Kennedy's All-American Barber Club Targets Florida for Growth

Florida isn’t just Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club’s home state—it’s also a key piece of the growing brand’s development strategy for the coming year. With four locations currently operating in a state that’s home to nearly 20 million people, Kennedy’s President and CEO Jay Hummer says there is ample opportunity for further franchisee success in the market.

With plans to sign franchise agreements for five to ten additional locations in Florida over the course of the next year, development in this market plays a crucial role in the brand’s overall strategy to sell 30 to 40 additional locations system-wide during the same time period.

Brand development strategy

The original Kennedy’s concept was founded with the intention to target higher income bracket consumers. But with the addition of the brand’s Member Lounge five years ago, the company has been pleasantly surprised by the overwhelming response from such a large variety of demographic groups. Kennedy’s Member Lounge offers male consumers not only a place to maintain professional haircuts and precise straight-razor shaves, but also a place to hold meetings, enjoy a game, play pool or enjoy a cocktail while networking with others at the coffee bar.

The wide range of offerings has revealed almost a universal appeal, with something for boys and men of all ages.

“The state of Florida in particular is the perfect demographic make up for our model,” said Hummer. “It’s one of the most densely populated states in the country, with a lot of wealth, but also a lot of families, young professionals and students - all groups with which we’ve had wild success through our membership club offerings.”

Southern Florida and large Gulf Coast communities, including Tampa Bay and Ft. Myers, are key areas of interest for the brand, as well as the communities of Jacksonville, St. Augustine and West Palm Beach, to name a few. Hummer is hoping Kennedy’s can tap into the state’s bustling business community for future customers.

Florida market expansion

“The prevalent international business community in Florida has already welcomed what Kennedy’s has to offer with open arms, and we hope to be able to serve as many of its members as possible,” continued Hummer. “But we also look forward to being able to provide a high quality service and atmosphere at an affordable price to father’s and their sons with our family memberships, the future and budding professionals through our student memberships available to young men both in high school and college, and those who are just getting started in their careers and looking for valuable networking opportunities without the cost of a country club membership for example.”

Hummer also believes that Kennedy’s is an affordable main street business with flexible options when it comes to operations. Through a business model that provides franchisees the choice between being an active owner-operator or more of an absentee owner who relies on quality general management to handle daily operations, Kennedy’s successful group of franchisees is as diverse as the clientele it serves.

“First and foremost, we’re looking for people who are passionate about the concept. If you have that passion, the concept is adaptable and affordable enough to be molded into the right opportunity for you,” said Hummer. “We’ve got people who grew tired of climbing the corporate ladder and were ready to become their own boss and have a business to call their own, we’ve got people who were looking for a solid investment opportunity, and we have found just that through hiring quality management and letting them run the business on a daily basis.

Our model is also well-suited for already experienced multi-unit franchisees looking to diversify their portfolio.”

With specific regard to development in Florida, Kennedy’s is open to discussions with potential single and multi-unit franchisees.

“We want people to build a successful business at their own pace,” added Hummer. “If they want to walk before they run and get their feet wet with one location, we’ll support them every step of the way; likewise if they’ve got the necessary experience and are ready to fly with multiple locations, we’re able to provide the resources they’ll need to get their Kennedy’s business off the ground.”