First Choice Haircutters

First Choice Haircutters is a Canadian hair salon franchise focused on accessible, value-oriented haircuts and basic styling services. The business began with a single salon in London, Ontario, in 1980 and expanded through franchising approximately two years later. Its model emphasizes convenience, standardized service, and pricing intended to appeal to value-conscious families rather than premium salon customers. Salons are commonly located in strip malls and other neighborhood retail settings, and the brand has traditionally operated primarily on a walk-in basis without requiring appointments. The concept is built around relatively compact locations, generally described as approximately 800 to 1,000 square feet with at least 15 feet of frontage. This format supports placement in convenience-oriented shopping areas and allows franchisees to serve customers seeking routine haircuts without the time commitment or pricing associated with full-service boutique salons. The brand also promotes a seven-day guarantee covering its products and services, reinforcing a low-risk, customer-friendly proposition. First Choice Haircutters was acquired by the United States-based salon conglomerate Regis Corporation in October 2000. Following the acquisition, the Canadian chain became part of a broader portfolio that has included Supercuts, Vidal Sassoon, Cost Cutters, and SmartStyle. Regis provides the corporate ownership and shared operating context, while First Choice retains its own brand identity and Canadian market positioning. The company’s headquarters are identified with Regis Corporation’s home office in Minneapolis, Minnesota, rather than with a separate Canadian corporate headquarters. The chain has operated predominantly in Canada, with more than 400 Canadian locations reported in the reference material and one location in Toledo, Ohio. As a franchise company, its system-wide sales can substantially exceed the revenue recognized by the brand owner because sales are generated across independently operated franchise locations. Reference material reported nearly $3 billion in system-wide sales in 2007; this historical figure should not be treated as current revenue or as a measure of Regis Corporation’s consolidated sales. In 2018, First Choice Haircutters introduced First Choice Cares, a national community initiative intended to provide free haircuts to people in need. The program extended the brand’s neighborhood-oriented positioning into community support, and reference material reported that approximately 500 free haircuts had been provided by May 2019. The initiative is one of the few specifically documented national campaigns associated with the brand. First Choice Haircutters is therefore best understood as a mass-market, convenience-led salon franchise rather than a product-driven beauty brand. Its principal offering is the standardized haircut, supported by styling services and salon products, with the franchise network, walk-in access, neighborhood locations, and value-conscious family positioning forming the core of its competitive proposition.

First Choice Haircutters originated in 1980 with one salon in London, Ontario. Its initial format was designed around a straightforward consumer need: affordable, convenient haircuts delivered in a familiar neighborhood setting. Rather than adopting the appointment-driven and highly personalized model associated with upscale salons, the concept emphasized walk-in access, relatively compact stores, and services suitable for routine family use. Approximately two years after the first salon opened, the company began franchising. Franchising allowed the concept to expand beyond its original Ontario location while placing day-to-day ownership and operation in the hands of local franchisees. The network’s typical real-estate format developed around strip malls and other accessible retail centers. Locations were generally designed to occupy about 800 to 1,000 square feet, with a minimum frontage requirement of approximately 15 feet. These characteristics supported a repeatable store model and helped the brand reach customers shopping in ordinary community retail environments. The brand’s service proposition centered on haircuts and basic styling, with a stated emphasis on value-conscious families. Its predominantly walk-in operating model reduced the need for advance planning and made the service suitable for customers seeking a quick, routine visit. A seven-day guarantee on products and services provided an additional reassurance to customers and reflected the chain’s emphasis on accessible, standardized service. A major corporate turning point came in October 2000, when First Choice Haircutters was acquired by Regis Corporation, a United States-based salon company. The acquisition made First Choice part of a much larger salon group whose portfolio also included concepts such as Supercuts, Vidal Sassoon, Cost Cutters, and SmartStyle. After the transaction, the brand continued to operate under the First Choice Haircutters name while benefiting from its association with Regis’s broader corporate and franchise infrastructure. The brand’s headquarters were identified with Regis Corporation’s home office in Minneapolis, Minnesota. During the 2000s, First Choice Haircutters remained primarily a Canadian network, although the reference material also identified one location in Toledo, Ohio. More than 400 locations were reported throughout Canada. Because the company operates as a franchise system, system-wide sales represent activity across the network rather than necessarily constituting the parent company’s reported revenue. Reference material stated that system-wide sales were nearly $3 billion in 2007, providing a historical indication of network scale but not a current financial measure. In 2018, the company broadened its community-facing activity through First Choice Cares, a national initiative providing free haircuts to people in need. The program was intended to operate in the communities where First Choice salons are located and aligned the brand with practical local support. By May 2019, the initiative was reported to have delivered approximately 500 free haircuts. The brand has also had a modest connection to popular culture through advertising. Canadian actress Jacqueline MacInnes Wood appeared in a First Choice Haircutters commercial early in her career, reportedly playing a character referred to as the “hair girl.” The commercial continued to run for several years after its production. This advertising appearance is a documented promotional association, but it does not indicate an executive or ownership role. Overall, First Choice Haircutters developed from a single Ontario salon into a large Canadian franchise network by combining a repeatable small-store format, walk-in convenience, family-oriented services, and value pricing. Its acquisition by Regis Corporation placed it within a global salon portfolio, while its community initiative demonstrated an effort to maintain a local and accessible identity.

• 2019

  Community haircut program reaches approximately 500 services

  [1]First Choice Haircuttersen.wikipedia.org

  By May 2019, First Choice Cares is reported to have provided roughly 500 free haircuts.

• 2018

  First Choice Cares introduced

  [1]First Choice Haircuttersen.wikipedia.org

  The brand launches a national initiative intended to provide free haircuts to people in need.

• 2007

  Historical system-wide sales reported

  [1]First Choice Haircuttersen.wikipedia.org

  Reference material reports nearly $3 billion in system-wide sales for the franchise network in 2007.

• 2000

  Acquired by Regis Corporation

  [1]First Choice Haircuttersen.wikipedia.org

  Regis Corporation purchases First Choice Haircutters in October 2000.

• 1982

  Franchising begins

  [1]First Choice Haircuttersen.wikipedia.org

  The company starts franchising approximately two years after its founding, enabling expansion through independently operated locations.

• 1980

  First salon opens in London, Ontario

  [1]First Choice Haircuttersen.wikipedia.org

  First Choice Haircutters begins with a single salon in London, Ontario, Canada.

Mass-market and value-oriented salon services for convenience-seeking individuals and families, delivered mainly through neighborhood strip-mall locations and walk-in access.

• Hair salon service · 1980

  Haircut services

  Haircuts are the brand’s core offering. First Choice Haircutters is positioned around routine, accessible cuts for individuals and families, with many locations operating primarily on a walk-in or no-appointment basis. The service model is intended to provide convenience and consistent value rather than a premium salon experience.

• Hair salon service

  Hair styling services

  The chain also offers basic hair styling and related salon services. These services complement the core haircut proposition and allow customers to receive routine grooming and styling in the same neighborhood-oriented setting. Specific service menus may vary by franchise location.

• Hair-care retail

  Salon hair-care products

  First Choice Haircutters offers hair-care products associated with its salon services. The brand describes a seven-day guarantee covering its products and services, although the available reference material does not identify particular product brands, formulations, or a complete retail assortment.

• 2018First Choice Cares

  Canada

  A national community initiative created to provide free haircuts to people in need in communities served by First Choice Haircutters salons.

  Outcome. Approximately 500 free haircuts had reportedly been provided by May 2019.

  Source

• 2018

  Launch a national community-support initiativeOther

  Background

  The brand sought to support people in the communities where its franchise salons operate.

  Action taken

  First Choice Haircutters launched First Choice Cares to provide free haircuts to people in need.

  Aftermath

  The initiative was reported to have delivered roughly 500 free haircuts by May 2019.

  Source

• 2000

  Join the Regis Corporation salon portfolioM&A

  Background

  First Choice Haircutters had developed into a Canadian salon franchise before its acquisition by the larger United States-based salon operator Regis Corporation.

  Action taken

  Regis Corporation acquired First Choice Haircutters in October 2000.

  Aftermath

  The brand became a Regis subsidiary alongside other salon concepts, while continuing to operate under the First Choice Haircutters name.

  Source

• 1982

  Adopt a franchise-led expansion modelStrategy

  Background

  After beginning with one London, Ontario salon in 1980, the company sought a scalable way to expand its standardized, value-oriented salon concept.

  Action taken

  First Choice Haircutters began franchising approximately two years after its founding.

  Aftermath

  The franchise model supported the development of a network of more than 400 Canadian locations reported in the reference material.

  Source

1. 1First Choice Haircuttersen.wikipedia.org