The Great Clips^® Advantage

Great Clips, Inc. officially incorporates on July 12. Later that year, on Sept. 22, founders Steve Lemmon and David Rubenzer open the first Great Clips salon near the University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis.

Future CEO and Chairman of the Board Ray Barton joins the company, bringing his franchising expertise to the business. First franchisees Mary Lou Barton and Roger and Marylu Ledebuhr open the first franchised Great Clips salon in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, attracting customers to their grand opening with bicycle giveaways and 50 free haircuts.

Future President and CEO Rhoda Olsen joins Great Clips, Inc. as VP, Human Services at a time when the company was a regional chain of 180 salons. She would help lead the company to becoming the largest haircare brand in the world.

Great Clips promotes its first Great Haircut Sale.

 

 

Great Clips launches a promotional partnership with NASCAR. For almost 20 years, Great Clips would sponsor fan-favorite drivers, including superstars Kasey Kahne and Jason Leffler.

Great Clips introduces its community outreach and giving program, Great Needs. Great Deeds., to support causes in communities where its customers, franchisees, salon staff, and partners live and work.

Great Clips unveils its Relax salon design and opened its 2,500th salon.

Great Clips launches the “Walk Right In” campaign and introduces Sudz, everyone’s favorite shampoo bottle mascot!

At 2,795 locations, Great Clips becomes the single largest haircare brand in North America, with a nearly 50% market share of all franchised hair salon units.

Great Clips becomes a leader in using technology to enhance the customer experience, including the industry-changing Online Check-In and Clip Notes^®

A Great Clips salon in Springfield, Ohio sets the Guinness World Record for most consecutive haircuts—392!

Great Clips begins Clips of Kindness, a systemwide program throughout North America, to provide complimentary clipper cuts to customers facing hair loss due to cancer treatments.

Great Clips becomes the first salon brand to launch a global customer database that ensures customers get the same great haircut at all Great clips salons in the U.S. and Canada.

Great Clips announces its promotional partnership with Monster Jam.

Great Clips teams up with influential sports brands to connect with target customers: National Hockey League (Official Hair Salon of the NHL), Super Bowl LII (Polar Plunge sponsor to benefit Special Olympics Minnesota), and Tyler “Ninja” Blevins (Ninja’s Great Clips).