Looking for a blow out to last you all week? Blo Blow Dry Bar, the largest blow dry bar franchise in the country, will open three New Jersey locations in the next three months.
There is currently only one location in the state.
The newest location will open on Feb. 13 in West Orange. Locations in Franklin Lakes and Bernardsville will follow in March and April, respectively. They offer blow outs, hair styles, and make up services.
A signature blow out starts at $40.
Dawanna Williams owns Blo West Orange. A 30-year accounting vet, she purchased a Blo Blow Dry Bar franchise because she’d always wanted to be a business owner. She was introduced to Blo in April 2017 at a franchise symposium and loved the concept of an express, get-in-get-out hair service.
Blo Bar owner Dawanna Williams.
“I decided I’m going to retire one day, but what do I want to do? I want to do something I’m passionate about,” she said.
That passion is empowering other women.
“What I’m most looking forward to—as a business owner, I’m the leader of that business. I don’t do hair, so I’m really looking forward to empowering my staff, the community. I’m looking for the empowerment of women,” Williams said.
According to Blo Blow Dry Bar Marketing Director Shauna Stalk, 90 percent of Blos are female owned. The CEO Vanessa Melman Yakobson is also a woman.
“We don’t want to scare away any male entrepreneurs but it’s definitely women who have experienced Blo Blow Dry Bars who are our core group of franchise partners. They loved the experience and decided they wanted to own their own,” Stalker said.
Blo saw New Jersey as a largely untapped market, according to Stalker, and it was luck that four people expressed interest in opening franchises here.
“They saw potential for the market as well,” she said. “We do consider ourselves an affordable luxury, and we tend to gravitate toward markets with higher average income.”
Williams said average household income and demographics drew her business to West Orange.
“We have such a diverse group of women who live in that community,” she said. “I’m just looking forward to being prosperous in this endeavor and to serving the community with their best hair styles.”
The new 1,600-square-foot Blo West Orange will be located at West Orange Plaza at 235 Prospect Ave.
Clients can make an appointment as early as 7 a.m. Regular business hours will be Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
