Pigtails & Crewcuts: A Sensory-Friendly Salon for Kids

Marylou and her husband, Juan, were searching for the right business to own when they found Pigtails & Crewcuts, a kid's hair salon franchise. As a former elementary and special education teacher, Marylou put her career on hold to raise and homeschool her children. However, finding a comfortable, child-friendly place for haircuts proved difficult for their son, who has sensory sensitivities.

The themed chairs, TVs, and fun atmosphere of Pigtails & Crewcuts transformed the experience for him, but the nearest salon was 45 minutes away. This led them to decide to bring Pigtails & Crewcuts to their own community. Now, three years later, they've expanded into a second location, continuing their mission to make haircuts fun, welcoming, and inclusive for all families.

Marylou was an elementary and special education educator, and her husband is a District Operations Manager. She put her career on hold to raise and homeschool their children, but her husband always dreamed of owning a business. Over the years, they tossed around different ideas, and he did a lot of research. However, the idea of opening a kid's hair salon came from personal experience - out of necessity.

Their son has sensory sensitivities, and haircuts were always a struggle. The fun, child-focused atmosphere of Pigtails & Crewcuts made a huge difference for him. But they had to drive 45 minutes just to get him a haircut. They finally decided to take the leap and open one themselves. There are so many families - like theirs - who find kids' haircuts challenging for different reasons.

They wanted to create a place where kids feel truly seen, parents feel understood, and everyone feels cared for. They also put together an amazing team that shares their mission and is passionate about working with kids. On top of that, they partnered with an amazing local occupational therapist, who trained their stylists to make haircuts easier for children with sensory challenges.

Marylou began the process to officially certify their salon as a sensory-safe salon. Franchising allowed them to open a business with the added benefit of a framework and support. As first-time business owners, they needed guidance, and they knew they would excel with a support system in place.

They picked Pigtails & Crewcuts because they wanted to fill a gap in the community and create a space that felt truly inclusive for all families. What sold them on Pigtails & Crewcuts was the people. From the very beginning, they felt an immediate connection with the leadership team. It was clear that they cared about their franchisees, and they could see that they had a strong business model and solid support team in place.

Now, after being with Pigtails & Crewcuts for three years, they've built a strong network with other owners. They constantly share advice and best practices, and support each other. It's an amazing community of franchisees. Their mission also aligned with their own values - to make haircuts fun, memorable, and inclusive for all families.

Marylou hopes to achieve with her business is to continue serving their community and offering a safe and welcoming space for all families. As for growth, they recently purchased a second salon in Brookfield, Wisconsin. It needed some work, but they're using everything they've learned from their first location to turn it around.