Sport Clips to Open Five New Orange County Stores; 125 Stores Planned for So. CA

ORANGE, CALIF. - Wellington Franchising Systems has been named the area developer for Texas-based Sport Clips, a national sports-themed, hair care franchise for men and boys, and plans to be one of the most active retail chains in southern California as the company plans to open more than 125 stores in Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Wellington has already signed five leases in Orange County, with the first two opening in mid December in Irvine and Huntington Beach. The company also has letters of intent for three locations in the Inland Empire.

Greg Fisher, managing member of Wellington Franchising Systems and a 20-year retail industry veteran, says that Wellington plans to open the stores at the rate of at least 10 to 15 per year. Created with the sports fan in mind, Sport Clips’ clients can tune into the football game on the waiting room-big screen TV and continue watching the game at their stylist’s station. Clients can get a precision haircut, massaging shampoo, steamed towel, and a relaxing shoulder and neck massage, all at a reasonable price and surrounded by sports-themed décor including jerseys, pennants, lockers and sports memorabilia, which are also available for purchase.

Fisher says that the chain’s first two stores in Orange County will open in mid December. One will be at the Woodbury Town Center at 6274 Irvine Blvd. in Irvine and the other at the Newland Center at 19710 Beach Blvd. in Huntington Beach. In February 2007, Wellington will open two more stores: one in Santa Ana, near South Coast Plaza, and the other in Cypress. The fifth store will open at The District in Tustin in the spring of 2007.

The Irvine store will be a training center for the chain’s Orange County stores, and one of the letters of intent that Fisher has signed is for a store near the Ontario Mills Mall that will serve as a training center for Sport Clips’ Inland Empire stores.

“In all my years in the retail industry, I have never witnessed such excitement over a retail concept,” said Fisher. “With the hair salon industry focusing primarily on women and barbershops closing all across the country at record rates, no one has focused on the hair-care needs of men – which are 50 percent of our population! At Sport Clips men, young and old alike, can get a high quality haircut in a comfortable and entertaining environment while watching sports.”

Entrepreneur Magazine rated Sport Clips among the 100 fastest growing franchises in the country and has attracted the attention of Sports Illustrated and CNBC. Sports Clip is also a primary sponsor at the Daytona International Speedway, Indianapolis Raceway Park and California Speedway. “Sport Clips has created a concept so strong it has continued to double in size nearly every year since it began in 1995,” said Fisher. The Georgetown, TX-based company is now quickly approaching its 400th store nationwide.

Founded in 1995 by franchise veteran Gordon Logan and headquartered in Georgetown, TX, the privately held Sport Clips, Inc., is a sports-themed hair care franchise for men and boys with more than 360 stores in 32 states. Sport Clips is the Official Haircutter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and offers preferential pricing to all veterans. Sport Clips is also a sponsor of Paul Tracy’s #34 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Busch Series. For additional franchise information or to find a location near you, visit www.SportClips.com. At Sport Clips, GUYS WIN!