Drybar

Last updated
DB Franchise LLC
Drybar
Founded2008
Brentwood, Los Angeles, California
Founders Alli Webb, Michael Landau, Cameron Webb
Headquarters
Irvine   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Number of locations
92 [1]
RevenueUS$70 million (2015) [2]
Parent Drybar Holdings LLC
Website thedrybar.com

Drybar is a California-based chain of salons that provides a hair styling service known as blowouts. The company was founded in 2010 by Alli Webb. [3]

Contents

History

In 2009, Alli Webb began a side business called Straight At Home, which provided an at-home hair experience. [4] As demand quickly outgrew the one-woman operation, Webb noticed a "huge hole" in her local market for a business that provided solely hair blowouts, [5] a concept that had already gained traction in larger cities such as New York City with brands like "Blo". [6] In 2010, along with her brother Michael Landau, Alli co-founded Drybar. [7] The following year, along with the help of friends, she raised $2.5 million to expand the business. [8] They added Castanea Partners, a Boston-based private equity firm, to their list of investors in January 2012. [9] Laura Mercier Cosmetics founder and former CEO Janet Gurwitch joined the company's board, as well Paul Pressler, the former president and CEO of Gap the same year. [10]

In 2019, the American consumer goods corporation Helen of Troy acquired the Drybar trademark for $255 million in cash. [11] In 2021, WellBiz Brands, Inc. acquired the Drybar shops' franchise rights. [12]

Style of business

Everything at Drybar is referenced using the “bar vernacular”. The cashiers are called “bartenders” and hairstyles are named after cocktails, such as the Cosmo, Mai Tai, or Manhattan. [8] The idea behind this came from Webb. Webb’s vision is present in the designs of architect Josh Heitler. [13] Heitler, principal of a boutique architectural firm and now a partner in the company, [8] came up with the design elements and look of Drybar. [3] Instead of the typical salon setup, clients at Drybar “sit facing a U-shaped or single-stretch bar, with their backs to the mirrors,” which brings to mind sitting at a bar rather than being at a salon. [3]

Locations

Drybar revenue grew from $1.5 million in 2010 to $19 million in 2012 and to $39 million in 2013. [14] As of January 2016, Drybar had 66 [1] locations in 11 states, Washington DC and Vancouver, British Columbia. [5] [15] As of November 2017, the number of locations had expanded to almost 90. [16] As of October 2018, the company has over 100 locations and 3000 employees. [17]

Products

Looking to increase revenue, Webb (along with the help of Board member and investor Janet Gurwitch) developed a line of products specifically for Drybar.

In 2013, after testing the line in about 70 Sephora locations, Drybar went ahead with 300+ Sephora shops and QVC to launch their line of products. [18]

The motto of Drybar is "No cuts. No color. Just wash & blowouts." [19] which is a reference to their primary service offering.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">JCPenney</span> American department store chain

Penney OpCo LLC, doing business as JCPenney and often abbreviated JCP, is an American department store chain that operates 664 stores across 49 U.S. states and Puerto Rico. Departments inside JCPenney stores include Men's, Women's, Boys', Girls', Baby, Bedding, Home, Fine Jewelry, Shoes, Lingerie, JCPenney Salon, JCPenney Beauty, as well as leased departments such as Seattle's Best Coffee, US Vision optical centers, and Lifetouch portrait studios.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sephora</span> French cosmetics retailer

Sephora is a French multinational retailer of personal care and beauty products with nearly 340 brands, along with its own private label, Sephora Collection, and includes beauty products such as cosmetics, skincare, fragrance, nail color, beauty tools, body lotions and haircare.

Jonathan Antin is the former owner of two Los Angeles hair salons, Jonathan Salon West Hollywood and Jonathan Salon Beverly Hills. His life as an entrepreneur and a celebrity hair stylist was the basis for reality television series Blow Out. He was the judge on the third season of Shear Genius and has appeared on other television shows. He judged the 2007 Miss USA pageant. He developed a hair care product line, which broke QVC's record for the top hair care launch in 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Helen of Troy Limited</span> American developer and marketer of consumer housewares, health, home, and beauty products

Helen of Troy Limited is an American publicly traded designer, developer and worldwide marketer of consumer brand-name housewares, health and home, and beauty products under owned and licensed brands. It is the parent corporation of OXO International Ltd., Kaz, Inc., Steel Technologies, LLC, and Idelle Labs, Ltd, among others. The company is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda, with U.S. operations headquartered in El Paso, Texas. The company is named after the historical or mythic figure Helen of Troy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ulta Beauty</span> American beauty store chain

Ulta Beauty, Inc., formerly known as Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc. and before 2000 as Ulta3, is an American chain of beauty stores headquartered in Bolingbrook, Illinois. Ulta Beauty carries both high-end and low-end cosmetics, fragrances, nail products, bath and body products, beauty tools and haircare products. Each store also has a beauty salon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Good Hair Day</span> Manufacturer of hair care products

Good Hair Day, abbreviated to ghd, is a manufacturer of hair care products based in Leeds, United Kingdom. The company is known for its hair straightening irons and is sold in over 50,000 salons worldwide. The company was the first hair tool sponsor of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.

Julien Farel is a French celebrity hairstylist, "haircare innovator" and entrepreneur in the luxury, beauty, and wellness arena. He is the Chairman of the Julien Farel Group and founder of Farel Haircare.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Markham</span>

James Albert Markham is an American hair stylist and serial entrepreneur, who has founded four hair care companies– Markham Products, ABBA Pure and Natural, PureOlogy Serious Colour Care, and, most recently, ColorProof Color Care Authority. He was also celebrity stylist Jay Sebring's protege and successor of Sebring International after Sebring was murdered by the Manson Family. Markham is known for advancing the Sebring cutting technique and introduced a generation of men to a new way of cutting and caring for their hair in the early 1970s, which emphasizes cutting hair in the direction it grows, daily washing and conditioning, and blow-drying. By 1973 Markham had improved upon the concept and took it nationwide over the next decade, coining the technique The Markham Method. Under his men's hair care line, Markham Products, he personally trained and certified thousands of barbers and stylists as Markham Style Innovators. The stylist's client list included many notable celebrities including Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, Frank Sinatra, Johnny Carson, Peter Lawford, Wolfman Jack, among many others. He also taught film producer and celebrity hairstylist Jon Peters the Sebring method.

Suelyn Farel is an American businesswoman, CEO and co-founder of the Julien Farel Group, a New York City based beauty and "wellness" company, and the former CEO and founder of B Squared, a New York City printing & graphic design company.

eSalon Californian hair coloring company

eSalon is a hair color company based in El Segundo, California. Launched in 2010, the company's core offering is individually customized hair coloring for at home application.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DFS Group</span> Hong Kong luxury travel retailer

DFS is a Hong Kong-based travel retailer of luxury products. Established in 1960, its network consists of over 420 locations, including duty-free stores in 12 major airports and 23 downtown Galleria stores, as well as affiliate and resort locations. It is privately held and majority owned by the luxury conglomerate Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH), alongside DFS co-founder and shareholder Robert Warren Miller. As of January 11, 1997, DFS Group operates as a subsidiary of LVMH.

Alexandra Wilkis Wilson is an American entrepreneur and investor who co-founded the companies the Gilt Groupe, GlamSquad, and Fitz. She is currently co-founder and Managing Partner at Clerisy, a consumer-focused growth equity fund.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bluemercury</span>

Bluemercury is a chain of American beauty stores founded in 1999 by Marla Malcolm Beck and Barry J. Beck in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. The stores sell cosmetics, as well as in-store facials and spa treatments. In addition to selling products from other brands, the company developed its own M-61 skincare line in 2012 and Lune+Aster make-up line in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madison Reed</span> American brand of natural hair care and hair color products

Madison Reed is an American brand of hair care and hair color products. The company has a subscription-based service through its online store as well as partnerships with Ulta, Sephora and QVC, among others. Madison Reed was founded in 2013 by Amy Errett and is headquartered in San Francisco.

DevaCurl is an American brand of hair care products.

Nancy Twine is founder and CEO of Briogeo Hair Care, a leading authority on “green beauty,” and the youngest African-American to launch a product line at Sephora. Briogeo launched in 2013 and is sold online at Briogeo.com and at retail stores including Sephora, Nordstrom, MECCA, and ULTA Beauty, and has an estimated 2020 gross revenue of 40 million dollars. Briogeo Hair Care is currently backed by a minority-interest private equity partner, VMG. In April 2022, Briogeo was acquired by Wella.

Alli Webb is an American businesswoman and writer. She is the co-founder of Drybar, a chain of American salons providing a hairstyling service known as blowouts.

Jen Atkin is an American hairstylist, entrepreneur, and columnist. Atkin is the co-owner of the hair care line OUAI with Lamees Hamdan, the documented founder of OUAI. Atkin is also the founder of the digital magazine Mane Addicts, and works as a columnist for Glamour magazine. She has worked with Chrissy Teigen, Jennifer Lopez, Gigi and Bella Hadid, as well as members of the Kardashian family.

Jesseca Faye Harris-Dupart is an American entrepreneur and the founder and chief executive officer of Kaleidoscope Hair Products.

Thirteen Lune is an e-commerce beauty website launched in 2020 and based in West Hollywood.

References

  1. 1 2 "About Us". thedrybar.com. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  2. ↑ O'Connor, Clare. "How Alli Webb Grew Drybar From Her Backseat To A $70 Million Blowout Chain". Forbes. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 Meghan, Casserly (2012-11-11). "Drybar: How One Woman And A Hair Dryer Became A $20 Million Operation". Forbes.
  4. ↑ "How Alli Webb Turned Drybar Into A $100M Business". Forbes. 15 May 2018.
  5. 1 2 Chan, Jennifer (2013-07-22). "Trendsetters at Work: Drybar Founder Alli Webb". E Online.
  6. ↑ Moratto, Anne. "Modern Exclusive: An Interview with the CEO of Blo Blow Dry Bar".
  7. ↑ Garfinkle, Madeline (2022-10-31). "The Team That Built Drybar is Out to Conquer an Entirely New Industry". Entrepreneur. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  8. 1 2 3 Bronner, Sasha (2013-06-19). "Drybar's Alli Webb Talks Borrowing Money and How to Make a Blowout Last: My LA". Huffington Post.
  9. ↑ Naughton, Julie (2012-01-19). "Drybar, Castanea Partners Ink Deal". WWD. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  10. ↑ "Blow Dry Wars Heat Up". Inc. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  11. ↑ "Helen of Troy to Buy Drybar Products Business for $255 Million". WWD. 2019-12-19. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  12. ↑ Verdon, Joan. "WellBiz Brands Doubles Down On Personal Services With Drybar Deal". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  13. ↑ "With Drybar, a Curly-Haired Girl Wages a Global War on Frizz". The New York Times. 2015-04-25. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2018-05-08.
  14. ↑ Meany, Kelsey (2013-07-13). "Blow Dry Bars Are a Thriving Industry Disrupting the Salon Business". The Daily Beast: Business.
  15. ↑ "Find a Drybar Near You". Drybar.
  16. ↑ "Drybar Founder: Life is too short to work someplace lame". 2017-11-15.
  17. ↑ Anna LaPlaca (2018-10-31). "Drybar Founder Alli Webb Shares Her Best Style Advice". Who What Wear. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
  18. ↑ Staff (2013-01-03). "Drybar Launches Product Line, Names New CFO". New York Business Journal.
  19. ↑ Petrecca, Laura (2012-08-13). "No Haircuts or color: Blowdry bars are a booming business". USA Today.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.