Blo | Blow Dry Bar

Playful, practical and pink - just a few adjectives that could be used to describe Blo Blow Dry Bar, which opened it's first franchised location in Toronto this July.

Under the watch of franchisees Melanie Groom and Tara Clark, customers can stop by for quick 30-minute styling appointments. No haircuts, no highlights - just a quick blowdry or updo, for roughly $30 a piece, and clients are ready to go.

The idea for the specialty salon came from founder Judy Brooks, a busy female entrepreneur who saw a niche for such a service. Before buying the blo franchise, Groom worked as a model/actress, while Clark was employed in the fashion and cosmetics industries. The long-time friends were eager to sign on with the Vancouver-based chain, which had already gained notoriety in Toronto. "Their friendship, partnership and past work experiences all speak to what an ideal franchisee is for us," explains Blo co-founder, Devon Brooks. "It'd not like they had 25 years of business background, but we're not necessarily looking for that. We're looking for people who are inspired, who want to live out the vibe and culture of Blo."

Though the brand is new to the city, Groom and Clark say building awareness has been one of the easiest parts of their experience, thanks to strong franchiser support. "People knew we were coming; they were waiting for us to open," Groom says. "Even the signs in our windows were creating buzz for the two months we were under construction. Plus, the cheekiness of the brand grabs people's attention." That sassy attitude is ever-present at Blo, whether in hairstyle offerings such as 'Sex, Hugs and Rock & Roll' or the employees' bright pink business cards, emblazoned with the phrase, 'Just Blo Me.'

The salon has been a success, Groom and Clark have already secured their second location at the Four Seasons Hotel in Yorkville, an affluent neighbourhood in downtown Toronto, which was scheduled to open this fall. The pair, along with their third, silent partner, hopes to eventually own four salons.

While running their own business has been a challenging transition for the first-time entrepreneurs, both Groom and Clark say they couldn't be happier and are very thankful for their franchiser's help and support. "In the beginning, people asked us why we didn't just go out on our own and do the blow dry bar concept ourselves," Groom explains. "That wasn't even a question for us. The moment we met Devon, Judy and everyone else involved in the company, we knew we were going to get the tools we needed to do what we wanted to do.

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