Colorado Springs Salon Chain Expands With Third Location

Bristlecone Salon Group is opening its third Colorado Springs location this spring, expanding a homegrown chain that has grown steadily since its first shop opened near downtown five years ago.

Founder Whitney Marsh says the new location, planned for the city's northeast side, will follow the same membership pricing structure that has driven growth at the existing two shops. Clients pay a flat monthly fee covering a set number of haircuts and blowouts, a model Marsh adapted after watching gym-style membership pricing take hold in other service industries.

Betting Against à La Carte Pricing

"Most salons still price everything à la carte, and it means clients think hard before booking," Marsh said. "Membership takes that decision away. You've already paid, so you just come in." She says the membership base now accounts for roughly half of total bookings across the two existing locations, with members visiting noticeably more often than pay-per-visit clients.

The pricing model has required Bristlecone to staff more conservatively during off-peak weekday hours, since membership revenue is collected monthly regardless of visit frequency. Marsh says the studio uses booking data from its existing locations to project staffing needs for the new shop before it even opens.

Competing With National Chains

Colorado Springs' salon market includes several national franchise locations, and Marsh says the membership structure has been a direct response to that competition. "We can't out-market a national chain's advertising budget," she said. "But we can make the economics of staying loyal to us better than switching."

The new location is expected to open with a staff of eight stylists, several of whom are transferring from the existing two Bristlecone shops to help train new hires. Marsh says she's already scouting a fourth location in the Denver metro area, though she expects to wait at least a year before committing to expansion outside Colorado Springs.