage Company will have received an email from the centres at the start of this week with a private unlimited advanced booking link, and the front desk teams are ready and waiting for calls too!

Non-members are welcome to book from one day in advance, or may join the membership to take advantage of the advanced booking option in the busy weeks ahead.

The centres are happy to take calls to guide everyone through the new procedures and to ask any personal questions that the public may have about having a massage.

This week, the therapy teams will start back training, together with bringing a small number of customers into the centre to test, trial and feedback to them on how they find the experience. This will allow The Massage Company time to improve, refine and refresh training and the skills within the teams to be 100% ready to welcome everyone back from 30th July onwards.

The Massage Company team can’t wait to be seeing everyone again – and that also includes prospective franchisees so anyone looking at starting a business with them do get in touch.

We’ll be ready when you are!

You don’t have to be a hairdresser to own a Just Cuts

June 25, 2020

If you want to invest in a Just Cuts business, the good news is you don’t have to be a hairdresser.

This particular business model allows for individuals with absolutely no hairdressing experience to invest in and run a successful salon.

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Just Cuts founder Denis McFadden spotted the need for a no-frills hairdressing option back in 1980.

Since then the former hairdresser has developed the no-appointment, price-conscious model, opening it up for franchising in 1990.

Today the chain is a successful network of more than 200 outlets across Australia, New Zealand and the UK.

The franchise set-up allows for staff and a manager to operate the store, so franchisees can add flexibility to the list of benefits.

It’s common for franchisees to spend less than 30 hours a week on their business.

More than half of the franchisees in the network operate more than one Just Cuts salon.

Investing in a franchise with Just Cuts could start with a low-priced kiosk model, or the full size store.

In addition to the hair cutting service, with optional add-ons, Just Cuts gives franchisees a second revenue stream with its own-brand line of hair products and accessories.

Hairdressing on the frontline

Denis McFadden took action early on in the pandemic to keep salon staff and clients safe. When government restrictions shut down beauty salons but regarded hairdressers, as essential McFadden took a stronger stance. He closed down the corporate stores and encouraged franchisees to do the same.

Just Cuts has been fully operational again since mid May when salons reopened their doors and welcomed returning and new customers.

Just Cuts and franchise leadership

McFadden is on the Franchise Council of Australia’s Hall of Fame, while CEO, Amber Manning, was named in the top 10 of the 2019 Top 30 Franchise Executives report last year.

Manning has led change across the network, introducing tech improvements to give franchisees better insights and efficiencies.

By Sarah Stowe

Source: Franchise Business

The Massage Company – Journey Back to Business

June 23, 2020

One of the key reasons for choosing a franchise is the support that a franchisor offers their franchisees. This has never been more tested than in these recent months.

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Franchisors helping franchisees to lockdown properly, support them to know how to manage and furlough staff, protect customers and also shift through the government support of loans and grants to secure the current and future revenues of the business.

Now as many sectors open, it is useful to take a look at one sector and how they are planning for an opening date again. The health and wellness sector is one of the areas which is still waiting for the go ahead to reopen.

So these are some examples of how The Massage Company are working with their franchise network. These are messages they are sending out to the general public and their customers, as well as an internal video which is being sent to staff members.

All done not only for their own massage centre, but for their franchisees and their franchisees teams as well.

Message to customers…

The Massage Company. Keeping you informed – our plan, our promise:

✔️ This week we will be sending out our mid-June update to all members, as we wait for the next stage of the Government guidance.
✔️ Once we have a green light to open (which our industry does not yet have), we will immediately be sending out a short survey to all our members, and also those with gift vouchers, to bring you on this journey with us, and find out your opinions about any decisions we will make to keep our centres, our team, and you, our customers, safe and healthy during massage therapy.
✔️ Following this, we can then reopen our booking systems step by step. We will do this right, and not in a rush. We want to be fair, safe, and professional as you would expect.
✔️ We want to be able to answer your questions as they are asked, so will have our team ready on the phones once the booking window opens.
✔️ Our team will be receiving even more training from us prior to opening, and once they are allowed to return to work. We will use video to share this with you all, and what you will find when you come to see us again.
✔️ All gift vouchers are extended automatically to the 31st December.
✔️ Our Facebook page, and our website will be updated with all new news, and we will use emails and SMS messages to help us assist you. Beyond this, we will be contacting some members by telephone to ensure your membership is setup the way you want it for the months ahead.
✔️ We will take you all on the journey with us!
✔️ We really do look forward to reopening – it’s been a long time!

Messages to The Massage Company Staff including those of the franchisees

For all The Massage Company staff – front of house and therapists a message from one of the founders – Charlie Thompson

Communication across the business is way The Massage Company work, so keeping everyone informed and included.

If you’d like to discover more about running your own business in the wellness sector with the support of a professional and committed franchisor like The Massage Company, then do get in touch.

Just Cuts Plea for immediate government action

March 26, 2020

Just Cuts Founder and CEO Denis McFadden is pleading with Government to follow the UK and NZ precedent and close hairdressing salons to protect the health of stylists and clients until COVID-19 is under control.

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The Government must also move to ensure a rent freeze on corporate leases and wage subsidies.

There are 2500 fully qualified stylists in the Just Cuts Australian network, predominantly in shopping centres, and 3500 globally. Just Cuts has 190 salons across all states and territories of Australia, 28 salons in NZ and 6 in the UK. The UK Government moved on 22 March to close salons with NZ following on 23 March. The Australian Government overnight excluded hairdressing from the list of non-essential services that needed to close and which included beauty salons.

Quotes attributable to Just Cuts Founder and CEO Denis McFadden

The health of Just Cuts’ Teams and Clients is and has always been at the core of everything we do. In fact, we have set the standard for salon hygiene practices throughout our 30 years of operation. But the reality is that the nature of hairdressing means that our stylists have to work in close proximity with their clients and are constantly touching them.

Hairdressing is not an essential service and the Government’s refusal to include hairdressing on its COVID-19 shut down list puts our stylists and clients in the firing line and their businesses more exposed than they need to be. At the moment, our franchise owners who are primarily Mums and Dads, are hamstrung. Without hairdressing being on the shut-down list, it is incredibly difficult for our franchise owners to take the heartbreaking but necessary steps to stand down workers or call for breathing space on leases.

Given the steps taken in the UK and NZ to close salons along with other non-essential businesses and given everything the medical experts are saying, we simply cannot justify the health or financial risk to our franchise owners, stylists and clients.

Australian National and State Governments, we are pleading with you. We understand that you’re trying to juggle protecting livelihoods and saving lives but this decision puts both at risk for our people and clients. Please act now.

Source: Business Franchise Australia

Duck & Dry extends offering beyond the capital

February 17, 2020

Duck & Dry, the on-trend London hair styling and blow dry bar with four company-owned locations in Chelsea, Oxford Circus, Soho and Mayfair reports that it is now offering further franchises beyond the capital as it looks to expand nationwide and internationally.

The company opened its first London franchised salon in Old Spitalfields Market last year and has a second outlet scheduled to launch in Islington. Duck & Dry says its salons provide blow drys and ‘updos’ for clients in beautiful, bright spaces with feel-good vibes, encompassing the ultimate customer experience.

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Yulia Rorstrom, the founder and chief executive of Duck & Dry, opened her first flagship salon in 2014 and after developing the concept with her team the company is now looking to share their expertise and knowledge with further entrepreneurs.

‘Daunting journey’

Rorstrom who had no previous background in the beauty or hair industry, shares her insights: “Whether you have hairdressing experience or not, launching your own business is an exciting, yet daunting journey.

“Having learnt through my own experience and my acute understanding of what it takes to open and run a successful salon, as well as the challenges of a very competitive space, I’m keen to share my knowledge and encourage new entrepreneurs by providing them with attentive support, practical advice and expertise to make their journey smooth and prosperous.”

Duck & Dry explains that its success is based upon six pillars as a proven framework for a salon business. It includes providing franchisees the rights to the distinctive brand along with all its characteristic elements, brand interiors, advice on store selection, detailed design specifications, access to its menu of on-trend and in-demand hairstyles, along with a training programme to ensure consistency and performance across the whole team.

The franchise model also gives exclusive access to the Duck & Dry product range, propriety salon software, as well as in-house marketing support and with over 100,000 blow dries created since 2014 the company says it understands what it takes to run a salon.

Duck & Dry have also recently launched a new Beauty Collective concept in select stores by introducing sister brands Duck & Pluck, offering brow treatments and Duck & File nail bar.

Source: Franchise World

Supercuts closes its only Gloucestershire branch in Gloucester’s Eastgate Street

February 3, 2020

Supercuts has closed the Gloucester branch of its salon franchise.

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The hairdressing franchise announced the closure of its Eastgate Street branch with a notice on its storefront window.

The next nearest branch of the barbershop is nearly 36 miles away in Bristol’s Shopping Quarter.

The firm, which began in California, has around 220 outlets in the UK.

Gloucestershire Live reported on the salon franchise back in October when the company went into administration.

The UK arm is owned and operated by private equity firm Regent, L.P., under a franchise agreement.

Related: Supercuts Franchise

The salon franchise was founded in 1975 by Geoffrey M. Rappaport and Frank E. Emmett.

By Jessica Mercer, Digital Journalist

Source: Gloucestershire Live

House of Colour personal stylists aiming for UK network of 200

December 28, 2019

House of Colour, the personal stylist and colour analysis consultants, have announced plans to increase its UK franchise network to 200 in the next five years, which could result in creating up to 100 new jobs.

House of Colour says that in the last 12 months it has attracted 31 new franchisees, 18 for the UK and 13 overseas in the U.S. It also reports that its UK franchisee revenue is up by 12 per cent on last year and that it has launched new products by securing a strategic alliance with Park Lane Jewellery.

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Helen Venables (right), managing director of House of Colour, says: “It is a difficult economic environment for many businesses but luckily we have been growing in tandem with the burgeoning lifestyle and health industries.

“We offer a potentially high-income business model with several lucrative income streams including colour analysis, styling, make-up classes and over 350 make-up products. We have been attracting new franchisees who want to be ambitious business builders, whilst still maintaining a good work/life balance.

“Our marketing has been stronger than ever which is vital in this financial climate and new data collection technology has been brought in to better serve the clients with clothing recommendations.”

House of Colour franchisees offer colour and style analysis for men and women either on an individual basis or within small groups. By helping clients find their own individual style enables clients to build a capsule wardrobe that suits their lifestyle and personality, as well as boost their confidence.

‘Rigorous training’

The company explains that its stylists go through rigorous professional training including the psychology of styling, why image is important, personality assessment and the history of dressing, in addition to training in marketing to support a successful business launch.

Its most successful franchisee in the UK, Claire Bannister, says that she has continually enjoyed the company’s training and marketing opportunities, which has resulted in her growing her business year-on-year.

The company describes its franchise opportunity as offering businessmen and women a flexible start-up programme that enables them to start a business from home, a small shop or within a beauty salon.

The franchise costs £12,000 including VAT, with a monthly service fee of £150 to cover items such as insurance, support, books and fashion updates. Franchisees receive 19 days’ training and all the equipment to run the business including sample stock.

Source: Franchise World

Supercuts saved as new deal secures 1,000 jobs and 140 high street hairdressers

December 13, 2019

About 1,000 jobs and 140 branches of Supercuts could be saved as a rescue deasl has been announced by the firm’s administrators.

The joint administrators said the business and assets of Regis UK Limited have now been sold to the Bushell Investment Group.

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Matt Cowlishaw, joint administrator, said: “We are pleased to have concluded the sale and for being able to preserve a significant number of jobs at two well-known brands.”

Regis operates hairdressing salons around the UK, primarily under the Regis and Supercuts brands.

The sale will mean that both brands stay on the UK high street, with more than 1,000 jobs being secured.

Rob Harding and Matt Cowlishaw of Deloitte were appointed as joint administrators to Regis UK Limited on 23 October 2019.

Ahead of administration Supercuts had 220 UK branches and employed more than 1,200 people, while there were also 100 Regis outlets.

The firm entered administration less than a year after Regis UK announced it was seeking a rescue deal in order to stay afloat.

Before administration, Supercuts was owned by the Regis Corporation, which also owns Regis Salons, Mia & Maxx, MasterCuts, Cost Cutters, SmartStyle, and First Choice Haircutters in the United States and Canada.

Related: Supercuts Franchise

Supercuts was founded in San Francisco Bay in 1975, by Geoffrey M. Rappaport and Frank E. Emmett.

The company’s first location was in Albany, California. The headquarters are in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Its UK arm is owned and operated by private equity firm Regent, L.P., under a franchise agreement with Regis Corporation.

By James Andrews

Source: Mirror