When Fantastic Sams began, we didn’t aim to become a legacy brand. We also set out to be different from other beauty franchises. This was by design.

Is that why, 50 years later, Fantastic Sams is the legacy brand we’ve become? Perhaps.

But what is a legacy brand in the first place? 

Defining a Legacy Brand

Typically, a brand is considered a legacy once it’s aged 25 years or older, has achieved a level of visible success with well-known products, and has an historical narrative that people inherently know.

Legacy brands know their market intimately, and can fulfill their customers’ needs completely. Some legacy brands trade on exclusivity, like high end fashion designers. Some rely on innovation, like Apple with the latest iPhone. Others go for authenticity, like Fantastic Sams.  

We understand that our clients want to feel good about how they look without paying the prices of exclusivity beauty franchises. We don’t believe people should have to break the budget to look fantastic. Once upon a time, people looking for quality hair cuts didn’t have the choice. 

A Gap in the Beauty Franchise Market

For most of the 20th century, the state of the beauty franchise market left a lot to be desired. Men were loyal to their local barbershop, where they were able to find mostly affordable haircuts and grooming services, but there were few choices for innovative cuts or styles that kept up with the latest trends.

For women, there were high-end beauty franchises available, or there were independent salons also priced in the top ranges of most people’s budgets. Some styles required frequent upkeep, so it could become prohibitive to many women to even attempt certain services, like highlights or high-maintenance haircuts.

And where were the children having their hair cut? 

In July 1974, Sam Ross opened the first Fantastic Sams in Memphis specifically to fulfill the needs of the entire family. The Fantastic Sams philosophy was to be more than a beauty franchise, instead offering the whole family the same high-end services and products they could get elsewhere, just at an affordable price in a single salon. 

Not only that, Fantastic Sams set out to be a place where stylists could realize their dreams of salon ownership, too. Fantastic Sams developed a uniquely effective franchise program designed to elevate the beauty franchise into so much more.

The Fantastic Sams Franchise Goal: to Empower

Becoming a legacy brand may not have been our original intention, but we started out doing things differently, which is something of a defining characteristic of a legacy brand.

Plenty of entrepreneurs join the business world and follow the rules, and they may be successful, but they don’t stand out. Challenging the rules, and asking if following those rules really serves the business philosophy, that’s where legacies are found. In those challenges, we find the methods that adapt to the times, create products and services, and build businesses that maintain relevance through eras.

Fantastic Sams did just that when we questioned our pricing structures for our products and services. Then we did it again when we created our franchise model to empower our stylists and investors to flourish. It wasn’t about enriching those at the top.

It’s about empowering everyone influenced by the Fantastic Sams name, from the youngest customers to the newest stylists, to the experienced managers, to the freshest franchise owners. We love seeing each and everyone walk with confidence because of a Fantastic Sams brand experience.

Fantastic Sams is More than a Beauty Franchise

The Fantastic Sams name has spread across the United States since 1974 and has become a legacy brand known for great service at affordable prices for the whole family. We’ve become more than a simple beauty franchise.

We offer a full range of services for men, women, and children that include haircuts, coloring, texture, facial grooming and waxing, and styling services. We’ve also developed a full line of styling products that maintain our standards of quality and affordability.

For our franchisees, this provides them a full range of revenue streams with which to diversify their business in a nearly recession-proof industry valued at $91.41 billion in the US in 2023.

Become Part of the Fantastic Sams Legacy Brand

What does it take for interested entrepreneurs and stylists looking to take charge of their future to join the Fantastic Sams franchise family?

Affordability has been one of the pillars of the Fantastic Sams brand since day one, and we didn’t limit that to our customer pricing. Our franchise model is one of the most affordable franchise investments available on the market today. Yet another reason we’re not the average beauty store franchise.

To become a Fantastic Sams franchisee, qualified investors can expect an initial investment estimate that ranges between $150,500 and $332,000. This figure includes the franchise fee of $30,000. More details can be found in our Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).

Many potential investors have come to us interested in multi-unit ownership. Is this possible? Yes! We’ve developed multi-unit franchise agreements that include 2-pack, 3-pack, 4-pack, and 5-pack agreements for qualified investors.

Fantastic Sams is a legacy brand that embraces authenticity, and we’re looking for qualified investors to continue that fantastic feeling for years to come. If you qualify, we’d love to hear from you! Contact us today.