---
title: "Pigtails & Crewcuts Celebrates 20 Years of Franchise Growth in Children’s Hair Salons"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/de50e760-b5eb-4301-8aa2-a7a6ad04eb1d
source: "1851 Franchise"
original_url: https://1851franchise.com/pigtails-and-crewcuts/american-salon-pigtails-crewcuts-ceo-celebrates-20-years-of-franchising-success-in-childrens-hair-salon-market-2729274
category: "Hair & salon suites"
industry: "Beauty & Wellness"
segment: "Hair & salon suites"
published: 2025-05-06T16:11:34.000Z
modified: 2026-10-31T16:56:45.661Z
image: https://newimage.1851franchise.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=85,format=webp,width=1280,height=720/story/featureImage/1746549703_2729274.png
---

# Pigtails & Crewcuts Celebrates 20 Years of Franchise Growth in Children’s Hair Salons

**TL;DR:** Pigtails & Crewcuts, a children's hair salon franchise, is celebrating its 20th anniversary with over 80 locations and plans to surpass 100. The franchise has experienced remarkable growth and expansion under the leadership of CEO Wade Brannon.

*originally published in 1851 Franchise on 2025-05-06. [Read the original](https://1851franchise.com/pigtails-and-crewcuts/american-salon-pigtails-crewcuts-ceo-celebrates-20-years-of-franchising-success-in-childrens-hair-salon-market-2729274).*

## Key facts

- Pigtails & Crewcuts celebrates 20 years
- Over 100 locations planned
- 3.03% annual market growth

## Story

Pigtails & Crewcuts, the rapidly growing children's hair salon franchise focused on quality haircuts for kids aged zero to 12, is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2025 with remarkable growth and expansion. According to American Salon, CEO Wade Brannon discovered the original Pigtails & Crewcuts salon in Atlanta while visiting with his own children, immediately recognizing its franchise potential.

"I was immediately struck by how different it was from any other kids' haircut experience. There was no crying, no stress — just laughter and smiles," Brannon told American Salon. "The chairs were shaped like airplanes and fire trucks, the walls were bright and cheerful, and the team knew how to work with kids.... I saw the potential."

Brannon, who previously helped grow food retail franchise Heavenly Ham to over 230 locations before its sale to Honey Baked Ham in 2002, acquired the Pigtails & Crewcuts brand in 2004. His experience in franchise development proved invaluable as he built the children's salon concept into what has now become an 80-plus-unit franchise operation.

## Recent growth trends

The first quarter of 2025 has been particularly successful for the franchise, with new salon openings in Morrisville, North Carolina; Teaneck, New Jersey; and Barboursville, West Virginia. Additionally, nine franchisees renewed their agreements, demonstrating strong franchisee satisfaction and engagement.

"We are a very healthy franchise system, to the extent where franchisees actively want to continue and expand their partnerships," said Michelle Holliman, Vice President of Franchise Development.

This growth comes at a time when the overall U.S. hair salon market is estimated to be worth approximately $53.7 billion, with consistent annual growth of about 3.03%. Within this competitive landscape, Pigtails & Crewcuts has carved out a distinctive niche by focusing exclusively on children's haircuts with a fun, stress-free environment.

## Special needs services

One of the franchise's most notable distinctions is its commitment to creating welcoming environments for all children, including those with special needs and sensory sensitivities. This commitment has become a core part of the brand's identity.

The franchise's stylists receive specialized training to work with children who may need extra time and attention during haircuts, and many locations offer special hours specifically for clients whose children have special needs or sensory differences.

As the franchise celebrates its 20th anniversary, it's planning a national franchise conference in Scottsdale, Arizona, in October with the theme "Back to the Future". With the company on track to surpass 100 locations, Brannon remains enthusiastic about the future.

For a franchise that began with a simple observation of a better way to cut children's hair, Pigtails & Crewcuts' two decades of growth demonstrates the power of a well-executed concept that meets a specific market need while delivering exceptional service to all children.

## Entities

- 1851 Franchise (publication)
- franchise growth (topic)
- Beauty & Wellness (sector)
- expansion plans (topic)
- Pigtails & Crewcuts (company)
- HoneyBaked Ham (company)
- Michelle Holliman (person)
- Wade Brannon (person)
- Heavenly Ham (company)
- children's hair salons (topic)
- special needs services (topic)

---
Originally reported by 1851 Franchise (https://1851franchise.com/pigtails-and-crewcuts/american-salon-pigtails-crewcuts-ceo-celebrates-20-years-of-franchising-success-in-childrens-hair-salon-market-2729274). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/de50e760-b5eb-4301-8aa2-a7a6ad04eb1d).