The Floyd's 99 Story

In February 2001in downtown Denver, Colorado brothers Paul, Rob and Bill O’Brien opened a hip place you could get your hair cut for a reasonable price and have a pretty good time while you were doing it. They made the decision to diversify into the hair care industry after researching several business opportunities in both the restaurant and hair care industries. They felt they could have the greatest opportunity for success by taking the experience they had gained from years of operating their concession business and applying it to a unique niche in the highly competitive industry of hair care. The advantages the brothers felt they had for success were their strong operating background, dedication to customer service and their attitude toward the value of their employees to the business.

They practically begged friends of friends to come work for them to get their idea off the ground. No one in the group cuts hair so when they opened their first shop in February 2001 to customer volumes more robust than they could’ve dreamed, they had to use every bit of their best customer service skills and outgoing personalities to keep both their waiting customers and busy stylists satisfied. They opened 3 shops from February to November of 2001 and their fourth by the following October. Paul, along with the support and assistance of his wife Karen, operated the four Denver shops, while Rob and Bill were busy in other cities establishing and managing their concession contracts there. In March of 2003, Denver experienced a blizzard and Floyd's made news. When the television station a block away from the shop heard the nightclub a block away had collapsed on top of the barbershop next to it, they aired a picture Paul and Karen will never forget. Within hours, the group learned their building would be demolished that day to avoid a sure collapse.The only items they were able to get out were stylist toolboxes Paul and manager Pete Vercellin begged the fire department to retrieve. Immediately, the company’s management had to get over their own shock about the uncertainty of the loss of the business to address the greater effect they knew would come when their staff heard what happened.This is the time they all learned that despite this type of adversity and uncertainty, their business would succeed at some level because of the character and concern of the founders of the company for the well-being of their staff.They checked their insurance, absorbed staff into other locations, bought a billboard and established a website making light of the disaster to inform their customers where they could find another Floyd's.

In May of 2004 the company took a critical look at its bottom line, instituted it's only price increase to date and other cost-saving measures, while enhancing its service by adding a hot lather neck shave.

The company investigated several methods of expanding the brand. After investing in professional consultation, the company has chosen to focus on building the brand aggressively, yet controlled, through franchising, while they build out select corporate markets to enhance systems and positioning of the brand.

Their strategy for dominating the competition is consistently providing quality cuts, exceptional service and great value. The founders' passion, personalities and their constant desire to make a positive impact on people, along with the support of a qualified and professional management team have poised the company for national and international expansion.